#baltazar

[geekgirles]

The Doll and the Dragon

Chapter 12: An Olive Branch

Word Count: 23568

Read on AO3

Previous/Next

Chapter Summary: "Something is brewing in the World of Twelve, something that could change the course of history forever. In the meantime, Amalia, Yugo, Adamaï, and the other inhabitants of Oma Island remain none the wiser, focusing instead on their daily lives and the issues the Council of Six still faces when it comes to being accepted into their new home. Will an unexpected request and all its possible consequences be able to change that? And will it be a change for the better, or the worse?"

In all his years, he had never beheld a more beautiful sight than that of his kingdom and its forests. There was truly nothing more wondrous than the vast green canvas that extended as far as reached the eye under a cloudless blue sky. No matter the weather, be it under the sun’s generous rays or as a rainpour beat down on them, the trees’ beauty could not be sullied. 

In summer, the trees would be bathed by golden light, turning their already vibrant green leaves into veritable emeralds. After a storm, the last few droplets would delicately tinkle down, twinkling like stars, and the morning dew allowed for the air entering their lungs with each breath to be delightfully crisp. Even in autumn, when the greenery usually lost its natural vibrancy and the trees lost their leafy mantles, the warm browns, reds, and yellows that would replace them felt just as comforting in that way only cosy afternoons spent huddled under a blanket in the comfort of your own home could achieve. 

The only thing more beautiful than their forests, and that in itself tended to spark a heated debate amongst Sadida’s followers, were the people. 

Oakheart Sheran Sharm was many things. He was a warrior, a diplomat, a man who appreciated good food even when it went against his diet, a father, as much as it pained him, a widower… But above everything else, he was the King of the Sadidas, the protector of the forests of the World of Twelve, and especially of the Tree of Life. Everything he did, he did it for his people’s sake. There was no greater honour than serving them, and no greater pride than knowing he was doing right by them. 

Perhaps the only thing that could eclipse the pride he felt for his accomplishments was that of his own son’s. Even if he would be lying if he said he understood what went on inside his heir’s head as of late. He drew in a deep breath, his frown fading into resignation. 

Knowing better than to dwell on matters that would only spiral down into unproductive arguments, the Sadida King set his eyes onto his kingdom once more. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips at the sight of his beloved subjects roaming the streets and going on about their day. 

Yes, Sadida had truly blessed them with his many gifts. It was only natural that they showed him their devotion and gratefulness in return. As always, the Leafy God had yet again granted them the means to do so. 

Prince Armand remained by his father’s side, watching their kingdom from the great plateau guarding the entrance to the throne room with similar stoicism. And yet, his dark brown eyes kept darting towards his father, unease creasing his eyebrows slightly so. 

In all his years standing by the king’s side in preparation for his own ascension to the throne, there were still times where the Crown Prince could not for the life of him decipher what his father was thinking. And, in spite of his feigned agreement back at the summit with the other nations, the king’s current plan was no exception. 

Hopefully, a certain someone’s tardiness would be enough to enlighten the stubborn king on why it was better to just give up on his latest idea. 

“He has yet to come, Father.” He prodded, his expression souring when all he received was a disengaged grunt from the king. His next words held a little more bite. “How do we know his mistresses haven’t decided to go back on their word to help us?”

This time, Oakheart shot a brief side glance at his son. “Now, Armand. What have I told you about rushing to pass judgement? A good king knows how to exercise some patience.”

“A good king also knows how to anticipate himself to any setbacks.” He bit back, impatient. “And relying solely on Master Joris could very well work against—.” His father silently raising a hand was enough to put a halt in his tirade. 

The Sadida Prince wanted to protest, but the words died in his throat when he registered a bright light from the corner of his eye. When he turned his head around, he had to bite his tongue at the sight of Master Joris calmly standing behind them, completely nonplussed even as he was surrounded by several guards pointing their spears down at his throat. Armand turned back to look at his father in quiet astonishment. Somehow, he had sensed the arrival of Bonta’s emissary even before the fact.

A knot formed in the pit of his stomach when he was once again reminded that he had yet a lot to learn before he could ascend to the throne. 

Likewise, King Oakheart didn’t even need to turn around to face his guards as he commanded, “Rest, my warriors. Master Joris is our guest.”

Master Joris simply dusted his cloak off as the Sadida guards muttered quiet apologies and drew back their weapons. Placing his log to his side, he knelt down in respect in front of the royal family, his head hung low. 

“Greetings, honourable Sadida. I sincerely apologise for my tardiness.”

At that, King Oakheart finally whirled around to greet their guest, a calm smile on his mane-covered lips. “Please, Master Joris, none of that. We understand how busy you are, we are merely thankful you could spare some of your precious time to us.”

“I gave my word, Your Majesty.” The short hero nodded solemnly, only then did he rise to his feet. His dark, sharp gaze flickered over to the prince. “Greetings, Prince Armand. It is good to see you as well.”

“Likewise, Master Joris.” His cordial tone was clipped, almost forced. Not because he didn’t respect a hero as esteemed as the Bontarian, but because he had just been forced to take back his words. 

Choosing to ignore his son’s temper for the time being, the Sadida King strolled towards the large, leaf-shaped gates guarding the throne room in an almost leisurely walk, his hands behind his back. With a nod of his head, he beckoned his companions to follow him. 

Once they were all inside and King Sheran Sharm had regained his rightful position in the mossy throne ruling over the room while Armand and Joris remained at his feet, separated by the small pond leading up to the symbol of his status, it was time to talk business. 

“I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to fulfill my request, Master Joris.” 

But the ambassador merely inclined his head further down. “There is no need to thank me, Your Majesty. I am merely doing my job.” He raised his head to stare the king in the eye. “As I said back at the assembly, I speak in the name of the Queens of Bonta when I say you can count on us for anything you might need, especially for something like this.”

Oakheart nodded curtly. “In that case, tell Queens Astra and Selene that they have my thanks.” He then fell silent, his large hands coming to rest on his lap as he considered their next course of action. After a minute or two of silent deliberation, he peeked an eye open. “Are you certain you will be able to carry out this task without issue?”

“Certainly, my King.” Joris said, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice. He was about to elaborate when Armand’s impatient tone broke through the conversation.

“And what about the consequences of carrying it out?” He questioned, his brow creased into a cynical glare. “It was already risky enough to invite them to Bonta, but this—.”

“Prince Armand!” King Oakheart roared, cutting the prince’s rant off and standing up from his throne as he looked down to his only son, equal parts irritation and disappointment flashing through his eyes. “We have already talked about this and we agreed it was the best course of action. I will not be accepting any sort of insubordination from you!”

“But father—!”

“Silence!”

The king’s shouted order reverberated around the room, effectively quieting the prince’s protests. After that, silence did indeed reign supreme and the air became charged with the unmistakable feeling of confrontation. As father and son entered a staring competition, the only thing that managed to break the tense quiet was their laboured breathing as they stared each other down. 

At least, Prince Armand stood down with a tsk! of his tongue, stubbornly averting his gaze as his hands came to curl into fists at his sides. 

Armand wanted to argue against his father’s insistence on his plan, he really did, but one glance at him, an expectant eyebrow directed straight at his son, told the prince that he was expected to let the matter go. Still, he couldn’t not voice his thoughts, not yet. He had to try to reason with his father one last time.

He glanced up at the king, hoping to convey the seriousness of his request, pleading with his father to listen to him and his contributions for once. He already knew he didn’t exactly approve of his marriage to Aurora and his plans for the future of the Sadida Kingdom, but if he could only listen to him on this…

“Please, Father. I beg you to reconsider. Are you certain of this?”

Although the earnestness in Armand’s voice compared to his previous impudence softened Oakheart’s heart, it did nothing to break his resolve. So, hardening his soul as much as his stance, his mind was made up. “Yes, my son. I am certain. Remember, this is not a decision taken on a whim, but one taken out of consideration for Sadida’s will. As his humble servants, this is the least we can do to protect his legacy.”

It was at that moment that Joris chose to speak up again. He shot a reassuring glance the prince’s way. “Rest assured, Your Highness. Even when I presented myself unannounced to investigate the matter of the Sadida woman’s sightings, they were nothing but courteous, if a little reserved. 

“Likewise, it must be said that their behaviour at Bonta was faultless—barring the incident with Count Harebourg.” He admitted quietly. “I am confident we have nothing to fear.”

Knowing his father wouldn’t listen to him no matter how much he fought him on the matter, instead of trying to refute the Bontarian’s point, the Sadida Prince eased out a heavy sigh in defeat.

“Thank you, Master Joris. Let us hope you are right.”

He supposed he would have no choice but to keep an eye open just in case, he thought to himself. 

Satisfied with his son's acquiescence, King Sheran Sharm shot one last resolute look at the Bontarian. “You know what to do, then.”

With one final nod, Joris finally rose to his full height from his knelt down position. “Yes, my King. I will not let you down.”

.......................................................................................................................

As God of Nature, Sadida was a creator. While Osamodas’ dragons brought life to what would then become the World of Twelve, it was thanks to his contributions that their precious, little planet was brimming with life. It was all part of a sacred cycle. Without plants, animals and humans alike couldn’t survive, and without them, life couldn’t flourish. Likewise, it was thanks to his gift to his people that the World of Twelve was overflowing with wakfu even without the presence of Eliatrope. 

The Leafy God had to suppress a shudder. He dreaded even thinking about what their world would look like without his plants and the wakfu they provided. 

His uneasy grimace faded into a sad frown at the memory of the Goddess of Love. Not for the first time, the Doll Master found himself wondering how much more beautiful and prosperous the World of Twelve would have been with the Great Goddess’ help, but alas, she made her choice all those years ago, leaving them no other alternative. 

Whatever alternative reality where they all got to coexist together would never be anything more than that, a ‘what if.’

And yet, her people had found their way to the World of Twelve on their own. Perhaps Twelvians and Eliatropes were bound to live together, after all. Maybe sending Amalia to them had truly been for the best. 

At the memory of his youngest, Sadida set his focus back on his frolicking daughters. All nine of them. Even the smile painted on his wooden mask accentuated itself a little at the sight of them. 

Maminala and Dathura, always the sweet, placid ones, were engrossed in avid conversation, with the turquoise-haired doll holding her much smaller big sister in the palm of her hand. Razeriana and Ibago, coquettish as they were, lay down on the grass, letting the sun’s warm rays bathe their stitched-up skin and colour their raggedy flesh. Knowing them, they expected their natural colours to be more vibrant than ever by the time they were done.  

Compared to their appearance-conscious sisters, the much more sportive Ballodana and Ladysally were dancing to the beat of the music played by Lophapharo, their hips swaying playfully from side to side. Perhaps, as a father, he should have been worried that his second eldest was using Peparava’s squishy form as a set of bongos, but the laughing doll didn’t seem to mind, so who was he to spoil their fun?

Yes, perhaps Sadida was the God of Nature and a creator by trade, but there was no denying his daughters were his true pride and joy. 

He tried to ignore the pang of melancholy that resonated throughout his chest at the thought of their absent family members. 

Shaking his head to rid himself of that train of thought, just as he was about to join his girls, something from behind him made Ladysally perk up in surprise and point behind him. 

“Oh, Father! Look! The Great Huntress has come to grace us with her presence!”

At the sound of the well-known epithet, Sadida immediately swiveled his head around and over his shoulder. Lo and behold, there she was. With her seemingly endless cascade of platinum blond hair, flawless features, and immeasurable grace combined with the deathly precision with which she carried her mystical bow was none other than Cra herself. 

A soft smile illuminated her face like her moonlight skin. 

“Do forgive the intrusion, my dear friend.” Her voice rang out like bells. “I sure hope I did not interrupt anything of importance.”

Before Sadida could so much as utter a word, Yopo, who up until that point had been listening to Lophapharo’s improvised notes, scrambled to dissuade the goddess’ worries. “Oh, not at all, Your Excellency! We were just enjoying some quiet family time.” The cactus-like doll shrank in on herself when she took notice of her father’s disapproving glare for speaking out of turn. 

Luckily for her, it seemed Cra found her lack of proper decorum amusing, for she simply hid a fond chuckle behind a delicate, gloved hand. “Oh, but my dear Yopo, spending time with your family is the most important thing of all!” She exclaimed with mock shame, bringing a hand to her ample bosom. “I see now I have committed a grave sin. Could you ever forgive me?”

While the more naive and irony-blind Divine Dolls scrambled to assure the Woodland Beauty that she could do no wrong in their eyes, both their more savvy sisters and their father rolled their eyes. Although in Sadida’s case, his mild exasperation was directed at his dear old friend. 

“My dear Cra, please, cease your teasing.” He sighed. “In case you haven’t noticed, my daughters don’t always recognise when someone jests.”

The archer goddess giggled again. “My apologies.” She said airily, causing Sadida to narrow his eyes at her from behind his mask. 

She wasn’t sorry at all. 

Choosing to let it go, he simply smirked up at his old friend. “Fake contrition aside, to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“I simply came to see how things were unfolding.”

Sadida knew Cra enough to be able to see through her simple, noncommittal response and immediately understand the true meaning of her words. She was asking about Amalia.

With a quiet sigh, the Leafy God beckoned for her to follow him while he instructed his other daughters to go back to what they were doing. His Divine Dolls knew better than to argue, so with a few exchanged looks and a shrug of their shoulders, they let the matter go as they tried to focus back on their activities before they spotted the elven deity. 

Sadida led Cra through the lush forests of his domain, chivalrously holding a hand out to help her whenever the terrain became trickier to navigate. Had it come from any other man, mortal or god, Cra would have made the depth of her offence known and personally punish the chauvinistic pig for daring to look down on her. But coming from the Father of the Tree People, she knew he was just being considerate since no one knew his dimension (or the extent of her temper) quite like he did. 

She and Sadida had always been close, but apparently, the fact that he was a willing and perfectly content ‘Girl Dad’—as mortals liked to say nowadays—had turned him into an even more considerate soul when it came to women. 

The fact that he didn’t lust after them like most gods did certainly didn’t hurt either. 

At long last, after guiding Cra through a particularly treacherous path while she carefully lifted her long, lime-green dress, they arrived at the portal to the Living Realm, tucked away in between a circle of sturdy oaks. 

With a sweep of his mossy hand, the bright, swirling vortex at their feet gained form. The non-distinct shapes gave way to more defined images until a clear picture of Amalia, alongside Yugo and his dragon twin, appeared. They seemed to be headed somewhere outside of the palace yet within its vicinity. 

Sadida couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips at the sight of his daughter’s laughing face. “As you can see, she seems to be doing well. It has only been a few months, yet she is already remarkably close to King Yugo and his brother.”

“Yes, that is a most welcome development.” Cra concurred with a nod. “Especially after he seemed so adamant against having a bride.” She shot her friend a meaningful glance from the corner of her eye, gauging his reaction. 

Much to her resigned frustration, the god gave nothing away. Which was quite a feat, considering his wooden mask reflected his emotions rather than hide them from view. 

“It might not have been easy at first, but I believe we will be able to reap the fruits of our labour soon.”

The blonde deity smirked to herself when her keen blue eyes noticed the way he subtly tightened his hold on his crossed arms. She still vividly remembered the amount of effort it took him to downplay his offence when Yugo had the audacity to reject Amalia as his bride-to-be, only calming himself down when the Eliatrope insisted on housing her and being ‘friends.’

And when he started pulling away from her after what by all intents and purposes had been a successful escapade to the beach? The only way to calm the irate father down was to promise to have thousands of magic arrows rain down on Oma Island if the issue didn’t resolve itself soon. 

Fortunately, it did. And it was all Amalia’s doing. 

(Although Sadida and Xelor’s rapports had been rather frosty—pun non-intended— after Count Harebourg dared to try to pull that stunt with her). 

But Osamodas’ orders had been clear. They were to stay out of things and let Amalia navigate everything on her own lest it was absolutely necessary they intervened. 

Because she was only second to Sadida himself when it came to knowing his daughter’s disadventures, she had a very good idea about what the Leafy God was thinking. 

“You’re worried.” She said bluntly. 

“Any parent would be with their child so far away from home.”

“I’m not.” She pointed out matter-of-factly. “In fact, I think we can all agree you’re the only one of us who takes such a hands-on approach to parenting.”

Sadida chose to bite back his tongue and refrain from making a scathing remark about how his fellow gods’ approach to parenting basically amounted to letting their orphans roam the world without any kind of guidance. He knew better than to question a deity’s way of being. Their followers had been on the verge of starting enough wars in their name already. 

So, instead, he just grunted with a shrug. “I suppose I will always worry about my children, especially when I can’t be there with them. Although I must admit I am immensely proud of all she has accomplished in such a short amount of time.

“She has grown extremely close to Yugo, as we expected. She has slowly but surely earned the Eliatropes’ trust and respect. Her presence has left quite an impact on our followers, as predicted… All in all, everything is going according to plan.”

“And yet, you still cannot get the image of the Turquoise dragon, Efrim, attacking her or the world’s rulers doubting our reasoning behind her presence off of your mind.” She guessed gently, her perfectly shaped brow creasing in sympathy for her friend. 

Even his mask seemed to darken as he searched the words. “I will admit that that was… most troubling.” He settled on after a while. 

To be perfectly frank, Sadida surprised even himself with the evenness in his voice. For all the power and wisdom his divinity granted him, even he was left powerless at the sight of his daughter in danger—at the knowledge that he couldn’t do anything for her. Couldn’t protect her. 

At that moment, when the smallest Eliatrope dragon had her pinned against the dirty floor, spouting venom in her face with the clear intention of diminishing her worth, the Doll Master wanted nothing more than to summon a monstrous, carnivorous plant that would swallow him whole. But his hands were tied, much to his chagrin. 

It was no longer a matter of having agreed to refrain from intervening unless absolutely necessary—because at that moment, with Amalia’s life at risk, he couldn't think of a time where it was more necessary to act—, but because if he acted on her behalf, Sadida had the feeling Efrim’s suspicions would be confirmed and his enmity towards Amalia would only increase. 

With his sister as witness, they couldn’t afford the Eliatropes’ trust in Amalia being broken due to a bout of paternal protectiveness. 

His rage eventually tapered off when the dragon revealed he had some level of restraint and awareness of the consequences his actions could have for his people. But the harm had already been done. If Amalia had been wary and aware of his dislike for her before, now the mere mention of her detractor put her on edge. 

At first, he had wanted nothing more than to march up to his fellow gods and demand his daughter return home before it was too late, but then…

“I do not know if it is youthful foolishness and cockiness or a determination seldom seen, but Amalia’s will to surpass herself is stronger than the roots of millennium-old trees.” Cra didn’t miss the tinge of paternal pride in his voice, a small smile tugging at the corner of her plump lips. 

“She is your creation.” She reminded him warmly. “There are few beings more exceptional than Sadida’s Divine Dolls; you made it so it would be so.”

“And yet, my daughters manage to surprise me with the depth of their gifts every single day.”

A soft laugh escaped the goddess in the form of a huff. Never losing her placid expression even at her friend’s modesty, she let her pools of blue wander downwards, her blonde eyebrows raising slightly at what the portal showed them. King Yugo and his dragon twin seemed to be stretching their muscles—no doubt about to partake in some kind of vigorous physical activity—, while Amalia came to lounge on top of the stairs leading up to the entrance located right next to the training grounds they found themselves in, watching intently. 

The Great Huntress raised an eyebrow at that. She knew from Sadida that Yugo and Amalia had established this sort of routine early on where the Eliatrope would train just outside her balcony and she would watch. She also knew from her friend, who’d retold the events with a clear tinge of pride in his voice, that Amalia now spent her afternoons alongside the Eliatrope children and the Council members in charge of their education, honing her own skills. However, the fact that now she was apparently allowed near the Council’s personal training grounds belied the level of trust she had cultivated during her time on Oma Island. 

It was truly remarkable, indeed. 

Blinking rapidly, she was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of the nature god calling her name, “To tell you the truth, my dear Cra, each and every day my little Amalia floors me with her strength of will. The amount of challenges she is overcoming practically single-handedly despite her short age are nothing short of commendable!”

The elven beauty could hear the slight note of apprehension in his tone despite his best attempt at hiding it. 

“But…?”

“But, you are right.” He admitted with a grunt, his eyes narrowing behind his mask as he observed the portal. “Our followers and Efrim’s suspicions of her do trouble me immensely. I worry for her safety.”

“As any good father would, my friend.” She assured him, placing a comforting, gloved hand on his bare shoulder. 

Once again, Sadida wisely chose not to comment on Cra’s unexpected wisdom given her own treatment of her offspring. Instead, he took her words as the comforting balm they were meant to be. 

“To answer your previous question,” he said all of a sudden, in a rare instance where the huntress was caught off guard. “There has been a most peculiar development as of late.”

That piqued her interest, even though she already had quite a good guess as to what it might be. “Oh? Do tell.”

“The Sheran Sharms, my most trusted followers, have hatched a plan. Hopefully, it will at the very least be a step in the right direction to ensuring Amalia’s safety outside of Inglorium.” 

He let out a heavy sigh as the image shifted to his worshippers’ kingdom with a snap of his fingers. The entire domain was a flurry of activity. Sadida of all stations were hard at work, preparing for the upcoming event that might be the catalyst for a marked shift in their lives. The only one who seemed mostly unconcerned was that one Osamodas princess the Crown Prince had recently married, but what else was new? 

In all his time overseeing his people since she arrived, he couldn’t remember a single time where she appeared to be invested in anything the Sadida were doing unless it directly affected her or her homeland. 

His eyes narrowing in on her and what Amalia’s existence might have meant for her family, Sadida’s words held more than one meaning. “I sure hope King Oakheart and Prince Armand will be able to look after Amalia and help her.”

“Fear not, my friend.” Cra said suddenly, her voice dripping with confidence and the assurance of someone who knew something you didn’t. He honestly resented whenever she got not-so-unintentionally condescending with him. “Amalia will be safe—I will personally see that it is so.”

The holes in the god’s mask were as round as the moon. “Could it be? Is it possible that you are looking after my daughter as well, my dear?”

“There is much at stake.” She stated with an impassive shrug of her shoulders. It was followed shortly after by a sideway glance and a smirk directed at him. For once, the Woodland Beauty allowed herself to be candid and sincere, instead of calculatingly measuring every word that left her mouth in case it could be used against her. “She is your daughter, my dear Sadida. For that alone I am almost as adverse as you are to the mere idea of harm befalling her.” Her expression turning into a stoney mask yet again, she faced forwards. “She will be safe, you have my word.”

Sadida was touched by the goddess’ kindness and care for him. With how she carried herself most of the time—poised, aloof, and impervious to anything she considered to be beneath her (which was a lot of things)—, it was easy to forget that once you’d earned Cra’s respect and admiration, you had likewise earned a powerful and wise ally that would stop at nothing to help you. 

Still, that begged the question…

“What do you intend to do?”

Her mysterious grin was both assuring and disconcerting. “Let us just say that my dear followers cannot decline a task recommended to them by none other than their goddess. And I have entrusted this one to a most special Cra.”

......................................................................................................................

It was undeniable that Amalia watching Yugo as he trained below (and above) her balcony had become routine at that point. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was a daily occurrence. 

Right before breakfast, Yugo would arrive at her door and knock on it gently, partly to inform her of his presence, partly to wake her up in case she had fallen asleep. At the sound of his arrival, Amalia would perk up in anticipation and eagerly welcome him inside. As the two friends crossed her room, side by side, headed to her balcony, they exchanged some pleasant small talk, mostly asking about the other’s well-being and if they had anything planned for the day. And then, Yugo would come to hover over the ballastrude and with one wink that Amalia swore got cheekier by the day and a mock salute, he would throw himself backwards into the void. 

And the show would begin. 

By the time Yugo was done training and Amalia was done swooning, their stomachs would grumble in protest and break them out of whatever little moment they might be sharing, reminding them that they had yet to eat. And so, with a bashful laugh, the king would escort the doll out of her room and towards the dining room, where they would finally get to fill their bellies with a hearty breakfast and their hearts would swell at the pleasant conversation between them.

That day, however, they were trying something a little different.

Amalia’s face when she opened the door that morning had been one of quiet surprise. Not like he could blame her. Adamaï had presented himself alongside him at her door without so much as a warning. As a matter of fact, the dragon hadn’t even warned his twin about his intended visit to the Divine Doll. 

Much to his annoyance and embarrassment, before he even had the chance to protest, Adamaï simply smirked. 

“Oh, don’t get your cape into a twist, Lil’ Bro. I just want to spar a little with you and see how Amalia’s doing. I have no intention of stealing her from you.”

Yugo absolutely did not squawk in embarrassment at that. Nor when the dragon teasingly accused him of monopolising Amalia’s time. 

