--------///----Eclina's POV----\--------

(Eclina) " SLEEP! IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO SLEEP! "

(Espiral) " I don't know what you mean, sis. "

Three days had already passed but Espiral still hadn't stopped or gone to sleep. He just kept on going like he wasn't tired or hungry at all. We made decent progress but he wasn't getting any time to rest. But convincing him didn't work. So it was time to resort to other methods.

(Eclina) " If you don't stop then i'm jumping off and not moving until you eat and sleep! "

That seemed to work since he flinched and started to slow down. Though he was grumbling about having to sleep. We were by the river that kept running along the ground and met up at the ocean, so i could go grab him some fish without having to worry where i'd get us food. Though that was one of the only areas that i could find food in the first place.

We were at a normal plain that didn't have much to snack on. I could look for some small animals burrow but that wouldn't fill us up since we would need way more then a few rabbits or animals like that for us to be satisfied. So i directed him to just land next to the river while i went for fish and anything else that i could find for us. He was still grumbling about having to do it but still did it anyway.

When he landed, i jumped off and started running over the river and collect all the fish i passed by. At first, there were only a few, but then i saw a branching river that had even more fish. So i followed it. They seemed to be heading downstream in large numbers. I was curious so i stuffed all the fish i had into an earth container and followed the rest of them to where they were going while stuffing more into my container.

Eventually, all the fish i was following went down a small waterfall. They all went down and landed into a large pond. I could see some eggs at the bottom and even more coming from some of the fish that got there. It was interesting but i just shook my head as i stuffed more fish into my second container since the first one was full now. The first was enough to fill up Espiral while the second would hold me over till we got somewhere that had enough food to eat.

While i was filling it up, i thought i heard something like a noise going off over and over but i just ignored it since i didn't know what it was and was focused on getting enough to eat. I took a majority of the fish but left atleast a fourth of them as i started to run up and back to where Espiral was. But before i left, i thought i heard some footsteps and someone shouting at me. Oh well.

I brought the containers of fish with me and eventually made it back to where Espiral was. He was laying down with his wings wrapped around him and had his eyes closed, though i knew he was still awake. He even moved his wing a bit to see me when i came back. I dropped the first one infront of him and brought the second one next to me. We took our time and ate, and then went to sleep after we were done.

The fish were especially delicious and made it easier to fall asleep on a full stomach after a great meal. Though after we woke up, we were just surrounded by all the red and white scales and bones of the fish. We looked at them and just shook our heads. We slept for atleast four hours since the sun was starting to set when it was higher before we went to sleep.

(Eclina) " Are you better now? "

(Espiral) " Yes sis. I could've kept going though. "

(Eclina) " Don't care. Sleep when you're tired and eat when you're hungry, ok!? "

(Espiral) " Y-yes sis. "

(Eclina) " Good. Anyway, let's go. But if you don't go to sleep after three days again, i'm hitting you! "

(Espiral) " Yes sis. "

(Eclina) " Good. Le-... "

I was about to hop onto Espiral when i felt it. A rift opened nearby. While we've been traveling, we'd rarely come across a rift but we'd still come across them. When that happened, we'd take care of whatever came out and keep going. But this one was weird. I didn't sense it until it opened.

(Espiral) " I'l-. "

(Eclina) " I'll take care of it. You just take more time to rest, ok. "

(Espiral) " ... What if i don't do anything but just come along? Is that ok sis? "

(Eclina) " ... Fine. But you better not do anything, ok? "

(Espiral) " Ok. "

So we went after it. I took off and started running towards what i felt. It seemed to just come from a normal one, just like the ones from the forest. And when i got there, i was right. It seemed to just be a weakling. And it was. I didn't even have to use my elements on the weird lion looking thing that came out since it died after i smacked it. I was just confused that i didn't sense it until it opened. I looked at the brown lion with a goats hooves and green spots in confusion before i just shook my head and burned the body to be sure.

Espiral ruffled his feathers for a bit before he spread out his wings for me to hop onto his back. After i did, he took to the air and flew the way we were going earlier. We kept going without having to worry or do much about anything else. The day passed by just like that and i put it at the back of my mind. Though another day after, i heard Mr.Fenrir's voice in the wind like Mr.Garris does, just clearer.

(Fenrir) " Eclina... Did you send us a talking Ogre? "

I was surprised at first since i didn't expect to hear Mr.Fenrir while we were traveling. Though when i heard what he said, i realized that the cheiftain from earlier, went into the forest like i told him.

