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It had been a small and simple fishing village before, but had recently expanded into a town. The soil along the banks was rich and excellent for planting, so farmers had set up homes, expanding outward from the river. Moisture from the south lingered where the Alcon-Sai boarder was due to the mountains.

The massive range that made up the majority of the Highlands ran through Alcon, creating numerous valleys before tapering off into Sai. Northern Sai had beautiful hill-like mountains that seemed mystical to Skye as a child. She had taken the stagecoach route with her father, and had glanced the mountains outside of the window as they’d rode along.

The mountains weren’t in view yet, but the scenery was still beautiful. The trees were beginning to shift from various pines to ginkgo, redwoods, and Trees of Heaven. The large fields in the background were the perfect touch to the peaceful, scenic little town...until a massive shadow flew overhead.

The rain didn’t bother Zazzy as long as there wasn’t any thunder or lightning. She’d come too close to getting struck one time in the Highlands, and was extremely cautious of the weather now. Knowing that the rain was a gentle kind, she’d flown along with the ship as it had chugged it’s way downstream.

Technically the river was half natural, half man-made. It was a large tributary that branched off, and flowed right into Sai, but it wasn’t big enough to fit large ships. Magnus’ father had ordered it expanded, which had cost a lot of money and many lives, but it had made trade with Sai possible.

Villages and towns were beginning to pop up alongside the river every few hundred miles. Their ship was stopping in a specific town to trade a few goods before they entered Sai’s boarders. A special kind of crawfish that was only found in that section of the river was very popular amongst the elites of Sai, and the captain knew that he could make a pretty penny selling them at home.

As they docked and started to unload the few goods that they were trading for the crawfish, Zazzy flew by overhead. Half the people outside were too shocked to react while the others began to panic. Only when a young lad had started yelling about ‘the Princess’ Pet’ did most everyone calm.

A few still ran inside their homes with their livestock and children, but most stayed outside to watch. As the dragon landed in a small clearing next to the docks, Skye went straight from the ship to her scaly bairn. As she patted the top of her head, a group of children ran over to look at the mythical creature.

.....

Most were leery until a five year old boy walked right up to Zazzy, and said; “Yer a Big ol’ lizard! Can I touch yer tail?!”

Zazzy nodded her agreement, which tickled the child into a laughing fit while she slowly lifted her tail, then offered it to the lad. He squealed with delight as he touched one of her spikes, then they were swarmed by overzealous children. Skye handled herself well in the chaos as Tidas watched her from a distance with a soft smile on his face.

‘She’s gonna make a wonderful mother some day.. Bake cookies and read them stories kind of a mom.. I can’t wait to see it..’

Feeling eyes on her, Skye glanced around to find her husband staring at her with utter admiration reflected. A large smile stretched across her face before she got back to saving Zazzy from the horde of kids that surrounded them. Luckily, it didn’t take long for their various parents to come and collect them; and check out the real dragon for themselves.

Afterwards, Skye and Tidas walked around shopping a bit before returning to the ship, then sailing off. Skye had picked a book on Sai’s medicinal plants, while Tidas got one on something called ‘The Daoist’s Synergy Theory’. It was about the cultivation and circulation of different energies within the human body, and Tidas found it fascinating.

When he showed it to Genie on the ship, he grinned as he lightly chuckled, then told Tidas; “It’s quite comical to me that you chose that book. I have made every apprentice I’ve ever had read the then-current version of that. That particular one is from two years ago. Lucky for you that I know the updates that they’ve made to it.”

“Why did you have them read it?” Tidas asked with a quizzical expression.

Genie smiled, happy to see him genuinely intrigued as he explained; “Before magic, some humans could harness the natural energies that exist within our bodies. There’s many names, but they generally fall into two types: Spiritual and Physical..”

“Physical energies can be stored, built up, refined, and released. They come from physically training your body to it’s perfect balance, then refining your senses to match. Spiritual energies come from one’s willpower and soul.”

“So which is more important?” Skye asked, curious as to her former teacher’s answer.

“It’s gotta be Physical, right? If you don’t have the strength to defend what’s precious to you, then what’s the point? Only death can come from the weak going against those stronger than them.