And that was how they found themselves in front of a slightly bewildered Amalia, who could only tilt her head in curiosity as Ad explained his idea to be Yugo’s sparring partner and use the opportunity to see how far she had come in her studies with Glip. The confusion briefly returned when she gestured for them to come inside, only for Adamaï to politely decline, stating he had a different idea in mind. 

All Yugo could do was shrug helplessly when the doll shot him a questioning look, silently asking him to enlighten her on his twin’s train of thought. 

If only he knew…

Seeing their little interaction, the Emerald dragon rolled his eyes so far to the back of his head he could probably see his own brain. 

“Relax, you too.” He scoffed. “We’re just going to the training grounds.”

While Yugo understood what he meant immediately, his face easing into a more relaxed grin as he nodded his approval, the same couldn’t be said for the doll. 

“You mean the ones back at the village? Doesn’t Glip usually prepare them for class around this hour?”

“He means the ones located within the palace confines.” Yugo explained, taking pity on her confused state. “While the ones at the village are usually reserved for the children, the ones we’re going to are primarily used by our soldiers and the Council.”

“Oh, yeah! I remember something like that…” For a moment, the glimmer in her brown gaze turned dimmed as memories of the time Yugo kept his distance washed over her. 

Then, the gears started turning in her head and she furrowed her brow. “That still doesn’t explain why we’re going there in the first place.” 

Adamaï just shrugged. “I just figured it was high time we showed it to you.” He flashed her a challenging smirk, all his pointy teeth in full display. “That, and I for one am rather eager to see what Glip has been teaching you, Amalia. It’s not everyday that we get to see you in action.”

Yugo perked up at that, the ears on his hood standing tall and proud. He had to push down the rush of excitement he felt at the thought of seeing Amalia’s battle prowess. She already left him speechless whenever she used her powers, regardless of how mundane the utility. The mere thought of her in battle was enough to increase his blood flow and make his blood grow hot. It was a little annoying, to be perfectly honest. 

He already knew he was in love with her. Did every little thing have to remind him of how utterly smitten he was?

But, much to the twins’ mutual bewilderment, all Amalia did in response was stare back and forth between the two of them, her chocolate eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

“Do we have to use a portal to get there?” She asked flatly. 

Yugo exchanged a look with Adamaï. “Uh… No. As Ad said, it’s within palace confines. We should be there in about ten minutes by foot.”

And just like that, her whole demeanour changed. 

A wide grin stretching over her face and her hands clasped before her, the Divine Doll practically dashed towards her balcony, her words trailing off behind her. “In that case, what are you waiting for?! Let’s go!”

As soon as she reached the edge, she propelled herself forwards and onto the ground, indifferent to the neck-breaking height she was plunging herself into. But just as Yugo and Adamaï were on the verge of a heart attack—the Eliatrope had already shot forward with the intention of catching her, while his dragon twin stood, horrified, with one claw outstretched after her—, her glorious mane of green hair emerged from below, slowly revealing the rest of her lovely form. 

The Eliatrope King skidded to a stop when Amalia appeared riding a giant tendril, sending them a cheeky grin over her shoulder. He didn’t need to look to know that his brother was openly gawking as he came to stand by his side. They usually wore matching expressions, after all, and this was no exception. 

Once their astonishment had worn off, the two of them shrugged and joined Amalia on her unorthodox means of transportation (although, considering she was a Sadida Doll, it was probably quite common for her). Only when the plant had carefully placed them on the floor beneath her room, did they resume their march and their explanation of their destination.

Amalia paid rapt attention. Apparently, the only real difference between Glip’s arena and the training grounds, apart from who used each and their locations, was that the latter was better equipped to handle more experienced Wakfung warriors. Hence why the members of the Council of Six preferred to work out there—less need to hold back lest they risked destroying something from an unchecked attack. 

Upon finally reaching the place in question, it wasn’t hard to see why. 

Unlike the children’s arena, there was no fighting pit, most likely because experienced Eliatropes could take a fight everywhere, including the skies, she guessed. Instead, there were many targets located several metres away from the firing zone. A few guards, with their feet planted firmly on the ground, demonstrated its use by firing wakfu beams out of their hands and straight at the white-and-blue targets. The doll’s eyes trailed upwards when a plume of smoke would billow out each time beam and hay collided. 

Amalia marvelled at the obstacle course. She hadn’t seen one since they momentarily moved out of Baltazar’s class to begin with Glip’s Wakfung training. Even after seeing Yugo perform even more awe-inspiring acrobatics on a daily basis, the kind of mobility and agility the Eliatropes’ portal-making granted them was still incredible. Most Twelvians would have to find their own way of passing through the rings, especially the ones standing several metres tall, and some would have better luck than others, but not the Eliatropes. All they had to do was either jump from one portal to the next, following a turquoise-tiled path; or glide straight through the ring like it wasn’t even there. 

She had to pick up her slackened jaw from the floor when Yugo called out for her to follow them to a more remote area. 

“This is where the Council trains.” He gestured around him as soon as she was back by his side. 

“I have to admit, this is very cool.” She looked around, smiling at the grounds they were currently standing on. They were more spacious than the rest of the camp. “So what do we do now?”

“You can go sit back and watch how I kick my brother’s butt into oblivion.” Adamaï boasted then, sliding up next to a very annoyed-looking Yugo and clasping a claw over his shoulder. 

“Excuse me?!” The king sputtered, getting in his brother’s scaly, smirking face. “Did you already forget who’s the better fighter here?”

The dragon shrugged, all-too-innocently. “Why don’t you remind me? Unless you’re all talk.” He shot back, his lips parting away to reveal his very sharp canines as he, quite literally, butted heads with his brother. 

Watching them get in each other’s faces like that, Amalia worried for a moment that an actual fight was about to break out. However, one glance at Yugo and she immediately relaxed. The cocky smirk he wore, and that was mirrored by Adamaï’s very own, belied the playful nature of their competitive streak.

She felt comfortable enough to make a sarcastic comment of her own. 

“Do I need to grab you by the waist with my vines and separate you, or are you good?”

At her teasing threat, accentuated by her hip jutting out and the eyebrow she raised in amusement, the Emerald Twins momentarily gaped at her, blinking slowly. After a beat, though, the three of them broke down laughing. With a sigh and shake of his head, his hand coming to brush his dirty blond bangs out of his eyes, Yugo turned to point at some steps leading up to a door Amalia only now realised was there. 

“You can sit over there to watch us fight, Amalia. Trust me, while they might not be actual bleachers, those steps have the best, and safest, view of the ring.” 

Her brow furrowed as her eyes trailed over to where her friend was pointing at. “But I thought you guys wanted to see what I can do?” She crossed her arms pointedly. “Watching is hardly the same as fighting.”

Just as Yugo began to sputter out a nervous explanation, Adamaï came to his rescue, as always. He gently placed his tail on top of Amalia’s shoulder, her gaze darting between the limb and his face when he spoke. “That’s true. But we mostly want to see how far your powers have come.”

“Then, wouldn’t a battle between us be the best way to determine that?” She shot back, unimpressed. “Master Glip always says you never know what you’re capable of until you’re forced to react in the heat of the moment.”

“That’s true.” Yugo agreed, mimicking his brother and draping his arm around her other shoulder. He tried to ignore the way his skin tingled at the contact even through his suit. “But do you seriously think you have improved enough to be able to face off against Ad and I?”

He had her with his rhetorical question and he knew it. As proud as Amalia could be, she wasn’t stupid—she knew when she was biting more than she could chew, forcing her to begrudgingly relent in her pursuit. 

His cheeky grin widened in triumph at the sigh of her reluctant pout, her brow creased in deep irritation. “I hate it when you have a point.”

Laughing heartily, the king threw his hands up. “Can’t help it if I’m right.” He only laughed harder when she poked him on the chest with an accusatory finger. 

“You could keep your unquestionable logic to yourself!” She cried, trying very hard not to laugh as well. “Nobody likes a know-it-all!”

“Well, nobody likes a sore loser either, yet here you are.”

“How dare you?!” This time, she let out a sound that was a mix between a guffaw and an offended squawk. 

The Eliatrope broke down laughing, throwing his head back, when her face scrunched up petulantly, her hands balled into fists at her sides. However, it was Adamaï’s turn to hide a chortle behind his claws when an impish flicker passed through Amalia’s eyes and her expression eased into mischief. 

He stopped making a show of trying to contain his laughter when the Divine Doll launched herself at Yugo and began poking and pinching and tickling him as he futilely flailed his arms around in between stolen giggles and begged her to stop. After a while, their fun was cut short when the king finally managed to secure Amalia’s wrist in his grasp and bring her closer to him, so close their laboured breaths intermingled. 

“Attacking me when my guard is down, huh?” He panted, his smile peeking through his lips. “That’s low.”

“Not as low as being infuriatingly right!” 

He laughed, incredulous. “That doesn’t even make sense!”

The sound of someone clearing their throat broke them out of their trance. Eyes widening like saucers, the two of them slowly, very slowly, turned their heads at the same time in search of the origin of the sound. A heated wave washed over them when they finally took notice of, not just the very smug-looking Adamaï raising an eyebrow at them, but the small group of onlookers their antics had attracted as well. The small squadron of training guards peering over at them from their positions on the opposite end of the field sent forth yet another wave of heat straight to their faces. 

They pried their hands off each other and jumped several metres back and away from the other as fast as if they’d been burned. Though, judging from the crimson red on their cheeks, Adamaï noted, spontaneous combustion wasn’t completely off the table. 

As much as he hated breaking up their little moment—even if they refused to admit it, he had long resigned himself to the role of third wheel—, they came here for a reason, and it didn’t include those two flirting (this much). 

“As nice as this all is,” he gestured at his twin and the doll, his smirk growing when that alone made them squirm. “I’m afraid I have a lesson to teach to my brother. So if you two would be so kind…”

And just like that, the fire of embarrassment coursing through Yugo’s veins had been replaced by the electric feeling only a challenge could provide. “Oh, you’re on!” Much more softly and more gently, he turned to the Sadida Doll. “Amalia, when Ad and I are done with our training, why don’t you show us what you’ve been learning with Glip these past few weeks?”

Her cheeks still a little pink from earlier, the doll couldn’t help but smile at his request, shyly brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Sure thing, Yugo.”

As Adamaï called out to his brother to finally get started and the Eliatrope twin, between half-hearted ‘Yeah, yeah. I’m coming!’s, marched up towards him, Amalia decided to follow their earlier advice and made her way over to the steps Yugo had pointed at. 

Upon reaching her destination, the doll carefully and elegantly settled into the stoney stairs, bringing her knees to her chest as she eagerly set her gaze onto the two opposing brothers. She felt a tingle of excitement run down her spine when she took in the matching determined, if a little bit cocky, expressions plastered over both Eliatrope and dragon’s faces. 

One minute they were staring each other down on land, the next they had shot upwards at lightning speed, kicking up a smoke cloud after them that had Amalia shielding her face with her arms. After blinking the dirt in her eyes away a few times, the doll craned her neck up and gasped. 

Even with all her practice watching Yugo, it took her an incredible amount of effort to be able to follow their movements, her eyes darting every which way as they tried to keep up with the pair of battlers zooming by. It was like trying to find a pesky moskito, one minute it would be in one corner of the room, and the next it would whoosh through the air and materialise on the opposite corner. 

Even the ever familiar blue trail Yugo left after him did little to help Amalia locate him, as it blended in with the azure of the sky. 

Biting the inside of her cheek in annoyance, her head resting against her palm, she couldn’t help but sarcastically wonder how they expected her to watch and learn if she couldn’t even see. 

“Hey!” She called after them, cupping her hands around her mouth to better project her voice. She allowed the small feeling of triumph when she got them to halt their movements in mid-air, their eyes big and round as they stared owlishly down at her in confusion. 

“As impressive as this all is,” she gestured between the two of them. “Not all of us have a Cra’s enhanced sight.” Then, her shoulders slumped forward, her voice and eyes pleading. “Could you guys slow down even a little bit, please?”

Wincing as realisation struck them, both Yugo and Adamaï rubbed the back of their necks sheepishly and wore chagrined expressions as they mumbled apologies and promises to try and control themselves for Amalia. And with a pleased ‘Thank you’ from her, they went back at it. 

Only at a pace that would allow the untrained eye to actually observe their movements. 

Yugo had summoned his wakfu sword and shield, his cloak rustling after him with the wind, while Adamaï had unfolded his wings, flapping once or twice every few minutes to keep himself afloat, his tail flickering in anticipation as he adopted a fighting stance.  

And then, they lunged at each other. 

Adamaï thrust a claw forward, straight for his twin’s abdomen, only for Yugo to block his attempts with his shield. Each time the dragon tried to connect a scratch, the Eliatrope King would follow with his shield, preventing any damage from being done to his body. What he hadn’t expected, however, was that that was exactly what Adamaï had been counting on. As the last fake attempt at clawing at him led Yugo to raise his only means of protection above eye-level, the Emerald dragon took the opening he needed to whip at his torso with his tail, sending the king back a few metres in the air. 

Forcing his propelling body to stop before he flew off too far away, despite the frustration he felt with himself for falling for such an old trick, Yugo still smirked. Maybe Ad was in the lead of their imaginary score for managing to connect the first hit, but he wouldn’t be able to keep the position for long after giving his brother some much needed space. 

With a swift movement, Yugo raised his weapons over his shoulders and willed the energy to shift and react to his orders. He went from wielding a sword and a shield to two matching spears in an instant. Just as the colour drained from Adamaï’s face as he realised what his twin intended to do, the Eliatrope didn’t waste a single second and hurled the lances forward and in his direction, the projectiles slicing through the air. 

Cursing under his breath, the dragon was quick to flap his wings as he tried to manoeuvre around the incoming projectiles. Given his large girth compared to the size of the spears, his attempts were a little awkward. Seeing as the two energy weapons were headed straight at him at the same time, Ad tried taking advantage of the small distance between the two of them Yugo had inadvertently created with his own head and, with a beat of his wings and a twirl, miraculously sidestepped them. 

He watched the retreating projectiles for a second before he sharply whirled his head around to flash his brother a successful smirk. 

“Ha!” He exclaimed, but the feeling was short-lived, for his brother was no longer anywhere to be seen. 

His horned head shooting up in alarm, Adamaï began frantically looking everywhere around him, fully expecting his Eliatrope twin to appear at any moment. Unfortunately, he always forgot to look down. 

“Over here.” Yugo’s infuriatingly smug voice sang from underneath him. Looking down at his smirking brother, Adamaï only had a few seconds to register what happened before Yugo kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying upwards with a cheeky wink and a hastily added, “This is for the cheap tail shot.”

And Amalia was watching it all with awe in her eyes. 

Now that the Emerald Twins had slowed down, she caught their every move. Adamaï shapeshifting into a white-and-blue golem-like creature as he tried to smack Yugo around. Yugo retaliating by zipping past his twin with his superior speed and shooting wakfu beams at him from all angles thanks to his portals. Adamaï changing tactics and getting his fire breath involved, forcing Yugo to retreat by diving in and out of a series of portals he summoned all around his brother, his motions like diving in and out of the sea.

It was easy to see the members of the Council were in a league of their own. Amalia had kind of always known that, thanks to watching the king’s training sessions and then studying under Glip, but actually getting to see just how badly Yugo and Adamaï outclassed their subjects blew all those other experiences out of the water. 

The doll had no way of determining who would win. They seemed to be so equally matched. 

Unbeknownst to her, however, Yugo had long decided there was no way he would lose against his dragon twin now that he had the chance to really show off in front of the doll. 

Next thing she knew, Yugo had Adamaï pinned down against the floor, one hand pushing his head against the ground while the other held his brother’s arms to prevent him from getting away. The rest of his sculpted, athletic physique focused on keeping the dragon down. 

“Now, who is the better fighter?” He asked wryly as he leered down at his twin. 

“Okay, okay! I get it!” Ad grunted, trying to make one last futile attempt at wringing himself free. He plopped back down on the floor with a thud! and a sulk when it was apparent he wouldn’t have that much luck. 

“Who, dear brother?”

Ad rolled his eyes with a grumble. “Fine! I yield! You’re the better fighter! Happy now?”

Oh, how he wanted to wipe that smug smirk off his pretty face. “Extremely.” And with that, he unceremoniously let his twin’s limbs drop and got up. 

Beaming widely, Amalia shot up to her feet and began clapping excitedly. Her heart skipped a beat when Yugo began to exaggeratedly bow to the audience (that is to say, her) and express his thanks. That weird feeling she got around him came back full force, and she felt a strange yet powerful wave of pride wash over her at his accomplishments and battle prowess. 

She didn’t know what it was, but there was something in the way Yugo fought—throwing himself head-first into battle, without hesitation; parring attacks and launching his own with so much precision it was almost graceful; exuding such confidence in his abilities it somehow managed to reach her and make her believe the battle was already won… Whatever it was, it never failed to make her swoon. 

A small, coy part of herself wondered if perhaps he ever felt the same way towards her when it came to her own abilities?

For better or worse, the swooning was soon replaced by uncontrollable laughter when Adamaï took advantage of Yugo’s boasting to tackle him to the ground. Just like that, they were back at roughhousing like children. 

“What was that about being the better fighter?” Adamaï teased now that he was the one on top—literally. 

“Hey, you cheated!” Yugo protested. He tried to sound intimidating, but the mirth and slight whine in his voice made that nearly impossible. 

The dragon pretended to consider his words for a moment, before dismissing them with a nonchalant shrug. 

“Nah, that’s just combat pragmatism.” His fangs glinted as he smirked down at the Eliatrope. “Isn’t that what fighting is all about? Finding your opponent’s weakness and exploiting it?”

“I fail to see what that has got to do with tackling me to the ground while I wasn’t looking.” Yugo deadpanned. 

“Not my fault you’re such a showboat.”

Their childish bickering was interrupted by the loud yelps that left their throats as the two of them found themselves being hoisted up by the waist and separated. One quick glance at their midsection revealed the strong grip around it belonged to none other than one of Amalia’s thick vines. 

Once she had placed them both back down and away from each other, she sent them a knowing look, her arms crossed and her hip jutted out. 

“Sorry to interrupt your bonding activities, but I seem to remember we came here for a reason?”

The Emerald Twins exchanged a glance. 

“Yeah, to train?” Yugo tried, his face scrunched up in confusion. “But that’s what we’re doing…?” He trailed off, unsure. 

Her patient look hardening into an exasperated scowl, Amalia groaned. Rolling her eyes so far back her head she could probably see the inside of her skull, she emphatically pointed at her face with one finger and coughed loudly to get her point across. 

She fought the urge to roll her eyes yet again when realisation finally dawned on them, their lips forming a perfect ‘o’. 

“Oh, yeah! We totally forgot about you!” Adamaï said bluntly, earning himself a zap to the back of his head with a small wakfu beam by his brother. “What was that for?!” He snapped. 

“Ad!” Yugo hissed, screaming at him with his eyes to look over at Amalia. He didn’t miss the way the dragon loudly gulped when he finally heeded his warning. 

Thank Eliatrope Amalia was Sadida’s Doll instead of Cra or Sram’s daughter, because if looks could kill, they'd both be dead enough times over to break their Dofus reincarnation cycle. 

After a beat where the siblings wished their mother would put them out of their misery already, the doll’s outrage seemed to finally relent. With a resigned roll of her eyes, she huffed, her stiff posture finally relaxing as she closed the distance between them. 

“Come on, you two. Let me show you what I can do.” She told them, the tiniest hint of affection tinging her words as she clasped their shoulders. 

“Now we’re talking!” Adamaï hollered, clasping his hands in delight. Retaking the doll’s position on the set of stairs just in case, he asked, “So, what’d you have in mind, Amalia? How do you plan to surprise us today?”

At that, the Divine Doll’s confidence shrank into timidness. She couldn’t help but rub her arm nervously under their attentive gaze, especially Yugo’s eager one. “I… I don’t know, actually. A lot of the things I’ve learned are actually offensive, so it’s kind of pointless showing them off without a sparring partner.”

“In that case, why don’t you just show us something you’ve been working on with Glip?” Yugo offered, his expression softening in sympathy. Despite her early bravado, it was clear Amalia still wasn’t as secure in her powers to show off quite as much as he and Ad liked to indulge in. “It doesn’t have to be offensive.”

“That’s right.” Adamaï agreed with a nod. “Just something you think you have improved on.”

Bringing a hand to her chin, Amalia considered their words. It took her a moment, but the glimmer returned to her eyes as soon as the proverbial bulbshroom lit up in her head. 

“Okay, I think I have just the thing.”

The two brothers kept their attentive gaze on the Divine Doll, exchanging curious glances, eager to see what she’d come up with. Said eagerness was mostly reflected by Yugo, his body subconsciously leaning forward as he waited at the edge of his seat, both metaphorically and literally. Adamaï, as usual, was more subdued, with his long tail wrapped around him as he leaned back with his arms crossed, but even he had an eyebrow raised in anticipation. 

Standing several metres away from them, likewise occupying the same space they had sparred in, Amalia planted her bare feet on the ground firmly, taking the earthy feeling in as she widened her stance just the tiniest bit. Taking a deep breath, she snapped her eyes shut and brought her hands to her chest, just below her chin, facing each other while three of her fingers touched their counterpart, and concentrated. 

It was a process she always found as easy as breathing, the real challenge being stretching her skills to their full potential. As such, the moment she found her centre, her energy convening at her core, the doll blinked her eyes open, her eyebrows creased in determination. Not wasting a single second, she separated her hands and brought them back together with a clasp, an orb of greenish energy materialising between her palms.

Her little audience’s eyes widened in shock when as soon as the light came, it disappeared, but she paid them no mind, her focus on the task at hand. Under Yugo and Adamaï’s awed expressions, Amalia bent her body forwards and lifted it back up, her arms high in the air, in quick succession. Immediately after, a large, thick vine erupted from underneath her, raising its summoner high above. 

The Emerald Twins leaned back in their makeshift seats, slightly disappointed. They both winced as discreetly as they could and shared a glance. They didn’t want to look down on Amalia’s efforts, but summoning plants was already second nature to her, so they didn’t understand why she’d want to show them that in particular. Surely, she’d learned many new tricks with Glip?

It wouldn’t be long until they’d finally understand why summoning her vines was so important to Amalia. 

They’d long learned Amalia, and they assumed by extension all Sadida, used their vines as means of transportation, or even as a makeshift harness. The doll had demonstrated as such many times. But never in a million years did they expect to witness just how agile they were on those things. Even if they couldn’t just jump from portal to portal like their people did, their technique was nothing to scoff at. 

There she was, blowing them away with her control over plants. What started out as her simply summoning a bramble soon evolved into a more complicated and elaborate acrobatic display—almost like a dance. 

They watched as the verdant serpent she was on twisted and curled on itself, the doll’s balance impeccable no matter how much the plant stretched and threatened to shake her off. To the untrained eye, it would all see effortless, but Yugo and Adamaï, the former especially, caught the subtle changes in her posture to better control her centre of gravity—she would bend her knees or shift her weight from one feet to the other with every twist and turn the vine took. But no matter what, Amalia stayed on top. 

Eventually, the bramble began its steep ascension, its stem arching the higher it went. While the pair of siblings expected that to be the end of Amalia’s demonstration—as no amount of shifting her posture could save her from gravity—the Sadida Doll surprised them yet again when, just as the vine reached its peak, finally throwing her off, she pointed one glowing hand at the ground as she summoned yet another bramble that allowed her to harmlessly roll off until she was back on ground level. 

Now that she had two ‘assistants’ at her disposal, the doll smirked. The real fun could finally begin. 

Yugo could only stare, speechless, as Amalia showed off her skills, taking his breath away in the process. Now that there were two different vines, the doll could stage a pretend battle. The original plant seemed to gain a mind of its own, for it kept moving on its own accord, trying to hit a moving target; Amalia. In turn, mounted on the newly-formed plant, she easily out-maneouvred her adversary, expertly dodging each hit directed at her. 

At one point, when both brambles were close enough, feeling lucky, she took a gamble that would have made an Ecaflip proud. She leapt from the vine she was currently standing on and, with an elegant twirl in mid-air, she landed right on top of the opposite plant. Incapable of helping herself, she quickly turned her head back to her gaping audience and winked coyly, the action sending a hurricane of butterflies fluttering in the king’s stomach.

“For someone who’d much rather keep her feet on the ground, she’s not half bad in the air.” Adamaï observed, his voice low as his draconic eyes followed her every movement. 

“Yeah…” Yugo breathed out, his brain turned into mush at the display. 

For her part, that little stunt seemed to have taken more out of Amalia than she cared to admit, so, panting slightly, she decided to call it a day. With a gesture of her hands, the vine she was on lowered her back to the training grounds, right before disappearing right alongside its counterpart. 