(Eclina) " Yes. I thought Mr.Garris would be able to help him. And he'd probably find it interesting since he said it was really rare. "

(Espiral) " Sis? Who are you talking too? "

(Fenrir) " Well he is finding it interesting... Anyway, was just making sure his story checked out. Have a safe trip. "

And like that, i couldn't feel Mr.Fenrir anymore. I was right about to bring up the weird thing with the rift too. Rude... I'll just have to cut him off a lot the next time i get the chance.

(Espiral) " Sis? "

(Eclina) " Huh? Oh. Mr.Fenrir asked about the ogre. He must've shown up by now and Mr.Fenrir was just asking if i sent him. "

(Espiral) " Hmm. Ok. "

And then we kept going. There wasn't anything that we had to do and nothing that kept us from moving on so going forward was the only option. Espiral still didn't seem to like the ogre but it was probably fine. So, without thinking much of it, i let Espiral keep flying. Though i was making sure to keep him from overdoing it. But then we had to stop again because another rift opened and i had to go kill whatever came out.

It was another weakling but still annoying to deal with since we wasted time on it and i couldn't sense that rift before it opened. After that was done, we went back to traveling towards Reina and her party. After a few minutes or something close, i was about to sleep since the sun was already down, and decided to make Espiral sleep too since we weren't that far and i went to get some food before we made it there.

After we ate, we curled up and went to sleep. But this time, i went into my Sylum. I was curious about something and decided to see if anyone else was experiencing the same thing. And luckily, when i went in to my Sylum, there was someone calling for me as soon as i got in. It was Alatrea. She would always call for me atleast once but it was never a bother, it was fun. Though this one felt a little different.

When i connected to her Sylum, she was already flying in circles around the big tree. When she noticed i was here, she dived down and came to meet me. After she evolved, she looked pretty as her scales changed into an even brighter red and had a blue sheen when she was in the light. The ridges of her wings even had some scales that were turning into a shiny purple color. She even grew another five meters long, making her over double my height if she stood on her tail, while her wings were atleast ten meters.

The purple scales slowly started to appear two years ago and now, they were under all of her wings and had kept growing every time she would shed. I never really knew how dragon shedding worked, but apparently it was more of a thing unique to her which happened atleast once a year. She hadn't shed yet so that might have been what she was calling me for.

(Alatrea) " Hello there Eclina. How are you doing? Have you been well? "

(Eclina) " I'm fine. But what about you? Did something happen? "

(Alatrea) " Aside from my teachers constant bickering, my next shed seems to be soon. "

(Eclina) " Really? Is that all? "

(Alatrea) " Yes. Should there be anything more? "

(Eclina) " Umm. There have been rifts that i can't sense until after they've opened. I was wondering if you've felt something similar. "

Alatrea looked confused for a second and i could tell she was trying to think about what i just said. She had a complicated look on her face and i could see her take her time to see if she could find a moment that happend .

(Alatrea) " I'm sorry Eclina, i can't recall a moment where that ever happened. "

(Eclina) " Oh. Well i've only been feeling it recently... I don't know why it's happening though. "

(Alatrea) " Hmm. I see. I will bring it up to my teachers when i leave Sylum. Until then, shall we chat for a bit? "

(Eclina) " Sure. "

And that's what we did. It was usually like this whenever me and Alatrea were in Sylum. Other then the times we would spar, we would just talk and sometimes spar. At the start, i would win a lot since she hadn't adjusted to her body but as time went on and she got used to it, she would win way more. I still had the majority of wins, but she was only a few behind and could catch up quickly.

We talked about stuff for about an hour, and eventually decided to leave after we were done. At some parts i was worried that i wouldn't be able to keep the secret that i was coming to visit her after i visited Reina. Though i managed to do it. After we left, i opened my eyes to the sun rising. It was early in the morning and it would be too early to start flying so i closed my eyes and went back to sleep. Until i felt another rift open and grumble dmy way out of Espiral's wings to go deal with it.

(Espiral) " Mhm... Sis? "

Though that ended up waking him.

(Eclina) " Get some more sleep, i'll be right back after i deal with whatever came out, ok? "

(Espiral) " ... I'll come with just to make sure. "

(Eclina) " ... Fine. But you better keep resting. "

(Espiral) " Yes sis. "

So, we went towards it. The more rifts that kept opening, the more annoyed they would make me. I ran after it and saw another weakling that i could kill in a smack. So that's what i did and went on my way with Espiral. We went back to flying and kept heading to where Reina was.

