The ashes mixed into the sand as the wind brushed away the remains. Charlie sat in silence as the sun beat down on him. Silently, the Chiefess moved behind him. The knife was back in the sacred cloths, and her silver hair had again become black. Staring at him, she simply walked over and dropped to his side.

She didn’t know what, but something felt off to her. So simply he sat. Glancing at her, he moved to stand, just for her to place a hand on his shoulder. Shaking her head, she gestured for him to sit.

“Stay as long as need,” she said in her usual broken English. He couldn’t say what had happened. If she knew such a thing… What would she do? Tucking his legs against his chest, Charlie placed his face down on his knees.

“Flames, were you?” she muttered as she placed an arm around him. Fear trickled down his spine as he turned to stare at her. Knowing lying was futile, he nodded. Doing nothing, she continued to sit with her arm around him.

“They had seen Ourupadia with her ears and tail exposed,” he said, hoping the speed he was talking would mean she couldn’t translate quick enough to understand him. Doing this would hopefully loosen the tightness in his chest, but also stop Etasose from worrying, “I know the extents humans would go to for even just one demi-human. The idea of unlimited magic… I know what people would do,”

Charlie remembered the slave trade of the Central Realm. Hundreds of Demi-Humans were used like livestock to harvest the magic from their blood to be used in imperial war machines and to keep the factories going.

“You are like me,” she pulled him a little closer to her side, “Me when I was younger,” Her eyes stared at the ash as she spoke.

“I remember when I kill my first enemy… I know the feel,” she said, her words softly spoken.

She wanted to scream. Despite the softness of her tone, she couldn’t help but glare at the ash. Where had this power come from? As tears trickled down his cheeks, she placed her arms around him. Lifting him, she placed him onto her lap. Burying her face against his neck, she put her lips to his ear.

“This is war…” Her words froze him. Even the tears rolling down his cheeks stopped, now just dangling from his red face.

“We go home. I give you to Nolkonoe. She had been through many, many wars. She helped me get over killing someone for first time, she help you,” the Chiefess placed her hands onto his lips. Placing herself even closer to him, she put a kiss on his neck.

“I…I killed someone…”

“Because you knew the risk of letting them live,” Again she kissed him, “I love you, Charlie,” her words did not soothe him, but his tears stopped. Noticing his eyes lingering to the last of the men’s ashes floating into the wind, she raised him high into the air. Turning him to face her, she wrapped her arms around his head.

He could hear her heartbeat. Like her skin, it was soft. Her hand ran down his back as she whispered sweet nothings into his ear.

“You…” the Chiefess went to speak, only to stop as she noticed his closed eyes. For longer she sat, he cuddled into her arms.  

Standing, she looked back to the ash. “

Once we get back, I want him placed under constant watch, but please make sure it is all Vultures. I want him to feel safe,” the Chiefess said in her native tongue to two warriors who were only now catching up to her. They nodded as the Chiefess turned and began to walk back to the Desert Claimer.

As his face cuddled into her chest, one of her hands gently caressed his hair.

“Good boy,” she muttered, her eyes lingering on him as she walked. Flicking her wrist, the Desert Claimer unravelled and came to her side. Leaping swiftly onto its back, she still held the young man to her chest as she nestled at the head of the beast.

All present cleared a path, knowing better than to stand in the way of the Chiefess. As the war beast pealed away into the Desert, they watched in silence. They had seen the flames. A mixture of amazement and fear battled over the hearts of the tribe, but it held them nonetheless.

“What was that?” A huntress muttered, her eyes lingering on the figure of the Chiefess.

“A blessing from the goddess?” A forger muttered.

“Or a monster…” another muttered, her hand clenching into a ball.

A couple of hours passed, and soon the Desert Claimer entered the canyon that led to the village of the Chiefess. Only the sounds of the Desert Claimer gliding through the sand were heard as they rode. Placing a hand on the top of his head, the Chiefess stared at his sleepy face. What had happened in that town? The thought had been haunting her ever since she had seen the flames.