Her breath coming out in short puffs due to the physical exertion, the doll wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her neck. And promptly pulled a face. Urgh, she hated when she got all sweaty. It was just gross. 

She didn’t have much time to dwell on the inherent grossness of her bodily functions before she found herself being scooped up by two strong, caring arms she was pleased to admit she was growing quite familiar with. Her expression softened, colour blooming on her cheeks. 

“That—was—awesome!” Yugo laughed, twirling the doll around and eliciting a small shriek to leave her throat. Still grinning down at her like a maniac, he gently placed her feet back on the ground, although his arms never quite freed her waist. “I didn’t know you could do that!”

Amalia stared up at him, dazed, for a few more seconds, before his broad grin turned smaller and expectant and, with a start, she finally realised he was waiting for an answer. 

She lowered her brown gaze in a moment of self-consciousness, brushing her bangs away for the sole purpose of giving her fingers something to do that didn’t involve squeezing his biceps in appreciation. “To be honest, neither did I… At first.” She added, finally looking back at him with a little more confidence. 

“I take it Glip had a hand in helping you achieve your full potential?” Adamaï guessed, closing the distance between them with a mighty flap of his wings, before folding them back into his back. 

Amalia nodded. “Yeah. My vines have always been my go-to defence mechanism, but Glip told me a few weeks back that I should diversify my rooster lest I become too repetitive. Or, worse, predictable.”

“That sounds like Glip, yes. And it is actually good advice.” Yugo noted with a nod of approval. As an experienced warrior himself, there were few lessons that were more important than keeping your enemies on their toes with an unpredictable strategy. 

“Right. So while we’ve been working on expanding my repertoire, he also suggested I try to take the abilities I had already mastered to the next level. So, I’ve been working on moving alongside my vines and learning how to dodge with them.”

“Well, we’ll let our brother know you’re making great progress during the Council’s next meeting.” Adamaï promised, earning himself a giggle and a ‘Thank you’ from the doll. “Although, knowing Glip, he’ll probably tell us he already knows.” He winked down at her knowingly, causing the girl to giggle harder and admit he was probably right. 

While Adamaï and Amalia talked, with the dragon sharing some tips of his own, the mention of their next Council meeting soured Yugo’s good mood suddenly, his previous proud smile fading into a thin line. 

Lately, one of their most pressing matters to deal with during their meetings was finding ways of earning the Twelvians' acceptance. And to this day, it remained the one issue they made the least progress with. 

Ever since the banquet at Bonta, things had been moderately peaceful—except for that elusive spy whose loyalties remained a mystery. It was as if the nations had resolved to leave them alone now that Amalia was by their side and they seemingly had their gods’ blessing, yet they still refused to fully accept them. 

Yugo would be lying if he said he hadn’t been hoping to hear more from Master Joris, or even the Sheran Sharms, the rulers of the Sadida Kingdom, but there had been no further attempt at communication from either. Their silence and lack of activity was beginning to become disheartening, if he was honest with himself. 

While they originally believed it to be better to let the Twelvians come to them lest they risked rattling them further, as of late, the king and his siblings had resolved that maybe direct action on their part would be the best course of action. If the Twelvians didn’t come to them, then they would come to the Twelvians. 

The only problem was that past experiences had taught them that may have an undesired effect. They couldn’t just present themselves in their respective kingdoms and demand their acceptance or even an audience with their leaders. They needed to find a way for their new neighbours to approach them, something that proved having the Eliatropes around would be beneficial to them. 

But what?

“Yugo? Are you okay?” A sweet, melodic voice broke him out of his thoughts.

With a start, he turned to Amalia, his heart squeezing in his chest when he found her staring up at him with a furrowed brow, concern for him apparent in her depthless browns. A quick glance his way proved even Adamaï was looking at him expectantly. 

“Yeah, everything is fine. Don’t worry.”

Judging from the way the confusion in her eyes gave way to annoyance, that wasn’t the answer she was expecting. 

“Yugo…” She said sternly. Then, something he couldn’t quite describe flickered behind her eyes, prompting her to close them as she took a deep breath. When she opened them up again, her expression was much more understanding, encouraging even. 

She took a step closer into his personal bubble and placed a deliciously warm hand against his chest. It’d be a miracle if she somehow missed the way his frenzied heart beat against her palm or how he gulped down nervously at her close proximity. All of a sudden, under her attentive gaze, for the first time since he could remember, his hood felt more oppressive than comforting. He had half the mind not to take it off. 

He pointedly chose to avoid looking Adamaï in the eye. Knowing him, he’d have an insufferable smirk on his face. 

“Yugo.” She repeated, this time gentler. “We promised we’d be more honest with each other from now on, remember?”

For a moment, Yugo contemplated doubling down on his insistence that everything was fine, not wanting Amalia to worry. However, her words and the memory of himself admitting he actually worried more when she wasn’t honest with him caused his throat to close up. 

How could he demand total honesty and transparency from Amalia if he wasn’t willing to do the same for her?

Even if she couldn’t help him with his problem, getting it out of his system certainly couldn’t hurt. 

Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. When he looked back at her, a small smile drew itself on his lips. “Okay, yeah. You’re right. Sorry. Didn’t want to worry you.”

“It’s okay.” She assured him. “I know what it’s like.”

The two of them shared a smile before a not-so-subtle cough coming from his dragon twin reminded the Eliatrope to get on with his explanation. 

“Yeah, right. Well, you see.” He stammered, trying to find the words. “The thing is, the Council has been stuck for a while on how to foster more positive relationships with the Twelvians.”

“I thought the banquet at Bonta had been a success?”

“And it was! But, it’s also been our only success so far…” Yugo admitted sheepishly. He took the hand on his chest in his and led the doll back to sit on the stairs they had been using as bleachers, Adamaï following suit. “We kind of expected things to start looking up after that, but the other rulers haven’t exactly been reaching out to us ever since.”

“Oh.” Amalia said quietly, looking down at her lap in contemplation before her eyes flickered over to the Emerald Twins again. “And what do you have in mind to remedy that?”

“That’s the problem. We don’t really know what to do.” It was Adamaï who answered, his voice deep and monotonous. “Ideally, we could try gathering all leaders to Oma for a meeting similar to the one at Bonta, but even that poses a few logistical issues.”

The doll tilted her head in confusion. “Such as…?”

“Such as the fact that we have no way of contacting the other nations without risking our initiative being taken as an attack. Just as we don’t know what we can offer them, exactly, that will make them more receptive to our presence.” He revealed. He couldn’t help but sympathise with the way Amalia winced, he honestly felt like that too. 

“Okay, so it’s definitely been hard. And the Twelvians haven’t exactly been making this any easier…” She conceded with a wince. “B-but you guys have so much to offer!”

“Thanks, Amalia. But we’re still feeling a little stumped.” Yugo appreciated her efforts to remain positive and cheer them up, but, unfortunately, they didn’t really amount to much. 

The doll’s expression hardened, not in anger, but in conviction. “No, I mean it. It’s true I haven’t been able to see much of the world since I arrived, but from what little I did see, the Eliatropes are much more scientifically advanced than most races. 

“In fact, from what I gathered at Bonta, some races would be much more willing to welcome you if you shared what you know. Think about all of Chibi and Grougal’s inventions! If they agree to it, you could offer to implement them on the World of Twelve, hence improving the lives of countless people! Races like the Feca or the Sufokians, in particular, would be beyond interested in the technological advances you could offer them.”

“You got all this from the banquet at Bonta?” Yugo raised an incredulous eyebrow at her, impressed. 

She shrugged. “You’d be surprised by how much of my interactions with the Feca King and Prince Adale focused on them rambling on and on about their kingdoms’ latest innovations.”

“As promising as that idea sounds,” Adamaï cut in. He hated to be the voice of dissent, but he knew better than to let themselves get their hopes up for nothing. “There’s this one little problem.”

“Another?!” The doll was beginning to really hate that word. 

“Afraid so. You see, as I’m sure you remember from when you helped them create the Magnolias,” the dragon couldn’t help but smirk at the small blush that dusted her features because of his praise, “Chibi and Grougal are having trouble finding suitable replacements for the materials we used back home. Even if we promised to share our technology with the Twelvians, nothing guarantees we will be able to fulfill our end of the deal soon enough so they don’t grow suspicious.”

“Not to mention the sheer danger of revealing just how advanced we are compared to them.” Yugo pointed out, his brows brought together into a despondent frown. “Instead of seeing it as an opportunity to reach a mutually beneficial agreement, they could always come to consider us an even bigger threat.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” The doll let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat before her head came to rest on her palms. “And even if you did manage to summon them here, it’s very difficult to reach Oma Island.”

“Exactly. Especially without those recall potions Master Joris gave us.” Adamaï agreed. 

Unbeknownst to them, the three of them had come to adopt similar postures—sitting on top of the same row of steps, their bodies slumped forward as their heads rested on either one or both of their hands, a despondent look on their faces. 

“Which also happens to be very expensive. And seeing as we can’t exactly become part of their economic system without their approval for everything else, it’s not like we can afford to buy them either way.” Yugo reminded them, his voice resigned. 

“We could always try pleading our case during one of their council meetings?” Adamaï suggested, only to flinch under his brother’s unamused look. 

“After last time?” The king asked rhetorically. “No, thank you. I would like to avoid incurring their wrath to the point of being sent over a dozen warriors after my head yet again if possible.”

“It’s a pity there aren’t Zaap Portals all over the World of Twelve…” Amalia muttered wistfully. “That would make transportation so much easier and cheaper.”

Unbeknownst to the doll, while she let out a dejected sigh, Yugo and Adamaï perked up at her words, their eyes equally wide and their mouths hanging open as realisation struck them. How come they never thought of that before?

Before she even had time to register what was going on, Yugo grabbed her by the arms and turned her blinking face to his. He was beaming so widely that, besides making her heart skip a beat, he could have lit up the darkest night. 

“Amalia, you’re a genius!”

“Why, thank you. I know.” She smirked, tucking some hair behind her ear coyly. Her brow then scrunched up in confusion. “Why?”

“You just gave us the perfect solution to our problem!”

“I-I did?!”

“Yeah!” Yugo laughed. He was starting to sound a little deranged, if she was being honest with herself. “You’re right! The World of Twelve would benefit from our Zaaps!”

“But I thought you said you couldn’t risk the Twelvians feeling threatened over how advanced you actually are?” 

“True, but this can be easily explained!” He insisted, his grin never faltering. 

“Oh, great…” The doll muttered, her smile strained. She turned to look at his dragon brother over his shoulder, hoping he would clear things up for her. “Ad…?”

Taking pity on the poor doll’s confused state and wincing internally at his twin’s overly intense excitement, Adamaï placed a hand on Yugo’s shoulder, quietly telling him to ease up. “Easy, Lil’ Bro. You’re scaring her.”

“Oh.” Yugo immediately deflated. He sent an apologetic look at Amalia. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine!” She said a little too quickly, splaying her hands in front of her. “It’s fine, really. I… Uh… I would just appreciate it if you could tell me why Zaap Portals are such a great idea. That’s all.”

“Right.” The Eliatrope nodded. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his own excitement down, before he began to explain. “The thing is, us introducing the Zaaps to the Twelvians doesn’t immediately out us as all that much more technologically advanced as them.”

“Oh?” The doll tilted her head, urging him to continue. 

“Because, that’s the thing—they’re portals! They already know that’s what we Eliatropes specialise in!”

“So, in their eyes, it wouldn’t be far-fetched that we applied our magic for more practical uses.” Adamaï pointed out. 

“Exactly.” Yugo agreed. “After all, isn’t that something incredibly common regardless of our race? You know, applying our natural abilities to make our daily lives easier?” His tone turned downright earnest as he took the doll’s hands in his and looked her straight in the eye. “Didn’t you say crafting magical dolls is a Sadida thing and not just something your family can do? This is the same! There’s no reason for them to suspect us for this.”

For a moment, Amalia just looked down at their clasped hands, the stitches in her head tightening. When they put it like that, it made perfect sense. It was clear the World of Twelve was lacking in safe and affordable means of transportation, the Zaaps would really be the perfect solution. He was also right to point out the natives of this world were constantly putting their natural abilities to more mundane uses. Prince Adale spent a good chunk of their conversation talking about how the Sufokians’ stasis manipulation allowed them to improve almost all aspects of their daily life—machinery, technology, architecture…

The fact that a race known specifically for being able to bend space to their will was capable of creating effective means of transportation should come as no surprise to anyone. 

“There’s also the fact that your Zaaps still have a few limitations…” She mumbled, mostly to herself, after a few minutes, remembering a previous conversation she had with Yugo. She looked up at the king with questioning, but hopeful, eyes. “Wouldn’t that also make things more believable?”

Her cheeks grew warm when he smiled down at her fondly, his brown gaze soft as he regarded her with so much affection it made her heart squeeze in her chest. 

“Absolutely.” He told her, his voice warm. “See, Amalia? We just found the perfect solution, and it was all thanks to you.” Her breath caught in her throat at his tenderness. “What would I ever do without you?”

His words sent a jolt down her spine. She wanted to tell him it was her who was thankful for having him in her life. He had no idea how much. She wanted to tell him how excited she felt to spend time with him, how safe she felt in his arms, how much she appreciated everything he did for her. She wanted to tell him just how happy he made her. 

Whatever this feeling was whenever she was around Yugo, it only grew stronger by the day, and he didn’t even know it. 

“I…” But before she had the chance to even try to find the words that were clamouring to be set free, a flash of light from the corner of her eye interrupted her. 

A gasp left her throat as she, Yugo, and Adamaï turned around to identify the interruption. The doll could only blink in confusion at the sight of the familiar purple cloak covering the entirety of the person’s form except for their eyes. 

An Eliatrope guard. 

“What is the meaning of this, soldier?” Yugo demanded, his voice turning authoritative as it only really did in times of crisis. Immediately, his head spun with possibilities. Were they under attack? Had the spy returned? Were they in danger? What about Amalia?

“Apologies for the interruption, my King.” The guard replied, bending down on one knee with his head bowed as a sign of respect. “But I come bearing urgent news.”

Adamaï frowned. “What is it?” 

The guard’s expression was resolute even behind his mask. 

“Bonta’s ambassador, Master Joris, has returned and requests an audience with the Council. He awaits in the throne room.”

The three of them exchanged shocked glances. Talk about timing…

.......................................................................................................................

Not wanting to keep their unexpected guest waiting, especially when they had actually been hoping to hear more from him since the last time they saw each other, with a hasty apology to Amalia, Yugo teleported the three of them into the throne room. 

Since the portal opened up right above the throne, Yugo let himself plop down on it. He waited with open arms for Amalia to come falling down as well, catching her with ease when she finally made it to the other side safely, before, with a smile that she returned, gently depositing her on the ground next to him. Adamaï, for his part, glided out of the portal and came to rest on the other side of him, tucking his wings away as soon as he made contact with the ground. 

By the time they arrived, Master Joris was standing in the middle of the spacious room, just like the first time they met, and the rest of the Council was already there, each of them waiting for their king in their respective positions. 

They all sent meaningful glances their brother’s way. Now that they were finally there, the meeting could begin. 

“Master Joris, it has been a while.” Yugo started out politely, yet his voice still carried authority. “I trust everything is well?”

“Greetings, King Yugo. Esteemed members of the Eliatrope Council.” The little man nodded his head in acknowledgment, his eyes flickering to the king’s side. “Lady Amalia.”

She returned his greeting. “Master Joris.” 

Beyond that, Amalia resolved to remain silent yet pay attention in case her input was needed. After all, even if the Bontarian had requested her presence as well, she was still just a guest, not a full-fledged member of the Council of Six. The last thing she wanted was to overstep her boundaries, no matter how much trust Yugo and his siblings placed on her. 

However, she couldn’t keep her eyes from wandering curiously. Even if the throne room wasn’t exactly new to her, she really hadn’t had much reason to enter since her arrival, as well as Master Joris’. Even as her eyes lit up in appraisal at the turquoise hue of the chamber, and she sent a knowing look the Ebony Twins’ way in response to the beauty of its architecture, what never failed to enrapture her was the throne. 

It wasn’t a mere seat. Not even a symbol of Yugo’s position and power. But a veritable work of art—a sculpture with practical purposes. Raised majestically behind Yugo were the pair of skillfully sculpted dragon wings that, not unlike their king, oversaw the space. 

Not for the first time, the doll didn’t miss the mysterious crevices that adorned the piece. Six in total, they were oval-shaped, each of them strategically located all over the throne wings. However, this time Amalia couldn’t help but squint at them, the stitches in her head tightening as she racked her brain, trying to understand why they were suddenly so familiar. 

And then, it hit her. 

They were the exact same shape and size as the Dofus Mina and Phaeris had wielded during the Sacred Dance Day ceremony!

“So that’s why I saw them carrying that chest out of the room that day,” she thought to herself, finally understanding. “They actually keep the Dofus hidden here.” 

Then again, why did they have Dofus at all? As far as she was concerned, the Eliatropes and their dragon siblings had nothing to do with Osamodas and his Primordial Dragons. So why did they possess them in the first place? And six in total? Judging from what little she did know about the topic, it was extremely weird to find more than one Dofus, let alone be entrusted by more than one dragon to become its guardian. And most Dofus, while powerful in their own right, didn’t hold a candle to the Primordial ones. Then why and how…?

She was startled out of her thoughts by the realisation that the conversation was still going on around her, and she had barely paid any attention despite her earlier resolve. Shaking her head and stowing those questions for later, the doll returned her full attention to the conversation at hand.

While Amalia had been pondering, unbeknownst to the other occupants of the room, the Bontarian went on, “My apologies for intruding upon your territory announced yet again, Your Majesty. Worry not, everything is well.”

“Then what is the meaning behind your visit, Little One?” Efrim questioned, his lips contorted into a snarl. 

As much as his people needed the natives’ approval, he couldn’t afford to lower his guard, especially not around someone who effortlessly managed to incapacitate their guards not that long ago. For all they knew, his mistresses could turn against them in the blink of an eye. 

“Efrim!” Nora hissed through gritted teeth, her pink eyes narrowing into a glare at her twin. Her features softened and became apologetic as she turned her focus back to their visitor. “I apologise on behalf of our brother, Master Joris. He is a firm proponent of being cautious.”

But the little man simply shook his head. “No apologies needed, Lady Nora. I understand Master Efrim’s concerns. That is why I came here, to assuage them.”

“And we thank you for your visit.” Qilby spoke up, adjusting his glasses. “Although, I think my siblings will be in agreement with me that we need a more practical method to know of your arrival before the fact. Wouldn’t you agree?”

The way he smirked down at him shot shivers down the Bontarian’s spine, but he made sure to hide his discomfort around the enigmatic Eliatrope. Joris made it a point to keep a close eye on Qilby during the banquet at Bonta, yet he was forced to admit he failed to really understand what made him tick. He couldn’t explain it. The bespectacled Eliatrope seemed perfectly cordial and cultured at first glance, but there was something about him that was quite… unsettling.

He just couldn’t put his finger on what it was. 

“I will suggest we form a better line of communication to the Queens of Bonta, Master Qilby.” He said curtly, his face not betraying a single emotion. “I regret to inform you, however, that I wasn’t sent here solely on their behalf.”

Joris’ careful scrutiny of the eldest Eliatrope was interrupted by Yugo’s warm yet commanding voice, his posture upon his throne exuding refinement and, dare he say, cautious excitement?

Huh, perhaps his visit wouldn’t be as unwanted as they had feared. 

“Then, pray tell,” the king began, polite as always. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

His dragon twin was much more blunt. “And if you’re not here just because Queens Astra and Selene sent you, who did you come here for?”

Joris raised an imperceptible eyebrow underneath his hood. Master Adamaï was as perceptive as always, it seemed. It was a good thing he wasn’t trying to hide anything. He honestly feared it would take the formidable Council of Six no time to see right through him even in spite of his many years in this line of work. 

“I see nothing gets past you, Master Adamaï.”

“You’re the one who implied there’s a third party involved, Master Joris.” He pointed out, impassive. “I am simply giving you a chance to come clean.”

The Emerald dragon could sense his twin’s warning glance stare a hole in the side of his head, cautioning to weigh his words for this was the chance they had been waiting for to really mark a difference in the World of Twelve. Accusing the Bontarian and earning his mistrust would only do more harm than good. 

Adamaï had to resist the urge to scoff. Out of the two of them, he wasn’t the impulsive, emotion-driven twin. Thank you very much. He was perfectly capable of treating the situation with the tact it required. 

Luckily for the dragon, this time Joris had no intention of playing coy and withholding information from them. 

“No need for that, Master Adamaï. I assure you, I fully intended to make my intentions clear from the very beginning.”

“Well, then, let us hear what you have to say.” Mina took a step forwards, directing attention to herself. She raised a hand in the Bontarian’s direction. “Master Joris, you have our full, undivided attention. As our King said, to what do we owe your visit?”

Although he did take a minute to send a grateful nod her way, his response was measured, yet straightforward. “I come on behalf of King Oakheart Sheran Sharm and Crown Prince Armand Sheran Sharm, from the Sadida Kingdom.”

That immediately got Amalia’s attention, who took a subconscious step closer towards the emissary, eager to hear what her father’s people wanted from the Eliatropes. And she wasn’t the only one who perked up at the mention of those names. Every single member of the Council of Six stood on alert at the news, exchanging uneasy glances and telepathic conversations as they wondered what this could be about. 

Yugo’s interest in particular was second only to Amalia’s, his body leaning forward until he was quite literally on the edge of the throne. He might be a near immortal demigod, but at this rate the anticipation would kill him!

“Well? And what do the Sheran Sharm want from us?” He urged. 

Every pair of eyes present in the room widened as they followed Master Joris’ own unsubtle line of sight—straight to a startled Amalia. 

Feeling all eyes on her, the Divine Doll raised a trembling hand and pointed at her chest. “M-me? They want me?”

Phaeris immediately got on the defensive, smoke coming out of his nostrils. “Phaeris hopes they remember Lady Amalia was specifically entrusted to our people by the twelve gods themselves. They have no right demanding we hand her over now like some sort of possession!” He snapped, a loud growl emanating from his throat.

Yugo was about to agree just as fiercely, his eyes beginning to turn into a vibrant shade of blue, when Master Joris scrambled to explain, shaking his head profusely with his gloved palms up in surrender. 

“Please, none of that, Your Excellencies! Quite the opposite, in fact!” When he sensed the hostile atmosphere returning to neutrality, the Council offering him one chance to explain himself, he went on. “King Sheran Sharm sees nothing wrong with Lady Amalia staying with you, Your Majesty, as I am sure you will remember from when you met him firsthand in Bonta.” 

It was true. Although they didn’t get to interact much, Yugo especially remembered how Sadida’s followers were amongst the most welcoming Twelvians back at the banquet, especially their king. A man as kind and wise as he was large. The Eliatrope distinctly remembered thinking King Oakheart was probably centuries younger than him, yet he had the feeling he could still learn a thing or two himself. 

Prince Armand, his son and heir, on the other hand, was considerably rough around the edges, although he too seemed to just be looking out for his kingdom, and he didn’t hesitate to defer to his father’s authority. 

Hearing from them after so long, especially given their unique connection to Amalia, tied a knot at the pit of his stomach. From anticipation or dread, he wasn’t sure. 

“That is true.” He said at last, noticing he accidentally allowed for his silence to stretch on too long. “Then, what does such an esteemed king require from us?” His eyes briefly flickered over to Amalia, but it was enough for the ambassador to understand the hidden meaning of his words. 

He allowed a small smile to grace his features to show he bore them no ill will. “The Sheran Sharms cordially invite you to their kingdom for a celebration in Lady Amalia’s honour. As I am sure you will understand, her existence is of great importance to them, and they wish for their people to meet their god’s youngest child.” He turned to the doll as he said this, his smile becoming more genuine under her astonished, yet moved, brown eyes. “Naturally, even though Her Grace will be the guest of honour, they also expect you, King Yugo, to go, alongside an entourage of your choosing.”

For a moment, words failed the king. Could it be? Could they really get so lucky so as to receive such a perfect opportunity to forge a potential alliance with a nation as highly regarded as the Sadida just as they’d found the perfect way to integrate themselves into their society?

Truth be told, Yugo didn’t actually know which position the Sadida Kingdom held within the World of Twelve. However, judging from what Amalia told them about her father’s people, their ample resources by virtue of being connected to nature itself, and everything they’d already witnessed the Sadida Doll was capable of, it stood to reason that they were truly powerful allies to have. 

Forgoing all protocol for a moment, he shot Amalia a delighted smile that she returned with an adorable, fanged grin of her own. One that soon softened as the love and appreciation he felt for her threatened to overwhelm his poor heart. This really was all thanks to her. 