(Espiral) " Uhh, sis? Are you ok? "

(Eclina) " I'm just bored. We haven't had anything to hunt the whole trip. I didn't even get to spar with Alatrea last night. "

(Espiral) " Umm, we could spar sis. "

(Eclina) " No. you're doing all the work to get there so i'm not hurting you. "

(Espiral) " Are you sure? You can just heal me after. "

(Eclina) " No. I'll just hold on. "

(Espiral) " If you say so sis. Then i'll push myself to go faster. "

(Eclina) " Huh? Wait wha- "

But i didn't get to finish my question since Espiral's lightning started to wrap around him and compressed itself more then usual. He then started to flap his wings and sped through the sky as a golden streak while i had to hold on for dear life. I couldn't even open my mouth without the wind smacking me in the face. I had to turn on my air tail and make a shield infront of us so the air wouldn't mess with me.

But then that made him even faster! He wasn't getting any resistance and flew like a fish in water. If it wasn't for the iron braces on me and me using my darkness to wrap onto Espiral, then i would've been launched off of him in a heartbeat. Though it didn't look like he was used to this speed since i could see him struggling a little bit. So i decided to trust in the braces Espiral made and swapped from my darkness to use my light to heal any damage he was doing to himself.

(Eclina) " You better not overdo it! I'll get mad if you keep hurting yourself! "

He didn't say anything, well, he couldn't say anything. But he nodded and i was sure he would listen. Though after a bit, i turned up my light and made sure he was healing up as soon as any damaged popped up. We did this for about a half hour before Espiral wasn't able to handle it anymore and decompressed his lightning as he slowed down a bit. We were still flying but we were at a normal pace now but that was fine since we probably made half a days worth of distance with that.

(Eclina) " Are you ok? Do you need to stop for a bit? I can get you some food if you need it. "

(Espiral) " I'll... Be ok sis. I'll just rest after we get there. We're close aren't we? There's a big settlements right up ahead. "

When he said that, i couldn't help but look ahead at the place he called a settlement and nod. Up ahead was a walled city that had harbors and ships sitting on the ocean water. The city was way bigger then a settlment so i was confused about why he called it one, then i remembered that he's never actually seen what a city is supposed to look like and didn't know that this fit into the city category.

(Eclina) " This is a city. Settlements are way smaller. Remember that, ok? "

(Espiral) " Yes sis. But... What about the things down there? "

(Eclina) " Huh? What things? "

I didn't know what he was talking about, but then he nudged with his beak and then i could see what he was talking about. I was too preoccupied looking at the city from the side that i somehow didn't notice the swarm of bug like creatures that were rushing towards it from the front. I had to take a moment to blink and actually take in the massive swarm that seemed to blanket the ground like an ocean wave as it moved from a hole in the ground towards the front gates.

(Eclina) " That... Umm... I don't think i know what those are. "

(Espiral) " Me neither... Do you think? "

(Eclina) " A rift? Maybe. But then why are there so many? Did some kind of queen come out from it? "

(Espiral) " Maybe? But where would all the food come from? They'd need a lot to get that many. "

(Eclina) " Hmm... Well we can always fi- ... Is that... It is! "

(Espiral) " Huh? "

While i was looking at the swarm, i saw people fighting them off, which was normal. But then, i noticed a massive earth thing just appear out of nowhere that started to smash the bugs. After it appeared, someone with wings flew up behind it while two people rushed out from behind its sides and started to cut through the bugs that got in their way. At first i almost didn't recognize them, but then i felt something familiar. It was mama.

Or what felt like mama. Then i felt something else a bit behind them. I looked over to the wall and noticed someone on top that seemed to be shouting at them and at some people by her sides. I felt papa from her. That was when i figured out who they were. It was Reina's party! They were the ones that caught my eye because they felt like mama and papa. The other people didn't even register to me since i focused on them.

Mina didn't seem to be much different, aside from what she was wearing. Though from how high up we were, all i could see was a side of her and not all of her so maybe there were changes that i just didn't see. I couldn't get a good look at Reina since she was fighting the swarm, but that was about to change. I turned on my air tail as i jumped off of Espiral's back to safetly run down, along with my earth tail, because what better way to handle bugs then to crush them?

(Espiral) " Huh? Sis?! Wait for me! "

Espiral followed after me as i started running towards them as i started to form five earth slabs behind me. At first they were small, but the closer i got to the ground, the bigger they got. Then when they started to block the light, everyone, including the bugs, looked up to see us coming down. I made eye contact with Reina and smiled.

(Eclina) " Reinaaaaa! "