She glanced to her side, just checking to see if her knife was there. This was Charlie. She knew how he acted. Yet something about him was still catching her nerves. That along with the flames… may be possessed by a demon? Possible. She would do a ceremony when they returned, just to ensure the blessings of the Goddess were still upon him.

If not, that could only mean one thing… She would die before she would allow it to come to that. Doing that was the last measure. She knew she wouldn’t, but whether or not the tribe of the clan leaders went against her was another situation all on its own. If it came to that… if they even thought of laying their hands on him, she would kill them.

But that wasn’t something she was willing to risk. The idea of them even want to lay a finger on him made her shudder. She would have to come up with a plan and fast. One which still allowed him to carry on with his ideas, as well as not have the tribe lose faith in him or his loyalty to them. She would consult Nolkonoe, then head to the temple.

For a while longer they moved until they reached the gates. At first glance, it looked deserted. Staring towards the tops of the canyon behind her, then to the open lands of their village, Etasose couldn’t see them. Placing Charlie down into the beast's fur, she lifted her hands to her mouth. Cupping them over her lips, she whistled. Silence. She looked to the huts, to the temple. Still, no one was in sight.

A shimmer of light caught her eye. Turning, she saw Nolkonoe. The magic which they used to conceal their tails, as well as their bodies, faded. Nude she stood, a knife in her remaining hand. A look of worry sat on her face.

“Where are the rest?” Nolkonoe’s eyes fell onto Charlie, and her eyes widened as her lips parted. Words tried to come forward, but before a tear could roll down her cheek, the Chiefess spoke.

“Behind us, they are fine. But there is no sight of the Huntresses. Otherwise, Charlie is fine… but there is something we must speak of in private,” the Chiefess said, her eyes conveying to Nolkonoe her seriousness. Nodding, Nolkonoe yelled. Lines of women came from the sand, all the way until they reached the far-off tops of the canyon. From the tops of the canyon, small dots appeared.

Leaping from the Desert Claimer, the Chiefess muttered, and the beast turned and charged back in the direction of the group. As the creature disappeared into the sand, the lines of women began to relax slightly and walk back towards the village. Alongside the Chiefess, Nolkonoe walked towards the villagr.

“So, what happened to him?” Nolkonoe muttered, staring towards him. She peered over the arms of the Chiefess to stare at him. Small scars riddled him, but besides that no serious damage. Looking closer at his arms, she saw something that surprised her. Just under the shit, there was muscle. Not lots, but more than when she had last seen. What exactly had happened when he left?

As women trickled back into the village, the Chiefess began to walk towards the temple, and Nolkonoe followed close behind.

“I assume we will be using the temple main room?” Nolkonoe said, moving a little faster to keep pace with the Chiefess.

“Yes, is that a problem?” the Chiefess said hurriedly, not slowing in pace despite seeing Nolkonoe just lagging behind.

“Oh, some of the women took the men and children to the temple, I will go ahead and have them leave so that we can talk in private,” Nolkonoe said, quickly moving forward and ahead of the two.

As they walked, small groups came from their hiding places. None wore their usual paints, but all were armed with what they could gather together. Worried mutters and eyes surrounded them.

“My husband is fine, just tiered after the attack, now go! Your sister will be returning soon. Many are injured, others dead. NOW GO!” the Chiefess barked, and the mutters swiftly stopped as they scurried away.

At the steps of the temple, the Chiefess saw as several men with sharpened sticks, several armed Vultures, and the children of the village began to trickle down the steps and back into the village. She gave them no notice, her eyes staring to the top of the temple as took in a long breath, before a just as long exhale.

A choaking feeling held her. Was Nolkonoe a good choice? Or should she have chosen Cluupyte instead? She was religious…Nolkonoe was religious but no where near as much. But now it was too late, her plan was going to have to work, one way or another. At the top of the steps, she saw a smiling Nolkonoe. She knelt by them, helping them pick up their well-crafted wooden toy animals.