Adamaï discreetly clearing his throat saved him from accidentally getting lost in her bark-like eyes and his lovesick daydreams. 

Straightening himself up, the Eliatrope King cleared his own throat behind a closed fist, willing the blush heating up his cheeks to stand down. “Yes, um, thank you, Master Joris. Please, do express our gratitude to King Sheran Sharm.”

“Should I also tell him you accept his invitation?”

It was Chibi who cut in, his voice and stance almost uncharacteristically professional as he tackled the issue at hand. “With all due respect, if it’s not much trouble, I think I speak for the Council of Six when I say it might be better if you return in a week’s time, Master Joris. As I am sure you will understand, we have much to deliberate before we can give you a definite answer.”

“Of course, I understand.” He nodded. Then, he turned back to Yugo. “I shall let the Sheran Sharms know of your decision, King Yugo. As Master Chibi suggested, I will return in seven days to hear your final decision on the matter.”

“Thank you for understanding, Master Joris.” 

“No, thank you, Your Majesty.” 

And with that, he fished a recall potion out of his cloak pocket, gulped the whole bottle in one go, and, in a flash of light, the little man was gone. 

.....................................................................................................................

Needless to say, the moment Master Joris left them alone, the members of the Council found themselves with much to deliberate on. 

After a hasty explanation and goodbye to Amalia, who returned to her chambers to rest as soon as the initial bewilderment wore out, Yugo and his siblings wasted no time making their way over to the Council Room. No sooner was everyone at their prospective seats, the impromptu meeting began. 

“This is wonderful news!” Mina cheered, her hands clasped before her face as her dark eyes darted across her siblings, seeking their shared excitement. “After so long, we have finally been granted another chance to forge a strong alliance with a Twelvian nation. Oh, we absolutely must accept their invitation.”

Yugo couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t every day their level-headed, diplomatic, and composed sister showed her emotions so openly. He always knew she and Phaeris were the most vocal in their support of a peaceful coexistence between their people and the natives of this world, but for her to react like that… It was only yet another testament of how much this invitation could mean for them.

“Not so fast, Mina dear.” Qilby interjected, raising a finger. “Just because the Sheran Sharms have made the first move, that doesn’t mean they’ve shown us all their cards yet.”

“‘Shown us all their cards’?” Nora parroted with a brow arched, incredulous. She huffed. “You sound like an Ecaflip.”

Qilby just shrugged. “It is a rather fitting metaphor.”

Their incoming bickering session was cut short by Glip slamming his staff hard against the floor to gain their attention.

“I concur with Qilby. This could very well be a trap.”

Glip couldn’t help but flinch in shame under the betrayed look their king shot him, but he had to stand by what he said. While he hoped their race could live peacefully in this world and he had long accepted Amalia into their lives, that didn’t mean he had to trust her people. For all they knew, this was all part of a carefully calculated plot. 

“What?!” Chibi sputtered, with Grougaloragran nodding by his side, showing his support of his twin. “Are you even hearing yourselves? Brothers, Sisters, we have just received an invitation from a native nation. We are one step closer to being able to call this world our new home at last! This alone calls for a celebration, yet you choose to focus your efforts into mistrusting our potential hosts instead?”

“Not to mention, the fact that said hosts happen to be Amalia’s people does not allow for us to freely decline either way.” Grougaloragran pointed out. 

“I was under the impression that this was an invitation, not a threat?” Efrim wondered aloud. Despite his sarcastic tone, for once, he was being genuine. 

Opportunity or not, they could always decline to go! Eliatrope knew the Twelvians had been declining most, if not all, of their attempts at forging political and diplomatic ties countless times since they arrived… Surely, they couldn’t expect them to just take everything they threw at them and roll over like some well-trained Bow Wow. 

“It is an invitation, but it would also be extremely disrespectful of us to refuse them.” Baltazar reasoned. Seeing his youngest brother’s disbelieving sapphire orbs staring back at him, he let out a patient sigh. “Lady Amalia is their patron god’s daughter. Her mere existence is of great importance to them. Refusing them the chance to meet such an important cultural figure would essentially be like spitting on their beliefs.”

“Think of it this way,” Shinonomé chimed in, her golden eyes picking up on Efrim’s lack of conviction. “If one of us were being housed by the Sadida, our people would also like to see us, therefore, how would we take it if they were to refuse our pleas?”

“As a deep insult to our race; a direct attack against us and our goddess.” Efrim heaved a heavy sigh, understanding their point despite himself. 

The dragoness smirked. “Precisely.”

“We cannot forget Amalia’s connection to the Sadida is also deeply beneficial to us.” Adamaï pointed out, finally addressing the non-Eliatrope dragon in the room. “Her connection to us should help us establish political ties with the Sadida, which at the same time could very well be the first step into being accepted by the rest of the nations.”

“But what if it is not?” Phaeris ventured, surprising everyone in the room, even his twin sister. It was safe to say they had all been expecting the Ochre Twins to be of the same mind on this issue, as they were wont to do. 

In a way, even if it was in his nature, it was extremely jarring to see him remain rooted to realism and reasonable doubt when Mina was so enthused by the idea. Her stricken face was proof enough that not even she had seen it coming. 

However, as much as Yugo hated to admit it, a knot forming in the pit of his stomach at the mere implication, Phaeris’ reaction wasn’t completely out of the blue. Unlike how he’d usually conduct himself, when Master Joris first brought the topic up, he didn’t wait until the Bontarian was finished saying his piece. He got straight to the point and demanded to know if King Oakheart and Prince Armand planned to take Amalia back and away from them. 

A point he didn’t hesitate to reiterate. 

“What if the Sheran Sharms are luring us into a fake sense of security and all they want is to whisk our ticket to acceptance away?” He questioned aloud. “What if this is all a trap to snatch Lady Amalia from us while they have the home field advantage? Phaeris can’t help but fear they might use the chance to distort everything by making it look like we attacked their kingdom and they were simply defending themselves, giving the other rulers yet another reason to distrust us—!”

His anguished spiels were cut short by his sister’s comforting hand on his claw. Her dark eyes big and tender as she pleaded for her brother to calm down and come back to her. There was no need to anguish over the ‘what ifs’ that had yet to pass. It was imperative they focused on the present. 

The cyan dragon sat back down, his breathing laboured. “Phaeris apologises. He let his worries get the best of him.”

“No need.” Efrim dismissed it with a wave of his claw, leaning back in his chair with his tail thumping rhythmically against the floor. “All you did was speak the truth. To quote Qilby and his Ecafliphile ways, it is too high a gamble to just trust these people blindly.”

“That could not be any more different from what I said.” Qilby grumbled, his nose scrunched up in distaste. Given his astounding memory, he did not appreciate it when people twisted his words and presented them as fact. It was an insult to his divine gift. His scowl deepened. “And I am not an Ecafliphile!”

But his complaints went ignored. 

“It is not too high a gamble because there is no gamble at all.” Mina countered resolutely, her eyes narrowed on her little brother in annoyance. 

“How can you be so sure?” Nora asked. She was still a little miffed at her twin for his flippant attitude towards the entire meeting, but she didn’t say anything because she was hoping to smooth things out with him soon enough. However, that didn’t stop her from secretly enlisting their siblings' help to make him see reason. 

At that, the cyan-clad Eliatrope smirked. “Because if we were truly in danger, Chibi would have had a vision of it.”

In an instant, all eyes were on the prophet, who couldn’t help but flinch under such intense scrutiny. “Truth be told, it depends…” He sputtered, fidgeting with his cloak. Sometimes he really hated his divine gift and the difficult positions it put him in. “It’s not an exact science nor do I get a significant tingle whenever danger is lurking around the corner, but…” He shrugged, humming. “Yes, I suppose if something important truly were to happen at the Sadida Kingdom, I would have had a vision about it, which I didn’t.”

As their siblings began to murmur amongst themselves, discussing the potential dangers and benefits behind paying the Sadida Kingdom a visit, Yugo exchanged a meaningful glance with Adamaï. No words were needed, not even telepathic. That very same day they had stumbled upon a possible solution to their problems and they weren’t going to let it get away. Nor were they going to keep it from the rest of the Council. 

Yugo’s voice, composed yet authoritarian, cut through the rest of the Council’s conversation like a knife, demanding respect and that they focused their attention back to him from where he was, overseeing it all.

“If I may be so bold, I believe this is the perfect chance to reveal we have finally reached a possible solution to our problem with the Twelvians.”

“Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?” Glip snarked, earning himself a stern nudge from Baltazar.

But Yugo just chuckled in good humour. “Of course. You’re right, I should have been more precise.” What he said next was no laughing matter. “Ad and I think we have finally found the perfect way to prove our worth to the natives and earn ourselves a place in their world.”

“What do you have in mind?” Shinonomé gasped, sharing a concerned yet discreet look with her twin. 

Yugo looked as assured as ever as he leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the table as he clasped his hands. “We’ll play to our strengths.”

“That’s not really an answer…” Glip pointed out again, frowning.

“All in due time.” Adamaï pacified him. “What matters now is deciding whether to accept the Sheran Sharms’ invitation or not.” He raised a claw up in the air, which was immediately followed by Yugo raising his own arm. “Those in agreement to accept, raise your hands.”

Besides the Emerald Twins, Mina, Chibi, and Grougaloragran also raised their hands, followed by Baltazar and, after a dubious look at her twin, Nora. Even though it seemed the choice had already been made, the white-and-blue dragon urged those in disagreement to vote. As expected, Efrim, Glip, Phaeris, and Qilby and Shinonomé raised their hands against going to the Sadida Kingdom. However, with seven of them for and the remaining five against it, it was clear what their next course of action would be. 

“It’s settled then! In a week’s time, we will inform Master Joris that the Sadida should expect us.” Announced Yugo, clasping his hands with an air of finality. 

Slouched in defeat in his seat, with his wings covering his body like a cloak, a brooding Phaeris let out a deep sigh. 

“Phaeris just hopes we will not come to regret this.” He muttered in a voice so low, one would need to have an Ouginak’s sense of hearing to pick up on what he said. Or, at least, know him very well. 

His sister squeezing his claw in reassurance brought the dragon back to reality. He turned to look at Mina questioningly, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. In turn, her eyes were full of empathy and comfort.

“I am sure there is nothing to worry about.” She told him softly, patting his claw affectionately. Her expression dimmed just the tiniest bit as she considered the most unfortunate possibilities. But she shook those thoughts away right after, the determined flicker he knew so well back in her alabaster eyes. “Phaeris, I understand your concerns. Better than anyone.”

“Phaeris has never doubted Mina’s ability to understand him—.” But she just interrupted him with a raised palm. 

“I know. That’s not the point. The point is, Sadida himself entrusted Lady Amalia to us; that was his divine will. I highly doubt the Sadida will be impious enough to go against their god’s decision and essentially kidnap his daughter.

“Likewise, Lady Amalia has been living by our side for months, and it is clear to see she has grown quite fond of us—some more than others…” She sang knowingly, pointing subtly towards their king. Even if they didn’t share a psychic bond, Phaeris would have understood the double meaning behind her words. “It is extremely unlikely she would simply go along with an attempt at separating her from us. You can rest assured, Brother. Everything will be fine.”

The cyan dragon exhaled slowly through his nose, but he sent his sister a small smile nonetheless. “May Eliatrope hear you, Sister.”

Their heads snapped back to the sound of their king’s voice reverberating around the room. At some point, he stood up from his seat and was currently sweeping over his siblings with his eyes, his hands on his hips during his appraisal. 

“Very well, in that case, all that remains is choosing who will accompany Amalia to the Sadida Kingdom.” He brought a hand to his chest to point at himself. “As King of the Eliatropes and the one Amalia’s closest to, naturally, I will be going.”

“Naturally…” Nora rolled her eyes good-naturedly, an amused smirk on her face. She let out a yelp and almost fell off her chair when her big brother entered one hand through one of his portals with the sole purpose of flicking her on the forehead from the other end. 

“Jerk…” She grumbled, glaring daggers at Yugo. 

But her brother just went on as if nothing had happened. “Anybody else wishes to join us?”

Adamaï let out an exaggerated, long-suffering sigh. “Well, if you’re going, then I suppose I’m coming with you.” He smirked, an excited glint in his eyes. “Somebody has to watch over you to make sure you don’t mess up, right?”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Yugo deadpanned, but he was smiling. 

Despite his previous objections, Qilby raised a finger. Deep down, Yugo didn’t even know why he was surprised. The eldest Eliatrope always found flaws in everything, yet he was also very quick to invite himself to any and all kinds of events that would allow him to explore and entertain his mind for a while. 

“If it’s not much trouble,” he started purposefully, his hazel eyes narrowing behind his glasses at the way the king was looking at him. “I would very much like to go. This is the perfect chance to explore Sadida culture up close. As accommodating as Lady Amalia is, nothing can compare to really immersing yourself in a culture to truly understand it. That is also why getting to meet the Sheran Sharms in Bonta wasn’t enough, either.”

“Very well, Qilby. Thanks for your help.” Yugo said, trying very hard to suppress an exasperated sigh. At the same time, Adamaï addressed the eldest dragoness. “What about you, Shinonomé? Would you like to come as well?”

But the ruby-scaled woman just shook her head politely. “As much as I would love to learn more about Sadida’s worshippers, I’m afraid I must decline. Given Qilby’s inquisitive nature, somebody must remain behind and look after the clinic in case medical attention is needed while you’re away.”

“Of course. Thank you, Shinonomé. Hopefully, you will be able to accompany us soon.”

“Yes, soon.”

The king directed his focus to the Ebony Twins. They were raising their hands, clearly volunteering themselves, but, much to his chagrin, Yugo had no choice but to shoot them down. “Chibi, Grougal? I’m sorry, but we’re going to need you to stay behind.”

“What?! Why?” Chibi sputtered, shocked. 

“Grougaloragran and Chibi should get to decide whether they go to the Sadida Kingdom or not.” The black dragon added, more than a little petulantly, as he crossed his arms and huffed out a puff of smoke from his nostrils. 

“I know, and I am sorry for removing your autonomy on the matter. But we need you here.”

“Why?” Chibi raised an eyebrow, sceptical. 

“Because we need you to help us test and develop Amalia’s idea for earning the Twelvians’ acceptance.” Adamaï answered. “If all goes well, we could pitch our plan to King Oakheart and get his help in organising a meeting with the other royals. But we need you to tell us if it would be feasible first.”

The Ebony Twins took a moment to consider his words. After a beat, they exchanged purposeful nods and gave their consent to staying behind and working on verifying the applicability of Lady Amalia’s idea. 

Yugo let out a relieved sigh at their begrudging consent. He really owed them one for their sacrifice. 

“Very well, who’s next?”

Not surprisingly, Baltazar, Glip, and Mina chose to remain behind, wisely pointing out that with possibly half of the Council away, the other half should stay to oversee state affairs. Nobody could find fault in their reasoning, so they simply thanked them for their dedication and for covering for their parting siblings. 

However, what nobody was counting on was Phaeris volunteering himself after so adamantly refusing to go in the first place. 

“Phaeris, are you sure?” Adamaï asked, unsure himself. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he awaited for an answer. “We understand if you would rather not come…”

“Phaeris would feel more uneasy if he didn’t accompany his siblings, Adamaï.” He answered gravely, his bright eyes piercing his brother’s with their conviction. “After all, two dragons are better than one, and you will need all the help you can get.”

“Thank you, Phaeris.” The king nodded gratefully, smiling kindly at the cyan dragon in an attempt at imbuing him with the confidence he felt. “But you don’t have to worry. As Mina said, I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“Won’t hurt to be prepared…” Efrim muttered through his teeth. He shot a glare at his twin sister when she nudged his side in disapproval. 

Nora herself jolted in her seat when her older brother addressed her. 

“What about you, Nora? Would you be interested in joining us?”

A huge grin split her face in two. “Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t be planning on joining you from the very beginning.” She huffed a chuckle through her nose. “Eliatrope knows somebody has got to keep an eye on you boys. I could never risk Amalia suffering from testosterone poisoning.”

While his brother shot her scathing looks, unamused by her comment, Shinonomé, never to turn down an opportunity to tease her little sister, couldn't help but poke fun at her. 

“Do tell, Nora. Your willingness to go to the Sadida Kingdom wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that this is the perfect chance to see how Sadida women look. Now would it?”

Nora had the decency to grimace, blushing. All around her, the members of the Council snickered. It wasn’t every day the youngest Eliatrope got this flustered. “It’s not my fault the king’s entourage was formed exclusively by men…” She grumbled, pouting. 

Before Yugo had the chance to make a joke of his own, his laughter was cut short by the most unexpected sight. Even more so than Phaeris volunteering himself. Because, leaning back against his seat beside his wide-eyed twin with an almost bored expression on his face, Efrim was raising his claw. 

The tense silence that soon fell over the Council Room made it clear that the rest of its occupants had taken notice too. 

“Is there anything you would like to share, Efrim?” He had to make sure. 

The way his sapphire eyes blinked seemed almost offended. “Uh, yes. I believe this is the part where I sign up to go to the Sadida Kingdom?” He offered sarcastically. He then made a show of shaking his arm. “I was under the impression that it was done by raising your hand?”

While the Eliatrope King’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened like saucers, actions that his own dragon twin wasted no time mimicking, an astonished Chibi managed to perfectly encapsulate what Yugo and Adamaï couldn’t express due to their gawking. 

“You want to go to the Sadida Kingdom?!” He all but screeched in disbelief. “You are aware there are Twelvians there, right?” Even with his teasing tone, it was plain to see the prophet was only half-joking. And the utter surprise in his voice didn’t help matters either. 

His concerns were met with a scowl. “Thanks for the heads-up.” The periwinkle dragon grumbled, annoyed. 

Baltazar, well aware of his younger brother’s animosity towards Amalia, furrowed his brow and exchanged a nervous glance with Glip. One thing was Efrim being rude and dismissive of the Sadida Doll on Oma Island, and even that bordered on inexcusable, but to risk his disdain for her show in the Sadida Kingdom, where she was revered as their god’s daughter and a symbol of prosperity by his worshippers…

Things could go downhill in the blink of an eye. They could not risk letting the opportunity they had been granted go to waste by being reckless. 

“Efrim, are you sure?” The beige dragon started as diplomatically as possible, his raspy voice gentle and unaccusing. “We all know of the ups and downs of your relationship with Lady Amalia.” His blue eyes narrowed in intrigue when Nora flinched at his brother’s side, her brows pinched together in worry, but the young dragon in question didn’t seem too bothered so he let it slide. For now. “But we mustn’t forget we will be the ones in an unfamiliar land. A territory where she is worshipped like a goddess. Baltazar is sure Efrim does not wish to jeopardise this opportunity…”

“Please, Baltazar, spare me the sermon.” The young dragon cut him off, his voice harsh. 

He hated feeling like this. Like he was some unstable brute who knew nothing of tact and finesse and needed to be watched over in case he messed up. He hated having his siblings’ unsure eyes on him, silently wondering if they weren’t about to make some grave mistake. And he especially hated feeling Nora pulling further and further away from him, the distance between them growing bigger by the day. The trepidation he felt at the mere idea of his own twin sister turning her back on him licked away at his heart like frozen fire, making his insides churn in apprehension. 

And to think this was all because of that doll…

But he couldn’t give his siblings further reasons to deny his request. He had to remind them that he could be trusted. Because if you couldn’t trust your own family, who else could you trust?

“I assure you, I have no intention of doing anything to jeopardise our people’s chances of being accepted into this world.” The blue of his eyes was downright icy when they settled on Yugo. “I trust you are not doubting my loyalty and devotion to our nation?”

The king’s brown eyes hooded over in concern, the question hurting him more than he cared to admit. Of course he trusted his little brother! He was… He was his little brother. They had all been through too much together not to; but the truth of the matter was that Efrim had changed after the war. He was all that much confrontational and quick to expect the worst of anyone who wasn’t an Eliatrope. His treatment of Amalia was a prime example of that.

Likewise, said treatment had the unfortunate side effect of sending Amalia on edge whenever the youngest dragon was near her. Sadida might not possess their wakfu vision, but you would have to be blind not to see the way the Divine Doll tensed up in Efrim’s presence. If she showed signs of discomfort towards him in the presence of her father’s people… There were a lot of things on the line and a lot of things that could go wrong. 

And yet…

“Very well, Efrim.” He said at last, drawing every pair of wide eyes towards him. Even Efrim seemed to be taken aback by his decision. “You are right. You would never do anything to harm our people. You may come if you so wish.” Just then, his tone turned serious and stern, his otherwise warm brown eyes, cold and unforgiving as he took on a stance befitting of his position as monarch. “However, I do ask that you are in your best behaviour around Amalia and her people. Can I trust you will not make a mockery of the trust I have decided to place on you?”

For a moment, Efrim wanted to protest the unfair treatment he was under. He was sure Yugo would never ask his precious flower to behave in his presence. It took every ounce of self-restraint he possessed not to scoff spitefully; instead, he let out a heavy sigh, understanding despite himself that their people did indeed need this alliance, and he couldn’t risk endangering it. 

His own cobalt eyes pierced Yugo’s brown ones. “You can count on me, my King.”

With a final nod from their leader, the meeting was adjourned. In a week’s time, they would inform Master Joris, and subsequently the Sheran Sharms and their subjects, of their decision. 

As the Council members filed out of the room, with Efrim slithering out of the door, those who would accompany Amalia to the Sadida Kingdom discreetly agreed to keep an eye on their brother, just in case. 

.......................................................................................................................

Soon after the meeting let out, Yugo made a beeline for Amalia’s room, eager to tell her the good news. The way her eyes sparkled in delight and a dazzling grin stretched over her lips sent his poor heart into a frenzy, his mind scrambling to imprint the sight onto his brain. And even that couldn’t compete with the feeling of the doll’s petite yet stunning form moulding perfectly against his when she threw herself at him in elation. There was something deeply cathartic in holding Amalia in his arms. 

Despite his accelerated heartbeat, her warmth meshing into his, the sweet scent of her intoxicating his senses, and her silky, emerald strands tickling his nose all allowed him to enter a most blissful state. A state where everything was right in the world and he could relax. Amalia’s proximity was like a balm, soothing his wounds.

His heart ached when he was forced to let go and tend to his duties for the day. 

As promised, within the week Master Joris presented himself back inside the throne room. In spite of his stoic demeanour, there were enough small, almost imperceptible changes—like the way his face would twitch, almost as if fighting back a smile—that betrayed his true feelings. He was just as relieved that the Council had accepted the invitation as they were of receiving it. 

A pleased smile drew itself onto Yugo and Adamaï’s faces at his reaction. Turns out, Bonta’s beloved hero wasn’t made out of stone, after all. 

Right as the Bontarian assured them he would share the news with the Sheran Sharms, before taking his leave he made it a point to let them know that, despite his station, King Oakheart wasn’t an avid follower of frivolities or a strict adherence to protocol. Therefore, while they were free to do as they pleased, they were in no obligation to go out of their way and sport their most extravagant garments for the occasion. The king just hoped for a pleasant evening where everyone would be comfortable in each other’s presence. 

Besides, most Sadida had never seen an Eliatrope in their life. They wouldn’t be able to tell their formal clothing from their informal garments anyway. 

And so, after much deliberating and pouting from a disappointed Nora, it was agreed that they would not commission new clothing for the occasion. While their little sister hadn’t taken the news well, she eventually let the matter go when Mina pointed out the true guest of honour would be Amalia. If anyone deserved to shine amongst the Sadida, that was his eleventh Divine Doll. 

When the king informed her of their decision, however, much to his surprise, the doll had politely declined their offer to call forth Mr. Needlesworth to start working on a new outfit for her. When asked about it, all she said was:

“Not that I doubt Mr. Needlesworth’s expert hands, but I have something else in mind.”

It wouldn’t be until the actual day of their trip to the Sadida Kingdom that Yugo would understand what she meant by that. 

It was exactly a week after they informed Master Joris of their decision. In the following days, once the Sadida royal family had received the news of their upcoming visit, following Qilby’s pointed suggestion, the Bontarian handed them the method through which Twelvians communicated with each other—a Tofu bird capable of flying great distances and transmitting a spoken message. 

Even Chibi and Grougal had been impressed by its simple ingenuity. Even so, they maintained the Magnolias were a much better alternative, as Tofu messaging only allowed for one-on-one conversations and it still took the poor bird too long to relay the message. 

Nevertheless, it was thanks to that piece of Twelvian innovation that they settled on a date for their visit and they let the small man know which members of the Council of Six would accompany Amalia that day. With the arrival of a set of recall potions shortly after, they were all ready to go. 

