Vivi felt in the world again. That might not be such a good thing.

Russell was alive. That was good news.
Arlo was there. That was good news.
Nobody had any clothes on, that was interesting news.

But they have powers.

And she didn't.

And that made her the only person in the group to have no powers.

The rage!

On top of that, Orion turned out to be quite a show off, running off at inhuman speed and standing still to wait for them to catch up, clicking his tongue every time one of them tripped on a rock, which was abundant in the mountainous terrain.

Vivi still resented Isabella a little for leaving the dragon behind, something about the city being a holy place and no monster allowed in. Well, when they get there, Vivi was gonna her whoop holy ass.

Elli was walking at the front(front for humans, not Orion) with Isabella, nodding gravely as Isabella talked. Sometimes she'd throw questions, and nod gravely as Isabella answered.

Arron was walking in the back, looking beat. Vivi couldn't blame him. She overheard some of what they talked about last night.

Okay, fine. She overheard all of it. It happened right in front of her! Nothing she could do but hear.

For some reason, she felt the strangest urge to go forward and ruffle his hair. Admitted, his short-not-short blonde hair was very ruffle-worthy, but she figured it'd be an awkward scene if she ended up poking his eye instead.

Falling back a little, she called out to him, "Oi."

Arron jolted and tripped, falling on his hands.

Grabbing his arm, she pulled him up, "Sorry."

"It's okay," Arron said, shaking his head, "shoulda seen that coming."

"No you shouldn't have."

Arron looked up questioningly.

"If you saw the rock before you stepped on it, it means you're walking while looking at the ground," what was she even saying? "You shouldn't look down while walking. You should look forward."

Arron looked at her for a moment, expression dull.

Then, "What?"

"What?" Vivi doubting she was visibly showing how much she was regretting this.

Then he slowly grinned, which turned into a smile, which turned into a full blown laughter.

A laughter is a contagious thing, soon they were both laughing their lungs out. Vivi clasped her knee.

Arron was first one to stop, "Yeah, look forward. That simple."

Vivi could almost physically feel the wist in his voice.

"Look," her voice suddenly getting from jolly to forced, "you don't have to force yourself. It's a lot to process, I know that.
So... " She suddenly lost the next words. Arron was looking at her expectantly, as if her words will magically make everything so much better.

Vivi knew it wouldn't.

"... You can cry if you want too, you know." And she was contradicting her own words now, "You really don't have to go through these alone."

Arron looked at her for a moment, as if looking at the words she spoke rather than she herself.

"I know I can cry, Vivi," he finally spoke, "the question is if I should."

Vivi took a moment to look at the boy in front of her, as if seeing him for the first time. As if this was the first time he was sitting here with his hands on his sides, with no guard, no mask.

"You should. You have every right to cry now. No one will judge," Vivi found her words.

Arron looked at her for another moment, then shook his head.

Standing up, he said, "That's thing, Vivi. Everyone will judge."

Then, without letting another conversation take place, he walked off, leaving Vivi to rake her mind for an answer to that statement.

....

Orpheus got up on the cliff first, then beckoned them to come up. Vivi's legs were already feeling like wet rope, and if the otherside of the cliff was a valley, she'd run up if possible. She was eager to get up on the valley.

Until she was up.

On the other side, in the downward slipping valley, a wide river cut through the stone, it's water sky blue, you could practically see the rocks in the river bed.

Six ships floated near the banks, each almost a thousand feet long. The most forward ship was made of wood the color of dried bone, so white it hurt to look. It had an enormous row of sails on top of it. Winged figures moved around on it's docks.

The next one was forest green, with trees on the dock. The long stout figures of elves moved around on the ship. Occasional tree root or branches would shoot out of the forest, only to go back in again. Vivi spotted Laa on the mast, talking to her fairy children.

Third ship was light grey, it looked sturdy, well, sturdier than most. Vivi spotted a few boulders scattered around the dock. The sailer were mostly loin cloth clad and extremely muscular. One of them looked at their group and waved. Vivi looked behind to find Isabella waving as well, perhaps a little too vigorously.

The fourth one was black wood. It was sleeker than other ships, it had sails, but for some reason or other, they were in tatters. There was little dock except for the shades. Shadowy and slender figures moved to fro in there at almost blinding speed.

The fifth one was sky blue in color. As if opposing to the long black ship, it had no shades. The entire upper side of the ship was docks. Werewolves moves busily around the dock, with a few of them in their wolf form.

Vivi looked at Lupa to find her looking at the ship with narrowed eyes. Does she recognize someone?
Does she remember anything from when she was free?

Was she ever free?

And the last one, made with wood the color of blood, was for the humans.

And Vivi knew that because all of them were standing on the dock, staring at them.

"Is it true?" One of them shouted.

"Have we really lost?" Provided another.

There was silence. Vivi could feel the boiling tension between the members of the Royal family.

Whoever speaks now, has to take charge.

Whoever speaks now, has to be the ruler.

A wave went through the river, making the ships Bob up and down a little.
The wooden Giants held fast against the movement.

"Yes," Arron finally spoke up, getting a sideways glance from both Elli and Isabella.

But he's not ready!

"I'm sorry to say this, but the kingdom of Forthfire has fallen. We must leave," Arron spoke calmly, but Vivi could sense that he was barely avoiding breaking down.

How could a twelve years old be king?

"But we can fight!" Said a man's voice, "we are ready to die fighting! Aren't we, brothers?"

A chorus of "YES!" Went through the ship.

"I don't doubt that!" Arron looked constipated, "but it won't do any good! You don't understand!"

"And you do?" A lone voice spoke from the crowd.

Arron's mouth hung open, and then snapped close again. Then he controlled himself and spoke, "Not completely, but I know that something is coming our way, and we need to get away from it."

"Who says we can't fight it?" The people spoke again.

"I do!" Arron yelled suddenly, bright blue flames shot out of his finger tips and went upward like a Piller of flames.

That seemed to calm the crowd.

Arron took buried his face in his arm and took some deep breaths, when he emerged, he looked as if he's about to cry.

"Look", he fumbled for words, " sometimes running away, means living. Sometimes, running away, means living to fight another day.
And I promise you, I promise you that we're gonna come back, we're gonna take back our land in war. But for now, let's live."

There was silence in the crowd. Then they hung their heads. In submission to Arron.

In submission, to the King.

The twelve year old king Vivi was now very worried about.

A planck came down from the ship. All of them walked up it.

As the ropes were being and the ship was being freed, something big and heavy came and sat on the ship's roof. Argi announced his presence with a growl.

And with the remaining civilization that had been known of aboard, the ships sailed.