I woke to the sight of straw poking through the branches of the ceiling and blinked.
I felt different—different in a way I had never felt before. I was still me, yet there was something else, a part of me both familiar and entirely unrecognized until now. I blinked again.
My body felt heavy, but sensation was returning, filling me with vitality. Already, the effects were setting in. My bones felt sturdier, my muscles fuller, and my mana surged like an endless fountain. More than anything, I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs—stronger, powerful, devouring.
I groaned.
"Markus," Tania's voice rang out in a cry of relief. "You're awake?"
Her face came into view, a pleasant smile stretching across her lips. I could hear the relief in her tone and see the anxiety melting away. I smiled back and inclined my head forward, intending to sit up.
"Let me," she said, helping me rise. "Wow, you're heavy."
"Seems so," I replied with a shrug. The weight wasn't just lingering fatigue—I was literally heavier than before. A perk of being a dragon, I reckoned.
"Where are the others?" I asked, glancing around the empty room.
"Ah," Tania murmured. "They're outside. Pyra is looking after Amara, and your father left early to buy supplies from the market. Do you want me to call them?"
"There's no need," I said, shaking my head. "Let's go meet them."
Pyra's reaction was exactly what I expected. Amara, on the other hand, looked relieved—relieved enough that I decided to put off confronting her for now. Oh, I would address it, just not in front of everyone else.
Pyra studied me from head to toe, tapping a finger to her chin as she nodded thoughtfully.
"Are you feeling any discomfort?" she asked.
From your actions? Certainly, I thought, though I refrained from saying it aloud. Instead, I answered, "A little drained, but I can feel my mana rising with every passing second."
Pyra laughed lightly. "You should've seen yourself after your metamorphosis—it was like watching a whale guzzle down an ocean."
"I bet," I replied with a dry chuckle. And it was true. My body was recovering mana at a speed I had never experienced before. Combined with other effects and a dragon's physique, I could already feel my limbs returning to peak condition.
"So, you're alright now?"
The question came from Amara. I turned to regard her with a flat stare. She met my gaze languidly, reclining against the cushion at her back.
"Pyra, why don't you take Tania with you and see if you can find something to cook? I'm feeling awfully hungry."
Pyra looked between me and Amara, offered a terse nod, then nudged Tania along. She was sharp enough to take the hint and give us some privacy.
Once they were gone, I exhaled sharply. "Well?"
"Well what?" Amara replied with a shrug.
I narrowed my eyes. "Are you seriously going to act like this—after everything we've been through?" I paused, watching her expression before continuing, "Seriously, Amara. What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't," she said simply, shrugging again. "Thinking, I mean. We had a problem, we needed a solution—I just offered one."
"At the expense of your life?"
She didn't answer, pressing her lips together. A smoldering rage burned in my chest, and I let out a low snarl.
"Do you really think you saved me?" I stepped closer. "What if your talent hadn't worked? What if you stayed dead!?"
"Guess you'd have found out."
Her words stopped me cold. The sheer casual nonchalance with which she treated her own life filled me with impotent rage. I wanted to lash out, to yell, to make her understand—but looking into those steady eyes, seeing that unreadable expression, my words died in my throat.
I sighed, shoulders slumping as I collapsed onto the bed beside her. "Goodness, Amara."
She hesitated. "I, uh..." A hint of color touched her cheeks. She gritted her teeth, then finally spoke. "I'm sorry."
Father arrived sometime later, carrying a basket full of supplies. Apparently, after learning that I was okay and just unconscious, he had been relieved enough to go shopping. He wanted to prepare something special for the occasion.
Pyra helped with the cooking—which she was surprisingly good at—and soon, we all sat around the worn-down table, plates filled with bean soup and boiled vegetables. There were a couple of other dishes as well, but my mind kept drifting back to the events with Amara. It was probably the first time I had ever heard her apologize—and with such sincerity. I knew something was up, but I decided to wait until after our departure to sort through my thoughts.
As expected, my father was saddened to hear about our departure. But when we explained our reasoning and how we were working with Baron's soldiers, he looked proud and resolute. I could tell that my arrival had given him a quiet strength, something he had lacked before.
We decided to roam around the village, watching the bustling streets before making our way to the farmland. It reminded me of the days when my father still worked diligently and would take me around the marketplace, filling my heart with wonder.
I was glad to have come home.
By the afternoon, my companions had begun packing a few supplies. I left a sum of money for my father, despite his vehement refusals. Tania helped.
It was strange to see them regard the old man with such respect and dignity, but I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet discomfort on his face. He had apparently learned from each of them that they shared an intimate relationship with me, and though clearly confused, he took the news in stride. He did, however, warn me to take good care of these nice young ladies and not to neglect them.
What truly surprised me was learning that even Amara had let slip her connection to me—something I had assumed she was too proud to mention. I was happy, though, and certainly not complaining.
We left the house in the evening, and for the first time in a long while, I felt as if this was the start of a new journey.
[End Volume 1 - Siege of The Erdwatch]
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