When the day finally came, the members of the Council were gathered in front of the large balcony overseeing their people. Right before leaving, much like last time, they would give a speech in commemoration of the great milestone they were about to reach before bidding their subjects goodbye. All they needed was for the guest of honour to make her grand entrance. 

“Don’t worry, Yugo. We promise to use this time wisely to properly test out the portals.” Chibi assured his brother, his dragon twin nodding by his side. It was funny, in a way, he and Grougal were about to spend Eliatrope knows how long locked away in their workshop, and yet he looked much more regal than his brother and king did at the moment in his usual cloak and battlesuit combo. 

There was a reason why he always went with gold-plated upper armour. It never went out of style. 

Yugo placed a hand on the shoulders of both of them, his smile belying just how much trust he had for his genius siblings. 

“Thank you, guys. I know you will not let me down.”

The moment was interrupted by Qilby’s amused voice, his words announcing the arrival they had all been waiting for. 

“My, if this isn’t a trip down memory lane!”

Followed by Amalia’s soft giggling. “Thank you, Qilby. I thought it was only fitting.”

His brow furrowed in confusion at the conversation, Yugo peeked over Chibi and Grougal’s forms as they were unintentionally obstructing his view of Amalia. The moment he saw her, he understood completely—and his mouth went a little dry. 

Talking to Qilby stood Amalia, decked out in a very familiar outfit. A very familiar outfit he hadn’t seen in months, since she first arrived at Oma Island, to be precise. 

“Amalia.” She perked up at the sound of her name. Her eyes left Qilby as she turned to the origin of the voice, a small smile immediately plastering itself on her face at the sight of an approaching Yugo. “I’m guessing this is what you meant when you said you had something else in mind?”

She nodded with a laugh, opening her arms wide to gesture down at herself and her outfit. It had been so long, the Eliatrope had almost forgotten about the dress made out of autumn-like leaves that exposed delicious patches of her skin—her upper and lower back, her long, toned legs, her profile… Or the way her wild mane was delicately pulled up by that horned headband of hers, her ponytail standing tall and proud like a tree’s leaves in spring while delicate strands of emerald hair perfectly framed her face and draped down around her nape. As per usual with Amalia, who apparently couldn’t go a day without accessorising, she completed the look with matching green wristbands and anklets. 

“I know King Oakheart insisted we didn’t need to dress up for the occasion, but these are my father’s people. I want to present myself as the Divine Doll that I am, and that means appearing as my father created me.” The doll explained, her brown eyes steely with resolve even as her voice held an unmistakable warmth. 

For a moment, Yugo could only stare at her, taken aback, before his expression softened. He saw himself and his siblings reflected in her, in her devotion to her people just as they were devoted to theirs, even if her interactions with Sadida’s worshippers had been fairly limited.

A small gasp escaped her and her eyes flicked up and down when Yugo delicately took her hands in his, without so much as a warning, and leaned down so they were face to face.

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate everything you are doing for them.” He smiled. 

She smiled right back. “That’s all I ask.”

“Hey, lovebirds!” Nora’s teasing voice broke the spell, sending fire to their cheeks and causing them to turn back to her. “As much as I hate to interrupt this touching moment, everyone is waiting.” She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder to make her point. Suddenly, the impatient murmurs coming from below the palace became much louder.

The king’s face was scrunched up in annoyance at his sister’s dedication to embarrassing him for a second. Taking one deep breath as he willed himself to let it go—though not without swearing to get back at her later—, he nodded at his siblings, signalling it was time to get this show on the road. 

“Let’s go.”

They all nodded back at him and started filing out of the corridor leading to the balcony and onto the veranda. 

Amalia stayed behind for a moment, her own face scrunched up in confusion as she racked her brain to understand why Nora would call her and Yugo ‘lovebirds’. But those thoughts were banished from her mind when the Eliatrope in question bowed slightly and gestured for her to do the honours and lead the way. 

“Are you ready?”

“Huh?” The doll blinked. Her eyes followed the direction his hands were pointing at until they reached the large balustrade keeping people from falling off the balcony in front of her and the backs of the already congregating members of the Council. The brightness coming from the outside world was a nice contrast to the faint light inside the palace walls. “Oh! Yes! Yes, of course.”

Without another word, the departing members of the Council of Six and the Sadida Doll emerged from within the shadows and stepped into the midday sun, coming into view of their loyal Eliatrope people, who watched with starry eyes. Even so, they would not have needed to say a word, for their subjects didn’t waste any time filling the silence with cheers at the sight of them. 

As expected of his position as king, Yugo stepped forward and in front of his siblings and the doll, drawing all eyes to him, and addressed his subjects first, “My people! Today we have been granted with an opportunity we would be foolish to decline. As I am sure you all already know, recently, we received yet another visit from Master Joris, Bonta’s ambassador. 

“However, much to our surprise, this time he wasn’t acting exclusively on behalf of his nation. He came with a message from King Oakheart Sheran Sharm,” his eyes flickered meaningfully over to Amalia, “ruler of the Sadida Kingdom.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, a chorus of gasps could be heard from down below. Just like their leader before them, in an instant, countless hopeful gazes flicked over to the Divine Doll. She seemed to shine like a beacon of hope; she was the key to their acceptance into this world.

Meanwhile, Yugo continued. “The royal family wished to invite Amalia to their territory as their guest of honour, so their people could meet their god’s child. And, naturally, as her hosts, we were invited as well.”

Then, it was Adamaï who took a step forward, coming to stand right beside his twin. “Of course, after some deliberation, we agreed; the advantages of such an arrangement far surpassing its risks. And here we are today, presenting ourselves before you right as we are about to set out on yet another diplomatic mission for the sake of our future.”

“Much like we did before we left for Bonta, we sincerely ask of you that you pray for our safe return.” Efrim spoke up next. While his cautionary words raised some eyebrows, most of the people in attendance were far too engrossed in their own euphoria to notice. They simply cheered louder. 

Next to him, Nora frowned, determined to make up for her twin’s poor wording. “And do wish us good luck, so today’s visit will be a success and the first of many more meetings between allies!”

Amidst their people’s congratulatory echoes and thunderous applause, all of which brought a warm smile to Amalia’s face, touched by the love and trust the Eliatropes felt for their leaders, she registered movement from the corner of her eyes. She looked up in surprise to find Yugo, his head slightly bent down so it would be easier to meet her gaze. 

“Would you like to say some words?”

She started at his suggestion. “Wait, what? You want me to give a speech?” If possible, her bewilderment only grew when he simply nodded. “But these are your people! Won’t they prefer to hear what you have to say?”

The king just shrugged, his cloak bobbing up and down with his movements. “We’re going to be visiting your people. If anything, whatever you have to say will probably be more important than our little speech.”

The doll considered it. Normally, the last thing she would want would be to overstep her boundaries and undermine the Council’s authority in their own territory. But Yugo was right. As a Sadida Doll, her input was crucial when it came to her divine father’s followers. And the Eliatropes were beyond eager to finally establish peaceful relations with the Twelvians, so they would be keen on listening to what she had to say. Especially if it promised that, by  the end of the day, the inhabitants of Oma Island would be able to call the Sadida their allies. 

At last, she made up her mind, sending a resolute nod Yugo’s way before advancing across the platform until she was under the proverbial spotlight. 

Truth be told, it was more than a little daunting to be addressing the Eliatropes like this, especially when she could feel their bright, brown eyes, hungry for answers, piercing through her skin. Just like she couldn’t ignore the Council staring intently at her back, intrigued by what she might say—although, knowing Efrim, he was probably glaring at her. Even so, despite her slight apprehension and the slight tremor of her hands, she took a deep breath and willed her frantic heartbeat to slow down, and her voice to remain unwavering as she uttered each and every word with an ease and conviction that shocked even her. 

“My dear Eliatrope people,” she began, her voice loud and clear like a waterfall. “There are no words to express just how grateful I am for your generosity and hospitality these past few months. Even with my divine nature, I doubt if I will ever be able to repay you for everything you have done for me.

“However, I was sent here for a reason—to bridge the gap between you and the natives of this world. And what better way to do that than ensuring you and the Sadida, the Tree People of the World of Twelve, are united by more than my presence?”

As she spoke, her expression turned solemn. For a moment, she wondered if she should truly speak about this, admit her own limitations, but her principles came first. She owed it to the Eliatropes to be completely honest after everything they had done for her. Better to advise caution than to let them get their hopes up only for them to be completely dashed down the line. 

“To tell you the truth, I have not had the chance to interact with my father’s worshippers, at least not since I first met the royal family at Bonta.” At her revelation, worried murmurs erupted all around the attending Eliatropes, with furrowed brows being exchanged and hands being brought to their faces as a sign of their concern. Panicking slightly at their apprehension but refusing to let it show, Amalia scrambled to assuage their worries. “Having said that, the moment I first laid my eyes on them I immediately felt a kinship. A connection so powerful it washed away all my doubts in an instant. 

“The Sadida truly are the Leafy God’s people. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that we share the same values and that their devotion to Sadida is pure and unquestionable. As it is their loyalty to his will and that of me and my sisters. As such, I can confidently say that they want this alliance as much as I do. And I cross my Ogrine heart and hope to die were my vow dishonest, that I will do everything in my power to ensure it happens.”

While the Eliatropes were still hanging onto her every word, enraptured by the sincerity and solemnity in her voice, the spell was broken by something even more powerful—shock. A powerful silence fell over the entire area as the Divine Doll bowed her body ninety degrees, her deep respect and appreciation for the people gathered, regardless of social station, shining through her actions. 

“Selfish as it may be,” she made sure to raise her voice so it could be heard even from her awkward position, “I sincerely hope you can place your trust on me and on the fact that I will not disappoint you.”

The moment of silence stretched into a lull, and Yugo was beginning to grow fidgety. Even though he believed, with every fiber of his being, that Amalia meant each and every word—a great wave of affection overtaking his entire being at the sight of her dedication to her role and duties—, he was beginning to dread his subjects’ reactions. 

What if Amalia’s admission of not truly knowing the Sadida caused them to doubt her capabilities? What if now they were left with even less hope than when they first arrived?

The last thing his people could afford to lose was hope. 

His eyes flickered over to Adamaï, seeking his comfort and wisdom, but the brisk shake of his horned head made it clear the dragon was at a loss, as well. Even as his eyes quickly scanned his siblings, trying to gouge their reactions, all he could discern was that they seemed to be evenly divided between shock at the doll’s actions and unease at their subjects’ reaction.

His eyes went back to Amalia, who remained bowed. If one looked closely, they could see the way her hands had curled into fists against her thighs as slight tremors went down her body, a clear sign of her anxiousness. Great Goddess above, if he was feeling this nervous, he couldn’t even begin to imagine what the poor doll had to be going through. 

It began small and low, like a ripple before a downpour, but soon enough, the distant sound of clapping hands grew louder and louder, until it became downright thunderous and near deafening. Soon it was accompanied by Boowolf whistling and cheers, all in the Divine Doll’s name.

“Long live Lady Amalia!”

“May Eliatrope’s portals guide you!”

“Long live the Eliatropes and Sadida!”

At first, Amalia was speechless, taken aback by the overwhelming support, but, just then, her face broke into a watery smile, tears of joy and emotion welling in her eyes as she waved back at the Eliatropes and thanked them profusely for the faith they had on her.

Yugo let her be for a while, his siblings and him coming to join her as they thanked their people for the trust they’d chosen to place on them and promised to return soon with good news. 

But all things must come to an end. 

Bringing a round bottle to her face, he asked, “Are you ready?”

Her eyes matching the fire in his own, she nodded with a smirk and snatched the bottle from his hand. With one last look around her little entourage to signal it was time to go, they all threw their heads back and gulped down the contents of the recall potion in one go, disappearing in a flash of light. 

[guys-moments]

Balta

[sandytrish008]

"Baltazar é um barato!"

Been watching a lot of Fudêncio e seus amigos (brazilian adult cartoon series), so here's Carmen with Baltazar Barata and...there's Fudêncio with Conrado too x) may do some more

[speed-demon-doodler]

Some more adventures from act 2 - Gauntlet of Shar

"And this Kore, is why we can't have nice things"

[madisonthetimewalker]

Got inspired by @loryn-art and decided to make some modern AU Wakfu headcanons because I always love making head canons when I see cool AU’s

1. Yugo cannot skateboard for shit. He always face-plants into the pavement (Adamai can skateboard and laughs his ass off at yugo’s misery)

2. Adamai is surprisingly good at baking, he can make a pretty good looking cake (if he try’s)

3.qilby has horrible fucking sleep schedule I cannot describe how bad it is but it is horrible.

4. Chibi is a morning person and has a decently sized ego.

5. Grougal has the best hair in the family (he gets it from his mom what do you expect?)

6. Shinonome (I cannot spell her name for the life of me oh my god) likes to live a cozy and organized life… qilby does not knowing the meaning of organized

7. Adamai works in retail and has clip on earrings (he doesn’t want to get his ear pierced again it sucked for him he hated it. I also have an example in one of my drawings!)

8. Phaeris is very very good at making sure shit doesn’t go down in the house. Mostly because he has a resting bitch face and I love it

9. Baltazar works at a daycare. He likes the job (quilby is not allowed near baltazar because of what happened in season 2, they will full on fist fight im dead ass)

10. Efrim isn’t very responsible with money (do not give him any he will spend it… and so will Nora)

11. Glip is often tired he has a pretty good sleep schedule (unlike qilby) but still often complains of being tired.

12. For mina I wanted to make her a teacher but since she was known to be basically a lawyer in Wakfu but I feel like a teacher would fit her as well.

13. Adamai doesn’t talk about his private life.. at all for that matter he keeps to himself a lot and you basically have to pester him to tell you what’s wrong.

14. Adamai has a creepy smile (this is canon.. oh my poor boy) and often times won’t smile in photos he just kinda grins and walks away.

15. Yugo has such horrible and I mean horrible taste in fashion (you can hear Adamai holding back tears in the background while Mina or Nora has to tell him to change or else he’s gonna scare their mother to death due to his shitty fashion sense.)

16. If you where to ask qilby about a specific historical event, he will tell it in such great detail it makes it seem like he was actually there.

17. The dragon bros cannot taste spicy foods (I heard somewhere since lizards are cold-blooded they can’t taste that thing that makes you taste spicy foods) so if you see grougal chowing down extreme spicy ramen don’t ask.

18. Efrim is very clumsy and often stubs his toes or accidentally hits something when he walks (everyone thinks he needs glasses but he has 20/20 vision this fucker just can’t walk straight)

19. I like to think Adamai is a bit of a nerd. In his own way of course (if you’re lucky you can catch him reading comic books in his room.. which is always locked)

20. Nora and Efrim collect random stuff they find on the ground and they have this huge stash of random shit. Nobody knows how long they have had this but god is it large

21. Glip can often be seen grading papers (I like to believe baltazar is a daycare teacher while Glip is a high school - collage teacher/professor)

22. Chibi does not know the meaning of “social cues” (and neither does yugo.)

23. Shinonome works at a flower shop (qilby doesn’t like flowers mostly because of bad allergies but he supports his sister anyway.)

25. Efrim hates having to work and I mean HATESSS it he will complain the whole time (Adamai is one step away from hitting him with a shopping cart at 100 miles an hour)

26. Yugo can’t focus for shit, but can surprisingly describe how to make a specific meal in great detail (alibert you have raised a good man.)

27. Phaeris is very good with solving puzzles and likes to do them in his free time, he says he enjoys the “thinking process”

28. Chibi is a horrible flirt if he sees a pretty lady and he wants to say hi? Immediately tripping and stumbling and accidentally embarrassing himself (grougal is laughing his ass off silently in a corner.)

29. (Can you tell I like Adamai?) he’s a pretty good babysitter although he isn’t a huge fan of it but he doesn’t mind helping people out.

30. Nora can’t roller skate while Mina is a fucking mastermind.

31. Baltazar and qilby can be seen giving the meanest fucking side eyes at family dinners (Adamai prefers to eat in his room. But once there’s drama he appears and watch’s from afar.)

32. Qilby has the worst back pain in the world.

33. For someone who can’t focus for shit yugo is an incredibly fast learner! And can learn anything in a matter of seconds (Adamai is often jealous out how quick of a learner he is.)

34. Glip doesn’t like being forced to work at such late hours but he has no choice (the curse of being a teacher)

35. Adamai often runs away from yugo when he’s at work. And yugo likes to chase him down for shits and giggles (yugo please he’s trying to do his job)

Great Lordy I have made so many! I might make some insert modern AU ones as well. Involving ecaflip and Xelor and the rest of the gods, I like to think they also live in the world of twelve but they don’t really show their faces (kinda like Greek gods? If you get what I mean)

Anyway I’m glad I got to share more headcanons! Have a great day!

[bluegumballmf]

so, i still havent seen any eliatrope council DRAGON members quizzes soo

Surprise!!! I made another!!! Have fun <3

[nekolland]

It's been a while but here's resident cat Baltazar! 🐈

Cr. @camigraphys

[the-barrad-crew]

[littlebluesword]

What does these images have in common?

Was watching a buffy episode and suddenly remembered this from doctor who

Couldn't stop laughing

[donnatroyprincessofthemyscira]

Art Credit to Baltazar

[vinyl-artwork]

Peñaranda Y Su Conjunto – Bailamos Esta Cumbia Papito, 1964.

Cover by Baltazar.

[geekgirles]

The Doll and the Dragon

Chapter 10: Connection Found

Word Count: 31,275

Read on AO3

Previous/Next

Chapter Summery: "Oma Island is, once again, the centre of activity. Between Council meetings, training sessions, and unexpected visitors, the once calm tropical island has never been busier. As Yugo deals with his family and his kingly duties, Amalia too finds herself spending more time with the Eliatrope Council. She just wanted to do Baltazar a favour, how did she end up in the middle of a fire?!"

The air within the Council Room was charged with anticipation and a touch of tension that day. Soft murmurs and the rustling sound of paper as the council members leafed through their reports and notes filled the room. The Eliaculus remained where it was at the very centre of it all, the eerie glow it gave off a reminder that it could be used at any moment. The murmurs immediately quieted down when a large portal materialised right in front of the table, Yugo and Adamaï coming out of it. At the sight of them, their siblings all rose to their feet in greeting as one and as a sign of respect while they waited for their king to occupy his place presiding over the meeting, his dragon twin right next to him in his own chair. 

As soon as Yugo was in his rightful place, he motioned for his siblings to follow suit with a flick of his hand. They wordlessly obeyed him. 

“Thank you all for coming today.” He broke the silence with the customary greeting. “Shall we begin today’s meeting?”

The Council of Six all nodded in response. 

“Very well.” He turned to his dragon sister. “Shinonomé, I believe it is you who was in charge of the minutes last time. If you please…”

The red-scaled woman stood up, a stack of papers in hand, and began to read, “Last week we discussed Mrs. Minervante’s latest complaint and agreed once again that, no, the maximum of acceptable decibels did not have to be changed just because she’s a light sleeper. Likewise, Chibi and Grougaloragran shared their findings regarding the completion of the stage for this year’s—”

Shinonomé droned on about her summary of last week’s deliberations and agreements. As soon as she was done, they would have to appoint somebody else to fill that same role this week, to write down the minutes of today’s Council meeting. At least, that would be what they’d have to do if it weren't for the fact that the role ended up alternating between Qilby and Shinonomé. Many times they had tried dissuading their eldest siblings of always undertaking the same task, and many times their efforts were swiftly shot down with the admittedly accurate observation that, thanks to their divine gift, the Crimson Twins were simply the best suited for that kind of duty. 

After all, who better to take note of everything that went down in a meeting than the two people who could remember every single detail of it? Really, if it weren’t because they needed to leave a register of everything that was shared during a Council meeting, they wouldn’t even have to write it all down—it was but a mere formality. 

All in all, things were finally back to normal, he thought as his eyes glanced over his siblings. They hadn’t had to hold any emergency meetings since Master Joris’ arrival and his subsequent invitation to Bonta. Which meant they could go back to holding weekly assemblies to discuss their progress and hurdles in their respective duties and projects. 

And the best part? They hadn’t needed to bring Amalia up as a topic of conversation for a while. 

Yugo discreetly sighed in relief at the thought. He didn’t think he’d be able to calm his thumping heart if they were to talk about her given his current state. He was already struggling over coming to terms with his own feelings, the last thing he needed was doing so while discussing matters of state. 

“—and thus concluded last week’s meeting.” Shinonomé finished. Placing her notes down on the table as she sat back down, she turned to her twin, “Qilby, would you do the honours of taking care of today’s minutes?”

“Way ahead of you, my dear sister.” He smirked confidently, motioning towards the blank pages and ink and quill neatly arranged on his own side of the table. 

By that point, the rest of their siblings knew better than to try to argue with them. 

With deft fingers, the spectacled Eliatrope grabbed his quill, dipped it into the ink, and began to write on a piece of paper. He looked towards the king. “Ready when you are, Yugo.”

The king nodded before addressing the rest of the room. “Are we all in agreement to commence today’s Council meeting?”

He was answered by a chorus of affirmative words. 

“In that case, seeing as the matter wasn’t solved last week, I propose we give the floor to Qilby and Shinonomé.” He gestured towards them, catching their attention. He didn’t miss the way Qilby tsked at having to speak up just as he was only beginning to write everything down, and he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. 

He didn’t understand why his brother insisted on being so dramatic. He was the one with the prodigious memory! Yugo knew for a fact Qilby would even be able to annotate the times he paused to breathe later on.

Sharing one last nod between them, the Crimson Twins stood up, this time, it was Qilby who had a stack of papers in his arms. Clearing his throat, he adjusted his glasses and glanced down at the documents. “Taking Mina’s suggestion from last week, we tried using our Wakfu vision to identify the kind of plants we could use to replace those native to our homeworld.” He let a wry smile stretch over his lips. “It pleases us to say, it was a success. Now we know which herbs and plants are closest to the ingredients we need, meaning we should be able to proceed as planned from now on.”

“We are even more pleased to say it was all thanks to you, Mina. We wouldn’t have made any progress without you.” Shinonomé sent a warm smile her sister’s way and bent her head down slightly, gratitude oozing from her every pore as her tail flickered in pleasure. 

Ever the humble one, Mina just raised her hands up and shook her head. “You have nothing to thank me for. I simply made a suggestion; there was a 50-50 chance I’d be wrong. It is only a matter of luck that my hunch ended up being correct.”

“Yes, well, we’ll be sure to thank Ecaflip for his help, then…” Qilby muttered sarcastically, looking to the side. He had to hold back a yelp when his twin elbowed him in the gut to keep him in line. 

If their teal-clad sister heard his snide comment, she didn’t show, the grin never leaving her face. “Nevertheless, this is all thanks to your dedication and hard work. Congratulations.” And with that, she started a round of applause that was soon imitated by the rest of their siblings, each of them offering their own compliments. 

“Thank you, Sister.” The red dragoness inclined her head once more, strands of golden hair peeking through her horns. “However, knowing is half the battle; we have yet to implement the next phase of our plan.”

“That’s right.” Qilby concurred, subtly nursing his side. He smiled coyly up at their leader. “With this, we should be able to tell Amalia which plants and herbs to grow in her garden. Who knows? With a little luck, if we tell her of the characteristics of our world’s native plant-life, she might be able to recreate it in Twelvian soil!”

Yugo’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the doll. He was helpless to stop his heartbeat from racing as his mind materialised images of her wild beauty as she tended to her garden—her laughing face and the proud glint in her eyes as she managed to grow an entire orchard with just a flick of her hand. Happy, confident, unbridled. 

Irresistible. 

“Yes, if anyone can do that, it’s Amalia.” 

As soon as the words left his mouth—moreover, as soon as he registered the softness in his voice—, Yugo scrambled to clear his throat, pretending it sounded like that from lack of use, and said, a little louder this time, “My apologies. I mean, yes, indeed. Don’t hesitate to take your findings to Amalia. She’s been waiting for your instructions on what to do with her garden.”

That was… an interesting reaction, Qilby mused to himself, an eyebrow raised. One quick glance towards Adamaï told him Yugo’s twin had definitely noticed his brother’s more than peculiar response to hearing Amalia’s name and his clumsy attempt to cover it all up. If he knew those two as well as he thought, and he knew them very well, they would be having a talk about that later. As for him, he would have to store that away for now. 

“Yes, well,” Shinonomé continued like nothing happened. “We hope, even if this isn’t enough to solve our current shortage of medicines, it will at least be a step in the right direction as relations between us and the Twelvians improve.”

“Of course, Shinonomé. I assure you, as soon as we have a more stable relationship with other kingdoms, our first course of action will be to establish solid commercial routes and exchanges between us.” Yugo promised, and they all knew that was a promise he intended to keep. He raised an eyebrow towards the Crimson Twins. “Anything else you wish to report?”