Noticing the Chiefess and Charlie just arriving, she handed the kids their toys and hurried them off. Naïve, they beamed smiles at their Chiefess as they sprinted away. The Chiefess gave a small smile in return as she watched them leave. She stayed at the top step and watched as the children left. Once knowing no one else was around, she turned her attention to Nolkonoe.

“Lets step inside, there is a problem with Charlie,” Quickly standing, Nolkonoe stepped back. Walking past her, the Chiefess moved inside the temple. Quickly they moved to the main room. As they entered, the Chiefess carried Charlie to a pile of fur. Using her right foot to push the fur out into a rough bed, she placed him down. Making sure he was comfy, or at least looked it, she stood and looked to Nolkonoe.

Nervous, Nolkonoe saw a look in the eyes of Etasose. A look she had not seen since she was young. The same fear and horror she had seen since the day they found them when the Desert Crawlers had attacked them.

“I think the tribe are going to kill him,” she muttered, her voice shaky and eyes wild. Nolkonoe stood in silence. Processing her words.

“What?”

“He…I didn’t believe it… but he set two men on fire. With just his hands,” At hearing this, Nolkonoe smiled. Shaking her head, she scoffed.

“Look. That is stupid.”

“His father is famous for using flames…”

“No,” Nolkonoe interrupted Etasose, a snarl on her face as she did so, “He is not his father!” Nolkonoe snapped.

“But he is his son!” the Chiefess yelled, a tear rolling down her cheek before looking back to Charlie. He moved a little, his eyes just opening. Slowly his eyes shut as he lay back. Turning, Etasose saw the eyes of Nolkonoe fading from being blue.

“He will sleep for a while. I may have promised him I wouldn’t do it, but I am sure he will understand,” Nolkonoe wiped a tear from her cheek, “he is sweet. He is nothing like his father,”

Silently, the two stood, their eyes on locked on Charlie.

“The flames were green,” the Chiefess muttered, and Nolkonoe shook her head.

“That means nothing… But when did he get this? How did he get this?”

“I am not sure, I will ask Ourupadia when she returns. But… you smell it as well, right?”

“Honestly, I hate to admit it. But are you sure you haven’t given him some healing magic or something?”

“No, I haven’t. And anyway, that magic he reeks of is not familiar,” Nolkonoe tapped her foot. There was more than just one scent, there were three. One of the Chiefess, that being the drop of blood she gave him so long ago. The next… no matter how much she wanted to admit it was his the same as his father. But why was it only appearing now? And then the third, it was Wrench.

Back in the fifth region, Wrench leapt and danced around a room. Energetic, yet elegant music filled the room. A machine sat in the corner, its fingers tapping away on a piano while another group of machines played away on other instruments. Laughing and cackling, he swigged from a large bottle of pure alcohol. The door to the room creaked open, and the night elf popped her head inside. Seeing him, she smiled and entered.

“You seem happy?” Stopping and turning to her, he smiled from under his mask. Pulling it down so that his face was covered, he walked to the machines. Flipping a switch, the music stopped. Turning back to her, he lifted his bottle.

“Of course, my mask just alerted me of an influx of magic. And it is from the direction my little student went. I sent a few armed men out to help them, but still, that magic means he is using his power. I looked at the others; none of them have such an ability, so I assume it is him. And if it is, by God I just made a weapon!” He said, taking another swig from his bottle as he laughed. Moving to a chair and dropping himself into it, he laughed a little again.

“Oh, I don’t have a big ego or something, but fucking hell I think I just made a weapon that is going to give me an upper hand in this war,” giggling like a school child, he drank again. Putting his head back, he again laughed. Putting a hand to the sky, he could almost see it.

“I will burn the fucking world to the ground if I have to… I will kill them. I will restore what my family built, but first I need a backbone. That will be Charlie. But honestly, if he is anything like his father, I am sure he will exceed far past my expectations,” Again drinking, he closed his eyes. War was soon to follow.