“Not necessarily,” Genie interrupted; “I’ve seen physically weak men do incredible things when their livelihoods or loved ones were at risk. Not to mention that one’s conviction can draw others of like mindedness to you. I think Spiritual energies is the most important energy to refine. Brute strength will only go so far if you don’t have the heart to stick to your convictions.”

Tidas nodded; “...Kinda missed this a bit.”

“A bit?” Genie asked with a grin.

“A wee bit,” Tidas replied with an equally large smile.

“Not ta ruin yer bro-moment, but where does magic fit in then?” Skye asked with a confused look.

Genie’s grin broadened as he answered his favorite pupil; “Magic is the Natural energy of the world. We’re capable of harnessing it because it is also within us, just like the others. The only difference is we don’t know why.”

Skye and Tidas exchanged a look between them before Skye said; “What if I told ya that I kn how magic came ta be in our world?”

Genie blinked several times before he asked; “How do you know?”

Skye smirked and pointed to herself as she said; “Ima the Legendary Catalyst, remember? I had a dream-well, more like a nightmare, but..”

The rest of the day was spent telling Genie about everything they knew about the their world’s history. Skye explained how the ancients had opened a kind of door known as a ‘rift in space/time’, which Genie still didn’t fully understand at the end. He did, however, grasp the basic concept..

Thousands of years ago, humans were far more advanced than they were now, and created the catastrophe that brought the Fae world and their’s crashing together. As Skye described what she had seen in her dream, Genie asked; “How did anything even survive that?!”

Skye shook her head; “I dinna ken me self. I only know what I saw in me dreams.”

Genie rubbed at his chin as he thought; “There’s no way anything would survive two planets crashing into each other because they’re occupying the same space... So how?”

Tidas chuckled; “So no doubt or questioning Skye’s story?”

Genie quirked an eyebrow at him; “Should I not believe her?”

“It’s not that. I just had a hard time swallowing what she said the first time I heard it. I’m just a bit surprised that you’re taking it all in without a single doubt.”

“Well, I guess I just have a bit more trust in Skye than you do,” Genie replied with a touch of snark to his voice.

Tidas was a little irritated by Genie’s comment, but Skye didn’t give it a chance to devolve by saying; “I was thinkin’ about that, and I can think of only one reason all humans didna die bloody back then: the Fae.”

“What do you mean?” Genie asked, ignoring the irate stare Tidas was giving him.

Skye walked over to a porthole and stared outside a moment as she answered; “Think about it: they be the only ones wit the capabilities ta protect anything from somethin’ like that. And how did they survive their planet bein’ pulled into ours? The only explanation that makes sense is the Fae Empress from that time saved them.”

Genie let his arm fall to his side as he said; “Titania’s mother?”

“There’s no way it was her mother! This was thousands of years ago!” Tidas nearly yelled.

Skye smiled, then turned away from the window as she said; “Actually husband, Genie’s probably right. But we can talk more on it later. Right now: there’s somethin’ I need ta do..”

Both Tidas and Genie tensed as Tidas asked; “What? Did you see an enemy out the widow?”

Skye barked a sharp laugh; “Na, husband. Yer such a worrier. We’re here! We’ve reached Sai’s boarder!”

“It’s still another week and a half to reach the capital,” Genie commented as Skye went to rush out the door.

“I ken, but I wanna go fer a ride ta see the mountains wit Zazzy!” Skye replied in a child-like manner.

Tidas sighed; “If you’re leaving the ship, please put on your armor? We still don’t know exactly who tried to poison us, even if we’re pretty sure that it was my brother. It still might’ve been someone from Sai.”

Genie nodded; “I’m in agreement with Tidas. There are more threats about than just Alconian ones.”

Skye smirked broadly; “If ya join me, I’ll agree ta wear me armor.”

Tidas sighed heavily. He loved riding with Zazzy, but Skye and her got a little bit crazy when they flew together. They liked to go fast and do tricks in the air, and all Tidas wanted was a nice, smooth ride. When it came to horses, Skye was the same way.

Going fast was something Skye had always loved to do, even when she nearly broke her next as a child. She was riding a horse way too fast, and fell off as they had jumped a small stream. If it wasn’t for the water to cushion her fall, Skye might’ve died at the age of eight.

After walking up to her with another heavy sigh hanging on his lips, Tidas replied; “As long as you Promise me no flips. And you keep it this time..”