When they both shook their heads and took back their seats, the Eliatrope King turned to address the rest of the Council. “Very well, who wishes to go next?”

His eyes immediately went over to Mina when he noticed her raising her hand from her seat. He gestured at her encouragingly and she took his action for what it was; permission to take the floor. And so, sending a grateful smile their leader’s way, the Ochre Twins stood up. While Mina smoothed down her dress, Phaeris raised a claw in the direction of the Eliaculus and, with a flick of his wrist, the magic artefact came to float over their heads, the light it emanated glowing brighter as a sign that it was fully operative. 

Adjusting her hat, her silver curls bouncing with the movement, the Eliatrope woman began, “We are pleased to say preparations are well underway for this year’s Sacred Dance Day. Our merchants are already beginning to sell ceremonial silks and portal pendants. Likewise, just like Qilby and Shinonomé, we are incredibly pleased and relieved to say we eventually managed to find the perfect substitute for the traditional materials.” 

As she spoke, the Eliaculus shone more brightly before projecting an image of their subjects, buying from the stands lining the town square and bringing their purchases home, where they would be used as decoration. They would drape large silken mantles all over their homes, especially over their windows, and hang stone rings on their doors. Indeed, the holiday season was fast approaching. 

The first one in their new home. The thought left more than one council member feeling a little misty-eyed. 

The Council eventually took their melancholic gazes away from the orbiting sphere hovering over them when Phaeris continued. “Phaeris would also like to add that he and Mina have already begun to receive offerings for the upcoming celebration. We have stored them away for now, and we will take them out in time for Sacred Dance Day, alongside the Eliatrope relics.”

“It’s truly fortunate that you managed to take them with us before we fled from home.” Nora pointed out. For once, her voice lacked all forms of mischief or impish delight so characteristic of her, instead being replaced by genuine sympathy. 

“Indeed, I can’t even imagine what would have happened hadn’t we succeeded.” Mina nodded, her eyes clouding over as she lost herself in the ‘what ifs’. By her side, Phaeris furrowed his brow and gently nudged her with a wing. The action snapping her out of her reverie, she shook her head to get herself back together again and clasped her hands. “Fortunately, it didn’t come to that and this year we’ll be able to celebrate without issue. Right, Phaeris?”

The turquoise dragon nodded, a small smile on his otherwise stoic face. “That is correct. Moreover, Phaeris believes this year might actually be one of our most successful ones yet. Offering period has only just started and we have already received so much.”

“It would appear our people are well aware of the importance of this year’s celebration and wish to summon as much luck and good will as possible.” Baltazar deduced. His expression remained serene even if it gained a grim quality to it. “Eliatrope knows we need some hope.”

“May she hear our pleas…” Chibi sighed heavily, his arms crossed and his expression grave. Grougal grunted by his side, nodding along.  

Nora’s heart squeezed painfully in her chest when she noticed Efrim clenching his claws tightly on the table and his serpentine tail coiling around the chair, clearly lamenting and questioning the weakened state of his connection to their mother, and not for the first time. Despite everything that went down between them recently, the pink-eyed Eliatrope didn’t hesitate to reach out her hand for her brother, placing it on his forearm and rubbing soothing circles on his scaly skin with her thumb. 

“We must remain hopeful, my Siblings. For hope is the most effective weapon against despair.” Mina urged, her voice warm and welcoming, whilst unwavering in her conviction. She snapped her fingers, and with that simple action, the Eliacube changed yet again, this time to display her and her dragon twin praying at the temple. “And this year’s Sacred Dance Day will not only be blessed in abundance, but it will also brighten our people’s spirits and alleviate the burden in their hearts. It promises to be a most joyous occasion, and Eliatrope knows that’s what matters at the moment.”

All around her, her siblings voiced their agreement. Nobody dared say it, for the wound was too fresh still, but they all knew that, deep down, what she truly meant was that their people deserved to experience some joy in their lives after everything they had gone through. And they couldn’t agree more.

Yugo’s own morose memories of the war were unceremoniously interrupted by Adamaï’s voice in his head. “Have you told Amalia about this?”

The king glanced discreetly over the rest of the Council, gouging their reactions. When it was clear they weren’t paying attention to them, Yugo shook his head slightly. “Not yet, but I mean to.”

His dragon twin sent him a stern look. “You know you can’t keep this away from her, right? At least, not forever. She’s going to know something’s up when the day approaches and suddenly everyone’s in a flurry of activity.”

“Trust me, I know. And I’m not trying to hide anything from her. It just hasn’t come up naturally in conversation yet and I didn’t want to force the topic.”

Adamaï just kept his eyes on him, trying to study him as if he somehow could dissect his innermost thoughts any more than he already did by literally being in his mind. After a few uncomfortable seconds where Yugo kept anxiously glancing back at the rest of the Council, the dragon finally eased up with a sigh. 

“Okay, I understand. It’s not like this is something worth hiding in the first place. As important as it is to us, deep down it’s just an annual festivity. Knowing Amalia, she will be thrilled to partake in it.”

“I can already picture her face when I tell her all about it.” Yugo said, his eyes going soft as his mind’s eye conjured up an image of the doll’s sparkling eyes and dazzling smile as she learned all about the tradition. With a cheek-splitting grin on her face, she would rock back and forth on the balls of her feet as she begged him to take her, somehow not knowing he meant to show her all along. 

The familiar warmth only the Divine Doll could conjure up spread all over his being at the thought, the giddiness coursing through his body increasing the more he thought about spending the entire day by her side…

“Something you wanna tell me?” Adamaï’s infuriatingly smug voice cut through his daydreaming like a knife, sending him plummeting to the ground as his heart rose up to his throat. 

The pleasant warmth from before had morphed into hot embarrassment as he realised his brother had most definitely seen everything through their mental link. 

His cheeks were on fire, and it only got worse the more Adamaï’s smirk twitched upwards and his raised eyebrow took on an intrigued quality. He was practically oozing with pretentiousness and, in that moment, there was nothing Yugo wanted more than to wipe the smug look off his face. 

“Should I schedule an appointment to say ‘I told you so’, or should I just get it over with?”

“Shut up.” The Eliatrope hissed. Looking to his side, his ears perked up when he noticed Mina and Phaeris were already done updating the Council of Six on their progress. 

“All I’m saying is—.”

“That’s all on our part.” Mina concluded, either ignoring or choosing to ignore her siblings’ antics. It was most likely the second, as she had to keep herself from rolling her eyes exasperatedly at them. They were so lucky nobody else had noticed and she was such a good sister for not calling them out about it. 

“Thank you, Mina, Phaeris, for your hard work. I’m sure this year’s Sacred Dance Day will be memorable.” Then, under the Council’s attentive eyes and Adamaï’s disbelieving ones, Yugo stood up from his chair. “With your permission, dear council members, Adamaï and I would like to share our own progress next.”

He had to suppress the urge to smirk in triumph at the dirty look his twin was sending him, clearly not amused by his drastic change in topic. Still, when everybody else voiced their consent, the dragon was left with no choice but to acquiesce and admit defeat, raising up to his full height as well in order to inform the Council of their own progress. 

Before Yugo could begin to speak, however, he made sure to send him a pointed glare that not only had the king shuddering, but made it abundantly clear he was not getting out of that conversation that easily. He would catch up to him, and they would talk about the new place Amalia seemed to occupy in Yugo’s life. 

Holding back a wince at his brother’s silent threat (and wondering if it’d be too suspicious if he just portaled himself away as soon as the meeting was over), Yugo raised his hands up to gain control of the Eliaculus. Both palms facing the sphere, he then brought them down in order to change what was displayed in it. For the time being, the orb remained working but inactive. 

“As you know, things have calmed down recently, for which we are grateful. Especially since it has allowed us to focus on trying to solve our people’s most immediate issues.” The Eliatrope King explained, even though the recounting of events was mostly a formality at this point. 

He might have been the king, but they were a council and worked as such. The moment trouble arose, they all knew about it and worked together as a team to deal with it. It was also hard to miss when trouble did arise, as their new precarious position as this world’s latest inhabitants meant they had everyone’s eyes on them; anyone could come knocking and demand an explanation. 

Amalia’s arrival and Master Joris’ introduction were proof enough of that. 

Meaning it was also a mere formality when Glip asked, “Is there anything in particular we should remain vigilant about?”

While Yugo just shook his head, Adamaï gathered up the most recent reports and documents their king had had to look over—not without some complaining, as he’d had a lot to catch up on after he took Amalia out on their little adventure. Not that the dragon felt much sympathy for his brother after having to fill in for him for a full and very busy day—, and addressed the room. 

“Fortunately, no. It doesn’t seem to be the case.” Looking down at the documents in his claws, he began to leaf through them. “Mrs. Minervante filed a new complaint this week,” he nodded with a tight smile as his siblings all let out audible, long-suffering groans at that, “but it was a non-issue and she has already been informed of it.”

“In all my years, I have never seen a single person half as adept at finding some kind of flaw as that woman, and that’s saying something!” Qilby muttered sarcastically, momentarily halting in his writing to rest his head against his knuckles in boredom. While Shinonomé nodded by his side, grimacing, for once everyone agreed with him. 

“And she always manages to complain about something new each week.” The ruby-scaled dragoness added with a tinge of reluctant admiration in her voice. “That’s impressive.”

As her comment elicited a series of chorus and murmurs of agreement all around the table, the Emerald Twins exchanged a look before Yugo cleared his throat to set everyone back on track. “Yes, well, we have fortunately received more grievances than that this week.”

“That’s an odd way of saying it…” Chibi furrowed his brow. 

“You know what I mean.” Yugo rolled his eyes. 

“While not fortunate,” Adamaï sent his brother a look, “we have at least been informed of more issues in need of repairing, verifying, or solving.” He turned to his brother, “Yugo, if you please.”

With a nod, the Eliatrope raised his hand towards the Eliaculus, which then began to display several images of Oma Island. “For the most part, Oma Island’s location is advantageous, as we simply don’t seem to suffer from an actual cold season. So there’s no need to worry about not having warm enough clothing or the brand of diseases typical of that time of the year.” The orb overhead showed sunny skies, gentle breezes, and lush vegetation all over the island. 

“Having said that,” Yugo continued, and with a flick of his wrist the Eliaculus went on to show what could only be described as an unforgiving tempest, immediately capturing the room’s undivided attention. Dark thunder clouds loomed overhead, violent lightning strikes followed soon after by deafening thunder the only source of light, and waters so agitated they threatened to swallow the poor ship fighting just to stay afloat whole. “The island’s tropical location also means that, while we don’t have to worry about stocking up for the cold season, we do need to have supplies stored away for when storms hit. In this area, what might begin as a simple shower can easily evolve into a veritable hurricane. 

“Worst case scenario, we could be forced to remain holed up until the storm passes, which could range from a few hours to several days. We can’t risk our people going hungry or thirsty during that time. Not to mention suffering any possible casualties.” He finished, his eyes dark as the machine conjured up simulations showing their people, frightened and helpless without the necessary supplies to survive. Some of them were gathered at the throne room and other areas in the palace specifically designed for emergencies, while others portrayed their subjects huddled together in their own houses as they fearfully waited for the crisis to be over while they desperately tried to shield their loved ones from harm.

“Grougaloragran wonders why we don’t just take the Eliaculus to the Twelvian leaders to explain our plight to them.” The black dragon leaned closer to whisper in his twin’s ear, his voice strained from the emotional scenes. Not like Chibi was faring much better, as he was biting down on his bottom lip hard to keep himself from crying. “It would be a great way to garner their sympathy.”

A stern shhh! coming from his side got his attention, and he immediately shrank back down in his seat, contrite, when he noticed the death glare Mina was sending his way. Next thing he knew, there would be a wakfu spear impaled right over his head if he didn’t behave. 

Choosing to ignore the interaction, Phaeris leaned over the table, his hands clasped professionally, but the way his wings tensed gave away the true concern he felt. “Have you been able to come up with a solution, or at least a plan?”

Adamaï shook his head remorsefully. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy sigh. “We’re working on it, Phaeris.”

“That’s actually why we decided to bring the matter to you today.” Yugo explained, backing his brother up. “We believe this is the kind of issue that justifies the involvement of the entirety of the Council of Six.”

“And you would be right to believe that.” Baltazar agreed, smoke coming out of his nostrils as he huffed. “If you ask Baltazar, it would be imperative that we started setting up action protocols that would allow us to shelter our subjects in the palace as soon as possible.”

“They could always just open up portals inside. All access between the palace and the village is cut off unless it’s through the use of portals.” Efrim pointed out, one eyebrow raised. His other eyebrow joined the first as they shot up in surprise when Chibi tsked his tongue and leaned back in his chair, his arms folded. 

“You’re forgetting the fact that focus and hysteria do not mix, Little Brother. Even though our people know better than to let themselves be distracted as they use their powers, something could still go wrong.” 

“That, and Grougaloragran believes Baltazar actually meant everything should be ready by the time our subjects arrive. Instead of facing yet another last-minute crisis because we do not have the materials and supplies needed to provide for hundreds of people.”

A nod from the Ivory dragon confirmed his Ebony counterpart was right. 

“We can definitely start drafting action plans and safety protocols, as well as begin storing some of our produce away—be it food, water, medicines…—in order to have an emergency reserve.” Shinonomé offered, already drafting some ideas of her own and showing them to her twin, who nodded approvingly. 

“We should also work on organising our soldiers into different groups.” Efrim offered, and Yugo couldn’t help but be secretly surprised by how cooperative he was being for once. Then again, this was a matter of self-defence and security, of course Efrim would be willing to help.  “One assigned to keeping guard over the refugees, and a search team focused on looking for potential stragglers or victims of the storm.”

“And let’s not forget the need to organise both soldiers and civilians to deal with the aftermath.” Mina was quick to add, already thinking about what would happen after the metaphorical and literal storm. “We might have to rebuild some houses or, at the very least, put someone on clean-up duty.”

“We must also keep our people’s morale in mind.” Even from where they stood, wide-eyed, Yugo and Adamaï could make out the small gasp that left Efrim’s mouth. And not without reason, as it was the first time since leaving their homeworld that they heard Nora suggest anything related to her role as Joybringer. “The children will be terrified, and their parents overwhelmed with soothing their worries while trying to keep calm themselves, especially after the war. We must find a way to assure them everything will be fine.”

Despite the gravity of her words, the Emerald Twins and her dragon brother couldn’t help but be relieved at the sight of Nora thinking about their people’s emotional well-being. Until then, even if she was better at hiding it, her brain had been just as wired into surviving as Efrim’s. More than once, Yugo and Adamaï had both at different points wanted to reach out to her and get her to open up, but the other always stopped them, rationalising they had to let Nora come to them, lest they risked she retreated into herself even more.

Each time it happened, they would reluctantly admit defeat, but it was just so hard to sit idly by and do nothing. It had been so long since Nora had been able to connect with anyone like she used to. The closest thing was her amiable bond with Amalia, but even that was a double-edged sword as the doll’s presence always got a rise out of Efrim. 

It was like one Turquoise Twin couldn’t be happy without upsetting the other. It was heart-wrenching. 

Even so, while Yugo understood it was for the better, part of him couldn’t believe the rest of their siblings hadn’t taken notice of their little sister’s emotional distress. But, then again, he couldn’t help but sigh, it wasn’t like they all didn’t have their hands full with their own problems and challenges…

A small smile formed on Yugo’s face at the sight of the little sister he knew and loved, knowing without needing to look that Adamaï was smiling as well. And so, the Council of Six began to brainstorm different ideas so as to settle on what to do in case of a tropical storm, Qilby dutifully writing down every single suggestion, why it would or wouldn’t work, and every word that was exchanged between them. They most likely wouldn’t be able to come up with a working plan that day, but they would at least have something to work with either during next week’s meeting or whenever they decided to hold an assembly to discuss this very topic further. 

Once Qilby had everything written down, he gave his notes one last glance over. Humming in satisfaction with the results, he set the papers back down and rested his chin over his clasped hands, a wry smile on his face. “So, who wants to go next?”

“We do.” Efrim said, standing up from his chair with Nora in tow. 

Everyone listened attentively, in case there was anything that required their immediate attention, but otherwise remained calm. The Turquoise Twins had been in charge of patrolling the island that week. As with when Phaeris first noticed the Cra sentinels that eventually led Master Joris to them, had there been anything unusual to report to the Council, they would already know about it. 

But alas, they had nothing to worry about. “There has been no indication of suspicious activity during the night shift.” Nora informed them, her palm outstretched as the Eliaculus showed nothing but the quiet of the night. 

While their siblings had been stumped at first that she would prefer to take over the night shift when her brother was the one with night vision, Nora simply argued that was what wakfu vision was for, and that she’d be alright. In truth, the real reason why she wanted to patrol at night was that she simply wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway, so it was actually less risky than the day shift and she at least got to use that time productively. Not like her siblings needed to know about her insomnia. 

“The most I’ve seen were some people arriving home late until having a drink or two. But in those cases all I needed was to remind them to be mindful of their neighbours and to make it home safely.”

“That’s a relief to hear.” Glip commented. “People can get a little unruly at night, especially after a few drinks.”

Nora nodded. “It appears they’re trying to remain alert for the most part. Our subjects just want to live in peace.”

Though she didn’t say it, she didn’t need to. Everyone present heard the words ‘especially after the war’ loud and clear. Yugo’s mouth pulled down in a deep frown. While the Eliatropes had never been ones to look for trouble, they weren’t above getting a little tipsy and fooling around; however, the scars from the Mechasms’ betrayal were still recent, and it looked like nobody wanted to be taken by surprise again. Which meant steering clear from anything that might lower their awareness of their surroundings. 

The king had to bite back a sigh, and he could tell Adamaï lamented the situation as much as he did. Sometimes it was incredible how deep their scars ran and how they affected their everyday life; or, at least, it would be if it weren’t for the fact that their people were thoroughly traumatised by the experience.

“And we will make sure they get to live in peace. That’s our top priority.” Adamaï assured their little sister. He sent a look towards the rest of the Council. “Isn’t that right?”

His question was answered with a chorus of agreements. There was nothing the Council of Six wanted more than to ensure their people’s safety and well-being. After all, that was their purpose. 

A small smile stretched over Nora’s lips, who nodded gratefully. However, as soon as it appeared, it vanished, leaving a tight line in its place as she addressed her brother. “Would you like to share your findings, Brother?” She didn’t even look at the dragon as she asked. 

Efrim scrunched up his maw at his twin’s coldness, pained, but he schooled his expression soon after. As much as Nora’s recent estrangement from him hurt, he couldn’t let him affect him when he was supposed to perform his duties. Besides, he couldn't help but think with a touch of annoyance, this was all because of the Divine Doll and how things went down between them the last time. Which in itself was nothing but a scuffle, a warning. It was only a matter of time before his sister saw things his way and got over it. 

“Thank you, Nora.” That still didn’t mean he didn’t feel a pang in his chest when his twin didn’t even bother to look his way. “I am pleased to report everything has been calm during the day shift. No sign of external or internal threats; the most I have had to deal with was diffusing an argument between some customers over who was first in line or who saw a piece of clothing or certain food item first.”

“So, a regular Tuesday, then?” Grougaloragran smirked, amused. 

“It was actually on Wednesday, but yes.” 

“Is that all?” Yugo asked, an eyebrow raised. Even if he knew better than anyone that the Council would have been informed immediately had something worthy of note happened, it didn’t hurt to ask just to make sure. Sometimes, alert as they were, they tended to forget to mention certain things simply because they considered them to be minutiae. 

And, sometimes, that was exactly what they needed to look out for. 

The young dragon remained quiet for a moment, lost in thought. Then, his face lit up as realisation dawned on him. “Now that you mention it, the other day I had the feeling that I was being watched…” He trailed off, his sapphire eyes narrowing in suspicion. 

That got everyone’s attention. Glip leaned in closer, gripping his staff tightly. “Do you think it could be the Twelvians? Perhaps the Cra again?”

But Efrim just shook his head, his brow creased as he tried to recall any useful information. “No, that was the first thing I tried to verify. But even with my wakfu vision I didn’t detect any life forms beyond some birds. And definitely nothing as big as a Cra or their steeds.”

“Perhaps it was nothing…” Chibi tried to offer, but it sounded unconvincing even to his ears. If an Eliatrope or any of their dragons felt like they were being watched, then chances were they were being watched. 

Perhaps their senses weren’t as sharp as the Cra’s, as they’d learned in the past, but they still had something no other Twelvian possessed. Their mastery of wakfu. And wakfu never lied. 

“Nevertheless,” Yugo spoke up, drawing Efrim’s dark blue eyes to him. “It is our turn to patrol the island next week.” He gestured between his twin and himself. “Rest assured, Efrim, Adamaï and I will keep our eyes peeled for any sign of trouble or suspicious activity.”

“Thank you, my king.” The periwinkle dragon said solemnly, and something twisted inside Yugo. 

It had been so long since his little brother last deferred to him like that, since he treated him with genuine appreciation and respect… Ever since Amalia arrived, Efrim had been constantly on edge, even around them, and especially around Yugo. He didn’t shy away from voicing his thoughts and accusing him of letting Amalia wrap him around her little finger, and more than once they had been on the verge of coming to blows over it; only Mina was capable of putting a stop to their arguing. 

Not for the first time, the king thanked the Great Goddess for his sister. Eliatrope knew their society would have gone up in flames if it weren’t for her and Phaeris. 

His thoughts turned back to Amalia, but what else was new? Yugo found himself thinking about her more and more often, moreso after realising the true depth of his feelings for her. The reminder made his stomach churn and his face pale, though he was quick to cover it with his hood. Efrim was already prone to hostility and near insubordination when it came to her, and that was when she was just their guest. How would he react when Yugo finally admitted to having fallen for her? 

The mere thought gave him a headache, and though he managed to hide it from the rest of the Council, he never could hide anything from Adamaï, who used their connection to ask, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He said, then, because he knew his brother had probably sensed her presence in his mind anyway, he added, “Just thinking about Amalia, that’s all.”

To be completely honest, Yugo expected some kind of good-natured barb, or even a light scolding for letting his mind drift away like that when they were in the midst of discussing a potential threat. What he didn’t expect, however, was Ad pointing something out that made his blood run cold:

“You think whoever’s watching us could be after Amalia?”

His eyes widened in horror. Shoot. The thought didn’t even cross his mind. But now that Adamaï had brought the possibility to his attention, no force on the face of the world would have been enough to keep his heart from racing in fear. 

Because that was certainly a possibility, wasn’t it? 

While the Cra sentinels flying around Oma Island were definitely suspicious and they never really bought Joris’ explanation that they were just out on a reconnaissance mission, what ended up catching their eye and warranting them informing the world’s nations of their findings was precisely Amalia’s presence. And back then they merely thought she was just a regular Sadida that had somehow found herself surrounded by the Eliatropes. But now her identity as Sadida’s new Divine Doll was a relatively well-known fact. She was bound to attract more people!

Sensing his brother’s rising anxiety, his eyes widening, Adamaï was quick to reassure him. “Yugo, it’s okay! We don’t know for sure!”

“But it’s still a possibility, isn’t it? There could be threats lurking around just to get to Amalia!”

The dragon winced, forced to admit his brother had a point. “It is a possibility, that much is true. I wish I could say it’s highly unlikely, but I can’t.” 

Just when Yugo was about to spiral again, he discreetly reached out to him with his tail to place it on his hand, trying to offer some comfort and a chance for his twin to anchor himself. Yugo was a great leader and warrior, and he worked exceptionally well under pressure, but the deep love he felt for those he cared about tended to reflect in deep concern when he so much as thought they could be in danger, which at the same time often affected his effectiveness as a leader, too lost in his own worries.

It was in those moments that it was up to Ad to keep his brother’s emotions from getting to the best of him. “However,” he rushed out to add, “we can’t forget that we haven’t signed any peace treaties yet either. It is just as likely that the Twelvians are more interested in spying on us than in letting any sort of harm befall Sadida’s child.”

“That’s not really much better, Ad.” Yugo pointed out, but a small smile formed on his face. For some reason, he was far better equipped with the idea of fighting tooth and nail to protect their people than with anyone targeting Amalia. 

The dragon just shrugged nonchalantly, returning his smile with a smirk of his own. 

Their little moment was interrupted by Qilby’s voice. “Anything you’d like to share with the rest of the class?”

Lightning fast, the Emerald Twins schooled their features into complete neutrality as they turned back to look at the bespectacled Eliatrope. “Everything is fine, Qilby. We were simply exchanging ideas as to who could be watching us and how to tackle the issue.”

“And even so, it might be nothing in the end. Not like we’ll be able to tell for sure until we begin to patrol.” Adamaï finished for his twin brother. Then, he sent Qilby a warning glare. “Anything else you’d like to know?”

But Qilby just hummed, unbothered by the edge in the dragon’s voice. “Oh, relax, Adamaï. I was simply trying to do my job and make sure I had everything of relevance annotated in this week’s minutes. Nothing else.” His hazel eyes landed on the white-and-blue dragon, a silent challenge to contradict his unspoken accusations that the former would have met head-on if it weren’t for Yugo choosing that time to intervene. 

Just like Ad was always there to help him keep a cool head whenever his emotions threatened to blind his judgement or overwhelm him, nobody could help his twin keep a lid on his temper like Yugo. 

“And you will have everything annotated, Qilby. In fact, why don’t we move this meeting along?” He turned to the Ivory Twins. “Glip, Baltazar, would you like to continue?”

“Certainly, Yugo.” Baltazar nodded, a kind smile on his maw. 

He and Glip rose from their seats, and Baltazar couldn’t help but grunt a little from the effort.Despite his actual, relatively young age, sometimes he still felt like he was getting old. As the beige dragon got everything in order, his Eliatrope twin twirled his staff in his hand until its curved edge pointed downwards and drove the cane firmly into the ground, tightening his grip on it. Letting out his own grunt of effort, he propelled himself and somersaulted in the air, landing neatly on top of the blunt end of the staff. 

Baltazar wisely chose not to say anything about the extremes his brother was willing to go to just to be closer to the Eliaculus. Instead, he discreetly rolled his eyes. 

With a snap of Glip’s fingers, the orb was already displaying images of the Eliatrope children practising Wakfung. “As you can see, training with the kids is going marvellously this year. Our most advanced students have been keeping their skills sharp on their own, and the young ones who’re just starting are likewise making great progress.”

“The learning curve is not quite as steep this year.” Baltazar added with a nod. 

“That’s excellent news, you two.” Phaeris congratulated them, impressed. His eyes were on the progress made by the kids as shown by the Eliaculus. “May Phaeris ask how far along in your syllabus you are?”

As it was his area of expertise, it was Glip who answered, “While we started off with some new moves and exercises for all the kids, these past few weeks we have organised the older ones into makeshift duels.”

“As you know, that is the best way for them to hone their skills; by being forced to think outside the box in the presence of an actual opponent.” The dragon clarified, stroking his bushy beard, his tiny wings fluttering. All around them, their siblings murmured in agreement, as they were already familiar with their teaching methods. “Soon enough, Glip and Baltazar will proceed to teach them about wakfu vision. Not only is it an ability inherent and, therefore, necessary for all Eliatropes, but it will certainly be of help during their future training.”

“What about the little ones? They’re too young to just nuke it out with the older kids. What have they been doing in the meantime?” Yugo asked, genuinely interested in the conversation. 

Even if he had heard the Ivory Twins make similar progress countless times in this lifetime (and that was without taking into account all his previous reincarnations), he always found himself genuinely invested in the well-being of his youngest subjects. Especially when it came to Wakfung. Even if many of them wouldn’t end up serving their people alongside him as soldiers, there were few things the Eliatrope King took more seriously than the children’s safety. He desperately wanted for them to be able to take care of themselves. 

The shortest Eliatrope hummed in response, sliding his hand over the floating sphere above their heads and showing lines of noticeably younger-looking Eliatropes striking out different poses and belting out battlecries. Some of them had glowing palms, while others went as far as to conjure up small portals. Though only one at a time. 

“As you said, they’re still too young to really test their skills.” Glip agreed, his eyes trained on his students. “Still, soon enough it will be their turn, even if we’ll organise the duels by age; so it is imperative they start out by learning some basic Wakfung katas and how to channel their wakfu into creating portals. Once the children have all proven they can do at least that much, they too will enter the arena.”

“But against children on their own level, of course.” Baltazar was quick to point out, never one to cause ambiguity on purpose.

His twin huffed. “Yes, Baltazar. I already said that.”

“Well, that fact is important to highlight.”

“Thank you, Baltazar.” Was Glip’s clipped answer. 

Qilby watched the scene with curious eyes. Setting his notes aside for the time being, he took off his glasses and wiped them clean with a soft rag, his hazel eyes scanning the room, searching for a shift in the atmosphere. A smirk tugged at his lips as he noticed a certain tuft of emerald hair from the corner of his eye, a smirk that only widened as he gazed back and forth between Yugo and Efrim. 

It had been quite a while since those two entered one of their heated… debates. What’s worse, their king had been getting awfully chummy with the Divine Doll lately, growing very appreciative of the things this world had to offer. He had to keep himself from scowling. They couldn’t have that, now, could they?  

Using their psychic bond, he quickly went over his idea with Shinonomé, who sent him an approving nod, urging him to set his plan in motion. For one, Qilby couldn’t help the small thrill that ran down his spine at the prospect. These meetings were all the same after the first thousand years. At least the upcoming storm proved to offer some entertainment. 

“Tell me, Glip, Baltazar,” he called out to them, his voice deceptively kind. “Rumour has it the kids aren’t your only students anymore. Is that true?”

While the goateed Eliatrope didn’t hold himself back from scowling at their brother, the stocky dragon’s gaze darted back and forth between Qilby and Efrim, silently begging the former to watch his tongue. What was he up to? Didn’t he know bringing up a certain someone in front of their little brother was bound to cause trouble?

He had to fight back the urge to gulp when he sensed Efrim tense up all the way over the other end of the table.

“Where did you even get that idea from, Qilby?” Glip asked through gritted teeth. He cursed under his breath. He knew his twin was the one with the better poker face, while his sudden prickliness would give them away, but he couldn’t help himself. Leave it to Qilby to run his big mouth…

He almost threw himself at him to wring his pretty little neck when all he did was shrug nonchalantly in response. “Where, you say? Why, I simply refer to the progress you yourselves have shown to us.” His easy-going grin widened as he lifted a hand to point right beside them. Over their heads. 

The Ivory Twins’ eyes widened. The Eliaculus. 

Whirling back around so fast they almost gave themselves whiplash, Glip and Baltazar, as well as the rest of the Council of Six, could only gape as the magical orb flashed with images of a certain wild beauty training under Glip’s wing and by the children’s side. 

“Is that… Amalia?” Nora was the one to voice everyone’s thoughts, worry starting to creep in. Immediately after, her pink eyes darted towards her twin, sensing before even seeing him the dangerous cocktail of emotions brewing within him at the sight of the Divine Doll. 

Feeling satisfied with himself, Qilby swept the room with his eyes, taking his siblings’ reactions in. And even though Shinonomé remained as composed as ever, he could tell she too was immensely pleased. And how could she not be? In the seconds following the revelation, the tension in the room had skyrocketed, all eyes on the youngest dragon. Bracing themselves for what their brother might do. Feeling triumphant, he chanced a glance the teachers’ way, only to blink disbelievingly when instead of the grimaces he had come to expect, they had instead schooled their expressions into calm neutrality. 

A pointed look from his sister kept him from doing anything drastic, but the eldest Eliatrope still huffed and rolled his eyes. Never mind them, though. One glance at Yugo was enough to know their dearest king had a lot on his mind as well. 

He smirked. Good. It was him they needed to convince anyway. 

What they had all been bracing for finally came to pass. A loud banging noise made the Council flinch in their seats, the cause of it being Efrim furiously slamming his paws on the table as he rose from his chair, his tail swishing back and forth erratically. His breathing was heavy and his claws scratched the smooth surface of the table as he clenched his fists so tight his scales turned white. When he lifted his head to address them, a furious snarl sprawled all over his maw; his anger was palpable, his voice venomous. 

“What is the Divine Doll doing there?”

Glip let out a heavy sigh before replying. “She is training with us, of course.” It took gargantuan effort to suppress a groan, he could already feel the upcoming headache. They had honestly seen this coming, they just didn’t expect for their little brother to find out so soon.

“After all, Baltazar and Glip are her masters, too.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Efrim snapped, flabbergasted by the nonchalance of their answer. As if they were just talking about the weather rather than the fact that they were all but betraying their people. “She has no right to learn our ways!” He turned to address the goateed Eliatrope in specific, one claw raised, searching desperately for the same person who had once seen eye to eye with him when it came to the green-haired menace. “Glip, you should know this better than anyone. Wakfung is sacred! Outsiders have no business trying to learn our people’s ancient martial arts!”

But Glip remained undaunted. “You are right. Wakfung is sacred.”

“Then why are you letting the doll deface it?!” The dragon snapped, his wings unfolding from his back subconsciously, making him look more imposing and unhinged. “Why are you letting her in on our secrets!? What, do you want her to sell us out?!”

“Amalia is not going to sell us out!” 

Everyone turned around to stare in shock, their eyes only widening further at the sight of a furious, panting Yugo on his feet, his jaw clenched, and glaring daggers at Efrim. The effect was only amplified by the sight of his usually warm brown eyes glowing bright blue as currents of wakfu crackled all over his body. For once, even Adamaï seemed at a loss of what to do. 

Yugo had tried to remain out of it, to not let his feelings for Amalia get the best of him. He really did. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t help his heart from constricting in pain and his blood from boiling at the dragon’s words. 

Just, what was his problem?! Yugo could understand growing cynical of people after experiencing the Mechasms’ betrayal, but for his little brother, who used to be such a calm and grounding presence to everyone around him, to throw accusations and spit venom like that… And towards Amalia! Who had been nothing but kind, and nurturing, and helpful ever since she arrived. She was the one in unfamiliar territory, for even though the Eliatropes were still not welcomed within the World of Twelve, they at least had each other. Amalia had no one but herself when she arrived, instead having to cultivate positive relationships from the ground up. 

Yes, he would be lying if he said he hadn’t been taken by surprise as well at the sight of Amalia in the training grounds. Especially because he didn’t recall her saying anything about it. But then he remembered how she said she would have to talk to Glip and Baltazar or how she had more time ever since they started training the kids, and he realised she probably meant this. Honestly, it hurt a little to know she hadn’t been more open about her intentions, but at the same time, so what? She was their guest, not their prisoner. She was allowed to do whatever she saw fit, and Wakfung lessons fell into Glip and Baltazar’s jurisdiction anyway; if they hadn’t wanted her there, then Amalia would simply not be there.

How could Efrim fail to see that? How could he believe she was a threat still, even after everything she had been doing for them?

What would it take for him to see reason?

Yugo watched as Efrim’s expression hardened, his snarl morphing into an outright ferocious glower, but just as the king braced himself for yet another argument with his little brother, Baltazar’s calm yet booming voice put an early stop to it. 

“Efrim, Baltazar and Glip understand why you would be upset,” he started out diplomatically, only for his gaze to turn downright icy as he kept the younger dragon from saying anything else. “But this was not your call to make, and you should respect it.”

But he would not back down that easily. “Oh, so now I’m the only one who cares about preserving our people’s culture?” He said derisively. “The only one concerned about protecting our secrets from outsiders?”

“Of course you’re not.” Glip said. 

“Then why are you teaching a Sadida Doll Wakfung?!”

“Ah, but we never said Lady Amalia was learning Wakfung, did we?” Glip raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching up into a smirk when that shut Efrim up. “After all, our powers work differently. We project wakfu whereas she needs to channel it through the ground and into her plants. Lady Amalia would not be able to master our craft even if she wanted to.”

“But, if Amalia is not learning Wakfung, then what is she learning?” Grougaloragran asked, tilting his head in confusion.

Baltazar smiled. “She is training under Baltazar and Glip to gain a better grasp of her own powers.”

“Which, at the same time, allows us to understand how the Sadida fight.” Glip added, crossing his arms over his chest and sending a silent glare towards Efrim, daring him to say anything else to that.  

For this part, the periwinkle dragon looked like he wanted to argue further, but before he got the chance, the sound of someone clearing their throat meaningfully cut through the air. 

All eyes on the source, they settled on Shinonomé, her posture equal parts regal and commanding as she stood up from her chair. Brushing some blond hair behind one of her horns, she sent a pointed side-glance to Efrim, her golden eyes compelling him to remain silent. 

“Thank you, Glip and Baltazar, for explaining the circumstances behind Lady Amalia’s involvement in your lessons to us.” She started, flashing a warm smile at the Ivory Twins. “As always when it comes to your craft, you are absolutely correct; this will permit us to learn more about what the Sadida are capable of if they ever choose to come after us.” She spoke with such finality that she left no room for arguments, effectively putting an end to the conversation.

Or so she thought, for Mina piped up, “We mustn’t forget that Amalia is a Divine Doll, one of the most powerful Sadida around after her divine father himself. Studying how a demigoddess fights will be of great help if we ever need to design a plan of defence against her mortal counterparts.”

While the rest of the Council nodded along, and even Efrim seemed to have calmed down somewhat as he pondered the possibilities, Yugo could feel a lump forming in his throat, anxiety coiling around his heart in an almost painful squeeze. The idea of betraying Amalia’s trust like that, by using her as the blueprints through which they could defeat her people, sat heavily in his stomach. 

While it decreased slightly, the feeling didn’t go away even as Ad placed his tail on his hand comfortingly and used their mind link to assure him Mina had no intention of using Amalia either, and was just saying that to put Efrim’s mind at ease. And most likely, neither did Glip and Baltazar.

“Likewise,” Shinonomé cut back in, eager to move the conversation along. She focused her gaze back on their people’s teachers. “You are also correct to remind us whoever is allowed into your training grounds is indeed your call to make. Certainly, Lady Amalia is no exception.”

“Thank you, Sister.” Glip nodded his head gratefully, as did Baltazar. “That is all we ask, a little more faith in our judgement and abilities.”

“Of course, and you more than deserve our trust.” Yugo assured them, placing a hand on his chest to show his sincerity. “Anything else you would like to share with us?”

“Not for the moment, Yugo.” Baltazar shook his head.

“Very well, then. Thank you for your report.” He then turned to address the only members who had yet to share their progress today, an inviting eyebrow arched. “Chibi, Grougaloragran? Would you care to round up today’s meeting with your findings?”

“Perhaps you have some good news to share with us?” Nora offered. The smirk playing on her lips was a feeble attempt to hide her desperation for something, anything, that might keep her twin from mulling things too intensely. 

Her hopes were dashed when Chibi, usually jovial and laid-back Chibi, let out a heavy sigh as he rubbed his face tiredly. Grougal shaking his head regretfully by his side only served to sink her heart deeper into her body. 

“As much as it pains me to say it, Lil’ Sis, no, we don’t exactly have good news.” 

Adamaï straightened up in his seat, before leaning closer out of intrigue, his arms on the table. His gaze reflected the slight alarm he felt. “Is something wrong? Have there been any major setbacks?”

“Not exactly.” The white-haired Eliatrope shrugged half-heartedly. “It’s not like we have accidentally set the lab on fire or our experiments have gone horribly wrong…”

“Which is honestly a welcome surprise coming from Grougaloragran and Chibi.” The Ebony dragon commented drily. 

Instead of growing offended, his twin actually perked up in agreement. “Yeah, precisely. If anything, that’s the good news.”

“You guys should really consider setting up a sprinkler system to actually prevent work-related fires…” Qilby deadpanned with a roll of his hazel eyes, only to be ignored.

“Then what seems to be the problem?” Phaeris pressed, leaning back in his chair and wrapping his wings around himself. 

Chibi sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck in defeat. “Just that we’re not making as steady progress as we would have hoped.”

With a motion of his tanned claws, Grougal brought the Eliaculus closer to himself, willing it to display the many failed attempts they had gone through as of late. To be honest, the sight of their inventions blowing up and covering their stunned faces in soot would have been hilarious if the implications weren’t so disheartening. Same when the orb revealed one of their prototypes had been on the verge of going up in flames, only for a panicked pair of twins to run around their lab like a pair headless chicken as they tried to find the means to prevent it. 

“Every time is the same.” The long-haired dragon began, his brow furrowed as he looked down at the recordings being played. His gaze darkened in the face of their failure. “Chibi and Grougal come up with a basic idea, something simple that can be improved on later on in the process. Chibi drafts the blueprints and Grougaloragran gathers the materials needed. We will then proceed to build the prototype, and everything appears to be in order!” He exclaimed, gesturing with his claws as if trying to convince his siblings that he was telling the truth. Only for his confidence to falter. “But then…” He trailed off.

His twin finished for him, just as resigned. “Something inevitably happens that causes the prototype to malfunction. And just like that, all our progress,” he mimicked an explosion with his hands and mouth, “gone. Kapoot. Game over. It’s back to the drawing board for us.”

He plopped back down on his chair, his hand cupping his head as it rested on his leg. Given the Ebony Eliatrope’s imposing build and his role as their people’s greatest inventor, prophet, and former king, there was something incredibly humanising in seeing him pout like a small child. 

“Have you any idea on what could be causing the malfunctions?” Mina enquired, her brow furrowed in concern. Objectively speaking, her siblings’ current project wasn’t of the utmost priority at the moment, so it wasn’t like their people needed it yesterday, but it was something they had to deprive themselves of after fleeing their world. It had been a long time since they’d last been able to use such a commodity and having it available once again would do wonders to help them adjust and transition to their new home more quickly. 

“Chibi and Grougaloragran have theories.” The black dragon confirmed, sharing a look with his brother. 

“We believe it’s all because the way wakfu works in this world is different from ours, as Mother has no direct control over it.” Chibi elaborated, leaning forward in his seat, his hands clasped between his legs. “On the one hand, life energy can be found just about everywhere, but on the other hand…”

“...Chibi and Grougaloragran have yet to find a way to channel it productively into our inventions. To really understand how it reacts.” The dragon finished.

“That’s what we wanted to talk to you about, actually.” Chibi threw his head back, his alabaster locks falling back with the movement. He pointed at Baltazar, the beige dragon doing a double take upon finding himself as the centre of attention. “Do you think we could borrow some of your books? We figured doing some more research might do us some good. Maybe it’ll even help us understand what we’re doing wrong and solve this little conundrum we find ourselves in.”

The kindly dragon’s stunned expression melted into an understanding one. A warm smile stretching over his maw, he nodded. “Why, of course. Please, do come with Baltazar to his private library after the meeting. He is sure you will be able to find what you are looking for.”

“Thank you, Brother.” Grougaloragran sent him a grateful nod. “Grougaloragran and Chibi promise to give them back soon.”

“There’s no rush. Take your time.”

After the Ebony Twins finished sharing their weekly progress—or lack thereof—, all that was left for them to do was to make some closing statements and, if needed, to explain the issues and projects they would be tackling next week. With one last look at Qilby to confirm the minutes were finished and up to date (as always, a mere formality), that week’s Council meeting was adjourned and they all went their separate ways, Chibi and Grougal following Baltazar out of the room and into his library. 

...........................................................................................................................

That afternoon, the rustling of leaves dancing through the treetops was the only sound carried by the breeze. The paper lanterns and bells hanging from the stone columns flanking the entrance chimed in the wind. The sun’s rays shone down on the arena below, a wide circle carved into the ground that separated the shallow pit hosting the challengers from the curious eyes of their classmates. Their gazes were attentive and enthusiastic—though some of them had to be reprimanded for letting out a yawn or two—as they observed the scene playing out in front of them from their seats on the grass or stone benches surrounding the training field. 

As per usual, Master Glip stood inside the pit, his expression unreadable as his eyes followed the two contenders around, studying them with a critical eye. The only giveaway of his true feelings was the subtle clutching of his staff at certain strategic moves and choices. Whether they were good or bad, however, wouldn’t be revealed until the outcome of the match. 

It was a fairly simple and straightforward exercise: the two Eliatrope children currently engrossed in their training were to hold a sparring session with the purpose of displaying and honing their skills. Determining the end of the exercise was even simpler—it would either be over as soon as one of them left the arena or, if things dragged on, when their teacher said so. 

The two kids currently facing each other were two boys named Bidule, a sweet boy with a pudgy build clad in yellow, and Michel, another boy Bidule’s age who was easy to spot thanks to the everpresent white scarf he wore around his light green hoodie.

Even from where she was, sitting on the floor alongside the rest of the children with her arms holding her legs close against her chest, Amalia could see little Bidule was struggling. 

Since the goal was to get their opponent to step foot outside of the line separating the arena from the rest of the training grounds, it seemed like the kid had decided to use his larger girth to his advantage. As Master Glip had accurately pointed out at the beginning of the match, under those circumstances, all Bidule would need to do was to connect a few katas against Michel and, at the very least, he would have him up against the metaphorical ropes. 

At least, as the Wakfung master added later, quite purposely, that would be the case if your opponent wasn’t faster than you. 

Just as Bidule had been about to deliver an Elienno Kata to the scarf-wearing kid, Michel managed to easily bypass him by jumping straight into one of his portals. From what the Divine Doll had gathered from watching Glip and Baltazar instruct the children the past few days, that in itself was quite the feat, as most of the younger kids were still working on their stamina to open more than one consecutive portal at a time. While most of them were already capable of jumping in and out of portals, they would tire very quickly if they tried to use them as a transportation method. 

Which made Michel’s strategy all the more awe-inspiring. 

Every time Bidule tried to connect a hit, his green-clad rival would easily outrun him, either by sliding away from the punch or kick or by summoning a portal to place him as far away from his opponent as possible but within the rink’s limits. 

By that point the rest of the class had all become eager spectators, and they instinctively divided themselves into two groups as they cheered for their preferred champion. Bidule’s supporters urged him not to give up, while Michel’s followers cheered for their favourite by assuring him he had his adversary right where he wanted him. Even as Amalia giggled, amused, and tried to evade the kids’ questions about who she was cheering on—she didn’t have the heart to choose between the two, as she was fond of all her little friends—, a part of her couldn’t help but think the scarf-wearing kid’s supporters might be onto something. 

While conjuring up different portals in succession was certainly taxing, as evidenced by the beads of sweat pooling on Michel’s forehead, so was constantly rushing towards your target, kata at the ready, only for them to dodge at the last second and to send you tumbling back. Poor Bidule was clearly exhausted, breathing heavily and sweating profusely, especially as he tried to pull his own gamble and jumped into a portal of his own with the intention of finally connecting the hit with Michel, only for the faster kid to duck and roll out of the way as the former came crashing down. 

In fact, even though Michel had made no move to actually throw the bigger kid out of the field, it was clear to see he was playing the long game. He most likely realised he might not be able to overpower Bidule alone and decided to tire him out until he either surrendered or Master Glip declared the match over. 

For his part, Bidule was on his last legs, physically and emotionally. It was so frustrating. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t do anything right. Out of his entire age group, he had been one of the few stragglers, having the hardest time getting the katas down or conjuring up portals. Several of his classmates teased him over his weight; even after Master Glip and Master Baltazar and even Lady Amalia reprimanded them, they always got back to messing with him. And now he couldn’t land a single hit while Michel ran circles all around him. 

Embittered tears welling up in his eyes as he bit down on his bottom lip to keep himself from crying, the little boy stopped thinking and just acted on instinct. In a desperate attempt to one-up his adversary, he extended both hands with the intention of opening a very big portal, only to recoil in surprise when he accidentally created two, one juxtaposing itself over the other. 

The reaction was immediate. Upon the surcharge of wakfu coming from the combined energy of the portals, a beam of blue light emanated from them and shot straight towards a wide-eyed Michel, his body unmoving as he struggled to comprehend what was going on. 

Amalia let out a high-pitched squeak and quickly got up to her feet, bringing both hands to her mouth as she braced herself for the worst. But just before her body had time to react before the beam reached the child and she could get him out of the way with one of her vines, a bigger, far more stable portal than the ones the two challengers were capable of opened up right in front of Michel, absorbing the attack and redirecting it somewhere safe. 

In an instant, all eyes were on Master Glip, who lowered his outstretched hand, the glow in his palm dying out. His expression remained stoic even after he focused his eyes on the kids, who could only flinch, worried they were about to be reprimanded. 

Relief eased off of them in waves, mixed with a tinge of confusion, when all he did was smile in satisfaction instead. 

“Very well, you two. I have seen a lot of progress today.” As a pair of dazzling smiles spread over the kids’ faces, both of them preening under their master’s praise, he jumped into a portal himself until he was standing face to face with them.

First, he addressed Michel. “It was very clever of you to use your speed to your advantage to dodge Bidule’s attempts to land a hit on you, especially given your promising creation of consecutive portals. We’ll be sure to hone that skill of yours in the future.”

Then, he turned to Bidule with a questioning eyebrow, but his expression softened when he noticed the sombre look on the boy’s face. He had a very good guess as to what caused it. 

Soon enough, the kid proved him right. 

“I’m so sorry, Master Glip…” He sniffed, his gaze fixed on the floor. “Because of me, Michel almost got hurt.”

Bidule gasped when he felt the curved tip of Master Glip’s staff lifting his chin gently so he would look at him. “No need to be so upset with yourself, Bidule. We all know it was an accident.” By his side, Michel nodded eagerly, assuring him he wasn’t mad at him. “Besides, I’m actually quite proud of you, too.”

“Huh? You are?”

He chuckled. “Why, yes. Of course. Even if you didn’t manage to connect them, your posture when executing those katas was perfect. Moreover, you’ve gone and taken a step further in your training all by yourself!” His tone was conspiratorial as he leaned closer to whisper in his ear. “Creating wakfu beams is quite the advanced technique, and you figured it out all on your own! Now we just need to practise a little, and you’ll be the fastest shooter in class, I’m sure of it.”

With one last wink at an awestruck Bidule, he dismissed the two kids, who went back to their respective seats to watch the next challenge. As they walked, they chatted animatedly and gushed over each other’s accomplishments, their friends cheering for them and congratulating them as they made their way back.

Watching them go, Glip positioned himself on the other end of the arena, one hand behind his back while the other gripped his staff tightly. “Lady Amalia, you’re up next.”

The doll immediately felt all eyes on her, shining with curiosity and barely concealed anticipation. Even with her stomach tied up in knots, she managed to flash them a small smile. She knew for a fact the kids loved it when it was her turn to practise her skills, their starry-eyed faces were a dead giveaway, but that didn’t change the fact that she always got the strong urge to gulp nervously. 

Especially when she knew a sound butt-kicking awaited her. 

Nevertheless, one of the first tips Master Glip had given his students as soon as these matches began was that their opponent could never know how they truly felt. According to him, confidence was half the battle; if your enemy sensed you were in turmoil of any kind, they would instantly know they had the upper hand and the outcome of the fight would become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Never let your opponent know they’ve already won. That would only make it impossible to turn the tables back around. 

And so, taking one deep breath through her nose, Amalia rose to her feet, her head held up high, and made her way over to the rink, her steps measured and confident, even if her clenched fists at her sides betrayed her true feelings somewhat. As soon as she was inside the pit with him, Master Glip announced the rules, just like he did for every match: 

“This will be a simple one-on-one match between you and me, Lady Amalia. Our goal will be to get the other to step out of the rink using whatever is available to us; the moment one of us has stepped out of the line—be it our entire bodies, or some wayward limb—, the match is over and the person remaining within the rink will be declared the winner. Understood?”

She nodded. “Yes, Master.”

“Likewise, the match can also come to an end if I see it fit and make the call. Are you in agreement with that?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Very well, in that case…” He got into a defensive pose that was mimicked by Amalia. “Let us commence!”

Not thinking twice, Amalia arched her body downward and rose back up, one glowing green hand outstretched as a series of thick vines erupted from the floor and straight for Master Glip, who eyed them critically. Even as she focused on directing the rambles toward him, the doll already knew from past experiences that it wouldn’t be that simple. 

Her suspicions were proven right when, just as her weeds were about to connect with the Eliatrope’s stumpy figure, he deftly leapt out of the way, going as far as to perform a backward somersault as he did so. The most astounding thing about Glip, Amalia soon found out, was that the otherwise serious and collected Wakfung master had a fondness for showing his acrobatics off. Something Master Baltazar never failed to tease him about.

Growing slightly frustrated, although she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t seen it coming, the Divine Doll tsked her tongue. Her eyes narrowed in determination. Like she was going to let that stop her. 

Feet planted firmly on the floor to remain sturdy, Amalia began to fail her arms around slightly, guiding the vine that had just missed its target after him with the intention to catch him. All around her, the children let out ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s to express their admiration, their eyes transfixed on the plant that elegantly coiled around like an emerald serpent and stretched over to their teacher’s turned form. 

Blood rushing to her ears, her heart thumping wildly in her chest at the idea of finally catching her master by surprise, Amalia’s Ogrine heart then sank to the floor at what happened next. 

Just as her ramble was about to snare an unsuspecting Master Glip up, he showed his cards with the same devilish grace as an Ecaflip with a winning hand. He leisurely turned back around, enough so the knowing smirk on his face could be easily discerned, and dashed her hopes in one fell swoop. Right as the plant was about to snatch him up, the Eliatrope raised a glowing palm up and, in the blink of an eye, he easily diverted the attack by conjuring up a sizable portal that engulfed the vine. Then, with his other hand, created another to direct it far away from him, the ramble closing in on nothing but air. 

With the children’s amazed cheering coming from all directions, Amalia only had a few seconds to compose herself and school her astonished features into cold determination. Although seeing how easily her attempt at beating the Wakfung master was thwarted, she couldn’t help but feel equal parts astounded and disappointed. The bitter taste of failure coating her mouth. But she couldn’t afford to let her true feelings show. Not only would it go against the most basic rules, but the match was still far from over. 

She couldn’t help but gulp nervously despite herself. At least, she hoped the match was still far from over. 

Brown eyes trained on her opponent, at the slightest twitch of his muscles, the Divine Doll knew she had to act fast, as the Eliatropes’ speed far succeeded that of the other races, including the Sadida. She made the split-second decision to go big or go home, and she began to move her upper body with an almost erratic rhythm as she kept on summoning vine after vine with the intention to either smack or trap Master Glip. 

But much like Michel had been able to run circles around Bidule’s every strategy, so did the shortest Eliatrope. Except he was a centuries-old Wakfung master instead of a small child who was just beginning his training. With fluid and composed movements, Glip expertly manoeuvred away from every single one of Amalia’s attempts at overpowering or capturing him. He jumped over and below the upcoming vines, teleported himself or the plants away, at one point, he went so far as to jump into one of his portals and on top of an incoming ramble, rolling over its length almost playfully before raising to his feet and teleporting himself away yet again. 

Her eyes darting around as they tried to fruitlessly follow her adversary in an attempt to predict where he’d appear next, Amalia didn’t even register the gnashing of her teeth as she fiercely clenched her jaw. Her teeth borne in exasperation, both with the lack of results and herself, she dropped her vines as she tried to come up with a new strategy. 

There had to be something she could do to get her master up against the ropes for once, but what? Maybe if she formed a circle with her vines in order to reach for him from all directions… She quickly shook her head and that idea off her mind. No, it wouldn’t work. He could always just portal himself away. 

The doll was so lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t see Master Glip summoning a portal and opening it right in front of her until it was too late. As she finally registered the blue flash of light, she stood like an Elante in headlights, the image of the goateed Eliatrope emerging through the vortex of wakfu, his hand outstretched in her direction, clouding her vision. 

Letting out a loud gasp, she acted on instinct and rolled to the side and away from his grasp before making an upwards sweeping motion with her hands, willing a series of rambles to form a circle around her and encapsulate her within it. Placing a hand over her thumping heart at the same time as she tried to get her panting under control, the doll looked around the tight space she was in—she had instinctively built a plant-dome around herself in order to shield herself from Glip’s attack. 

She was safe. 

However, the peace didn’t last long. Or rather, it was suspicious how long it did last. Even as she finally got her laboured breathing under control, the Sadida Doll still felt uneasy. She squinted her eyes into the darkness that was only broken by small sun rays peeking through the gaps of her shield, and she strained her ears in search of any sound that might help her decipher her master’s next move. However, the kids’ soft murmurs aside, everything was quiet. 

Too quiet. 

And then, she saw it from the corner of her eye. The tell-tale turquoise glow of a portal opening up right behind her. Thinking fast, she managed to miraculously escape Glip, dropping her dome and quickly motioning for one of the vines to pull her away and put some distance between the two of them. She grunted in pain when her backside collided against the ground, a hand coming to gently nurse it. 

She froze as a creeping realisation hit her. She had her back to the line separating the training rink from their makeshift bleachers. One wrong move and it would all be over. 

“Looks like today’s match will be especially short, Lady Amalia.” Glip said, and she couldn’t tell if he was mocking her or expressing his disappointment in her lack of progress. She honestly couldn’t tell which one hurt more. “What a shame.”

Amalia watched with wide eyes as he twirled his staff in his hands and pointed it straight at her, readying it to push her off the rink’s limits with one simple touch. 

Her first instinct was to crawl away, but thankfully she still had enough presence of mind to realise doing so would only result in her own disqualification as she would most likely pass over the limits herself. She could feel the beads of sweat rolling all the way down from her forehead to her chin as she waited for the inevitable, her heart pounding in her ears. 

And yet, even when her master’s approaching figure was all she could see, images of watching Yugo train flashed through her mind. She had always been mesmerised by the way he constantly pushed himself to surpass his own limits. His expert movements as he parried and battled against an imaginary enemy. The steady hold of his wakfu sword as he brought it down. The instinctual use of his shield to protect himself. The grace he jumped in and out of portals with. The ingenuity behind his uses for them, always so different, so unique, so unpredictable. 

He was just so inspiring. 

The doll had to fight the urge to smile warmly at the memory. It seemed that even when Yugo was nowhere to be seen, he was always looking out for her. Yugo would never give up in the face of a challenge, and neither would she! 

Her mind made up, a fire lit up within Amalia, one that soon coursed through her entire body. Her expression hardened with resolve. No, she would not go down like this. Not without proving both to Master Glip and to herself what she was capable of. 

She had to think fast. The staff was getting closer and closer and there’d be no point in her sudden surge of determination if she got disqualified before she could even put it to good use. 

It was easier said than done, though. Master Glip was literally a few steps away from pushing her off the rink, whereas she would need her father to perform a divine intervention to even have a shot at winning! Her fists clenched over the soil, some dirt getting under her fingernails with the motion. She had to come up with a good strategy, the problem was that it all felt useless. Her most effective method of attacking were her vines, and the Wakfung master had one-upped her at every turn!

Every time she thought she had him, he would instantly prove her wrong by easily sidestepping or teleporting away from her rambles, or using his portals to divert her vines away from him! And all without breaking a sweat while she was struggling just to keep her breathing under control. 

Her jaw clenched in frustration. It was especially aggravating when he so easily changed the course of her attacks. All he had to do was wait for the perfect moment and summon a portal to swallow her plants whole. And because that wasn’t humiliating enough, her vine would enter one portal, and exit a completely different one, aimed in another direction. It was just so—!

Her eyes lit up like the night sky as an idea came to mind. She was quick to hide it, however; she couldn’t afford Master Glip to suspect her until it was too late. For him.

Now that he had her where he wanted her, with nowhere to run, Glip pulled his arms to swing his cane back forward and to finally push Amalia out of the arena. And while her attempts were a valiant effort, he had to admit he was disappointed it had been so easy to take her down. The doll wasn’t kidding when she came to him to ask for his help; she really had to work on her powers. 

She didn’t even attempt to get up after dodging his last attack and the action sent her to the ground. 

He let out a small sigh. Oh, well. There was always room for improvement, they just had to keep working on her battle prowess. 

Resignation seeping into his bones, the goateed Eliatrope was about to put an end to the match when Amalia’s next action caught him completely by surprise, momentarily halting his movements. She propelled herself forward into a crouching position and slammed her hands against the ground, a vibrant green light extending all over the rink as a large, thorny vine materialised right behind her and reached over to him. 

While he had been taken aback at first by her sudden movements, Glip soon composed himself, raising an unimpressed eyebrow at the Sadida attack. Taking advantage of his low stature, all he needed to do to avoid the incoming hit was to bend down, the vine harmlessly soaring overhead and missing him completely. 

He couldn’t help but to raise an eyebrow pointedly as he nonchalantly leaned against his staff, almost bored. “Amalia, haven’t you learned by now that I can easily dodge your vines?” He asked, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. “I honestly expected a little more from you.”

His confident expression faltered when all she did was smirk in return. Her next words causing an almost forgotten feeling of worry to make his stomach churn:

“Oh, but Master Glip, who said I was aiming at you?”

Eyes widening at her declaration, he quickly turned around, only for his jaw to drop open at the sight. As Amalia said, she had never been aiming at him, instead, her goal all along was to fool him with a feint. With him distracted by his ego and easy dodging of her attack, her vine had successfully bypassed him and gone straight through one of his portals, one located right behind him. 

While he gaped at the scene before him, from the corner of his eye he caught how the end of the ramble came out from another portal and was headed straight at him. However, before he had time to react and get out of the way, the plant coiled in on itself and delivered a mighty swing to his side, the force behind it managing to send him careening against the ground. 

All around them, the kids gasped in astonishment. Amalia had just connected a hit with Master Glip; no one had ever done that before!

Her eyes shining and her mouth stretching into a huge grin, Amalia couldn’t help the ecstatic squeal that escaped her as she rose to her feet. Her own cheers mingling with that of the kids’, she skipped in place several times, euphoria overtaking her senses. 

Her little celebratory dance was stopped abruptly by Master Glip’s knowing, suspiciously close voice. 

“You should never chant victory before making sure your enemy is defeated, my dear.”

Eyes snapping open, it was her turn to be too slow to react as her teacher jumped right out of a portal inches away from her and flicked her forehead hard enough to force her to take a step back… and outside of the rink’s limits. 

The kids all ‘awwwwed’ at that development, and even Amalia couldn’t help but slump forwards in disappointment, pouting. Well, she thought, trying to cheer herself up, at least she got a hit in. That alone was far more than her last few attempts. 

Landing nimbly on his feet, the Wakfung master straightened himself up. “And thus concludes this training match.” When he opened his eyes to stare at the doll, she almost teared up when she noticed they were shining with pride. “You have my sincerest congratulations, Lady Amalia. Using my portals against me and to aid your own attacks was a very ingenious move. It takes a very clever person to think outside of the box like you just did. Be very proud of yourself.”

“Thank you, Master. It means a lot.” She told him honestly, bowing her head respectfully. 

“However,” he continued, his tone growing somewhat sterner, yet not unkind. “We ought to work on your versatility. While your vines are a powerful tool, you simply cannot rely on them all the time, for they make you a very predictable opponent. I will be pondering on how to utilise your Sadida magic to its full potential.”

While his words stung a little, Amalia remained perfectly composed. Master Glip was right, she did rely too much on her vines when she honestly had no reason to. She had already summoned different plants and even her dolls before; she could introduce that into her fighting style. 

“Good job today. You may go now.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand, and Amalia made her way back to her seat as the short Eliatrope called the next two challengers into the rink, satisfied with herself and already coming up with possible ways to improve. 

......................................................................................................................

Glip studied with a critical eye as his students exchanged katas and attempts at better utilising their wakfu. While he never allowed himself to grow careless in case anything happened, the good thing about beginning the little ones’ training was that he could afford to subtly multitask and let his mind wander. They were far too young and too green for their strategies to become complex enough that anything could go awry, in which case, he would need to give them his undivided attention. 

As it were, however, the Eliatrope let his eyes roam over the bleachers. A small grin stretched over his lips. 

The kids were invested in the match taking place in front of them, with even the older ones showing a healthy level of respect. Even from where he stood, Glip could tell from the way some older kids leaned over to talk to their friends that they were studying the battle just as intently as he was and pointing out the mistakes or right choices the younger students made, talking from experience. 

Not surprisingly, while some students who were beginning to develop and hone their wakfu-based senses could tell something was going on, the only one who could tell he was watching was his twin. Baltazar sent him a knowing look and a proud smile, the corners of his lips twitching upwards when his light blue gaze trailed over to Amalia. Pointing with his tail at her with all the subtlety a dragon of his girth could muster, he nodded approvingly at his Eliatrope twin, to which the latter had no choice but to return the nod. Albeit his was curt and to the point so as to not distract the kids. 

With that, Baltazar turned his attention back to his books. He liked to revise everything for when it was time to return to their lessons—even though he was a great educator, not everyone had Qilby and Shinonomé’s prodigious memory, after all. Eliatrope dragon as he was, the beige creature just wasn’t as fond of Wakfung as his brother, just as Glip wasn’t as fond of teaching history as his dragon twin. So long ago, in their very first life, according to the Crimson Twins, the two had agreed on each of them focusing on teaching a specific subject to the kids, with the other helping in any way they could. A decision that worked out so well, from the look of things, that they kept going back to it each reincarnation.

That still didn’t mean Baltazar couldn’t chip in once in a while in order to instruct the kids. While Glip wasn’t against asking for volunteers, every so often he liked to put on a bit of a show with his brother to show the kids what they'd be doing and learning that day. 

After all, there was no better exhibition than that between a pair of Primordial Twins. Their little audience tended to go absolutely insane whenever Yugo and Adamaï dropped by and had a friendly match to show the kids how far they could go if they applied themselves. The children would simply become enraptured, their eyes big and starry, and their mouths either hanging low or forming perfect ‘o’ shapes as they gaped. 

Not unlike what Lady Amalia was doing at the moment. 

Finally, Glip settled his gaze on her. He had to fight the urge to shake his head at himself. If anybody had told him back when she first arrived that the Divine Doll would soon become one of his most hardworking and dedicated students, he would have completely lost it and whacked the poor idiot in the head with his staff. 

But looking at her now… Even an old grouch like himself had to admit he was mistaken about her. Amalia was quickly shaping herself up to be the best thing to happen to their race since finding the World of Twelve. Now, if only Efrim and Yugo could reach the same conclusion, that would be great. In Efrim’s case, because all that hostility and cynicism weren’t doing him any good. And in Yugo’s case… Well,  they were long overdue for a queen, to put it simply. 

But now that he looked at Amalia, really looked at her, and replayed their battle in his mind, the Wakfung master couldn’t help but be reminded of the day she reached out to him to ask for his help.

.......................................................................................................................

It had been shortly after finishing the historical and cultural aspects of their lessons, Baltazar’s specialty, and letting Amalia know she was now free to do whatever she wanted, as Glip would be incapable of teaching her Wakfung. Not like he was even sure it would be a good idea in the first place, if he were being honest with himself. 

Given her obvious disappointment upon learning her schedule had just cleared itself up, Glip would be lying if he said he hadn’t been surprised to see her again so soon. It had only been a week or two since their last talk, when Nora took her away, and yet, there she was, timidly entering the training grounds outside the village and heading towards him. Though not before greeting the throngs of kids warmly and affectionately as they went back home with their parents. 

He knew Baltazar had offered to help her reinforce her studies as a private tutor, but he honestly didn’t expect her to take him up on his offer. At least, not so soon. Not when she already had her garden to work on or she could always choose to spend her time with Yugo. They all knew for a fact their lovesick king wouldn’t be complaining. 

But what truly struck him as odd was when she finally reached him. He had to picture one of Baltazar’s reprimanding glares to keep himself from blurting something insensitive out. 

Even though the doll didn’t look bad, per se, she was certainly missing her usual exuberance. While normally her mere presence would be enough to put the island’s prettiest flowers to shame, at that moment the girl’s smile was timid, small, and forced. Gone was the confident and poised demigoddess with impeccable posture he had come to meet over the course of several weeks, in her place was a doll curling in on herself and rubbing one arm up and down in an attempt to bring comfort to herself. 

Something had clearly happened to her, but what?

Rather than voice his thoughts, however, Glip opted, for once, for taking the more diplomatic approach. 

“Lady Amalia, what a surprise!” His twin would be so proud of him. It wasn’t every day he managed to sound perfectly composed and polite. “What brings you here?”

She hesitated for a moment, squeezing her arm, before answering. “I wanted to ask  you about those classes you mentioned. Is that alright?”

Glip blinked, surprised. She must have liked Baltazar’s lessons even more than he originally thought. Recovering from the shock, he nodded. “Of course, my Lady.” He looked over his shoulder. “But Baltazar isn’t here at the moment. Would you like me to go fetch him so you two can talk?”

It was Amalia’s turn to blink, confused. He watched as a myriad of emotions flashed through her face. Confusion, bewilderment, pensiveness, and finally, realisation. Her eyes widened for a second as she seemed to have reached a conclusion, before she shook her head. She focused her gaze back on him, craning her neck downwards to look him in the eye. 

“That’s quite alright, Master Glip.” She shook her hands in front of her body. “Maybe another time.”

“Wait, so you’re not here to take my brother up on his offer to tutor you?” 

She shook her head. “Not really, but maybe once I’ve advanced some more with my garden. There is still much I wish to learn about your people.”

“Then why did you come all the way over here for?” He pressed on, flabbergasted. 

“I actually wanted to ask you to teach me.”

Okay, that cleared absolutely nothing up. 

“Me?” He repeated, just to make sure. Somehow, seeing her vehemently nod her head wasn’t all that reassuring. “Lady Amalia, while I am indeed capable of teaching you, I must insist, Baltazar is the expert when it comes to our culture. And he has access to hundreds of books that will be of great use to you. You should ask him for help, not me.”

What she said next disarmed him completely. 

“That might be true, Master Glip. Except I’m not looking to learn more about your culture at the moment. Just like you’re currently doing with the little ones, I want you to train me too.”

For the first time in the many centuries of his current lifetime, Glip was sure he was gaping. Gone was his usual stoic and impenetrable façade. Instead stood a wide-eyed, open-mouthed, gawking fool who was so shocked by what he heard, he almost dropped his staff. He had to have heard her wrong. It was the only reasonable explanation. What she just asked of him made no sense whatsoever. 

He blinked rapidly. “You want me to train you?”

“That’s right.” She nodded. 

He blinked again, blankly. Alright, so he had heard her right. That still didn’t make what she said any less confusing. 

They remained like that for a few more seconds, with Glip sporting the most dumbstruck expression of his many lives (he didn’t need Qilby to confirm that, he just knew it) and Amalia standing there awkwardly, her eyes darting every which way now and then and fidgeting with her hands. 

Seemingly having enough of the tense silence, she asked tentatively, “Uh… Master Glip?”

He jerked back slightly, broken out of his stupor, his whole body arching with the movement. He shook his head quickly to rid himself of the mental fogginess and finally composed himself. His grip on his cane tightening may or may not have been to keep himself from falling.

He cleared his throat. “Right. Right. Forgive me, my Lady. I was just a little… surprised by your request. That’s all.”

“I understand it might be a lot to ask, especially after you allowed me to attend your lessons the first time, but—.”

He cut her off by raising his hand. “I’m afraid that rather than it being a lot to ask, it is simply unfeasible. I told you, Wakfung isn’t just our people’s sacred martial art, it is also impossible to learn if you are not an Eliatrope!”

She lowered her gaze in embarrassment when his eyes roamed her figure meaningfully. “And you, my dear, are many things, but an Eliatrope is not one of them.”

“But that’s the thing, Master Glip! I don’t want you to teach me Wakfung!” That intrigued him, and he could tell by the way her lips twitched up into a smirk that his interest didn’t go unnoticed by her. Her expression softened before she clasped her hands together in a pleading motion. “I just need you to hear me out first and then we can decide whether it’s truly feasible or not.”

The Glip from a few months ago wouldn’t even have thought twice about it. He would have just let out a resounding ‘no’ and gone on with his day, far too busy with organising classes and council meetings to entertain a little doll’s delusions. Now, however, much to his chagrin, he had to admit he had developed a little soft spot for the Sadida beauty. She proved herself to be so much more than a simple pretty face who just so happened to have a green thumb. 

He hummed, pondering his next course of action while he stroked his goatee. At last, he caved with a sigh and motioned for her to sit with him on a nearby stone bench. “Very well. What did you have in mind?”

The smile she gave him in return could have lit up a moonless night. Before she had the chance to squeal, however, the Wakfung master quietly stopped her by raising one pointed eyebrow. 

With a sheepish apology and a blush, she began, “You told me you couldn’t train me because my magic doesn’t work like yours.”

And because Efrim would never let him live it down if word got out that he’d taught their fighting secrets to the Divine Doll, as well as his own reservations on the matter, is what he didn’t say. Instead, he pointed out, “And I stand by what I said. Please, don’t take this the wrong way, my Lady, but last time I checked, you can’t exactly open portals at will.”

Fortunately, she just giggled. “Trust me, that’s actually the last thing I’d want to do.” When he scrunched up his nose in confusion, and a little bit offended, she rushed out to clarify. “In case you didn’t know, I can’t exactly stomach going through portals.”

He chuckled at that, the sound coming as a rumble from his chest. “Ah, that’s true. Each time you go through one, you end up getting reacquainted with your lunch, don’t you?” He laughed more openly at his own joke, his shoulders shaking as he snorted… only for his laughter to stop abruptly at the pouting scowl on the doll’s face. 

Her arms crossed over her torso, one finger drumming impatiently against her forearm, she deadpanned, “Are you done yet?”

“Uh… Yes. Sorry.” Glip cleared his throat awkwardly. “What… What were you saying again?”

A soft grin stretched over her lips, her posture relaxing. “I was saying that I don’t need you to train me in Wakfung.”

“That is going to be a little difficult, considering it is what I specialise in. How am I supposed to train you, then?”

Just then, something flickered behind Amalia’s brown eyes. Something bold, challenging, determined. Glip was actually taken aback by how much it reminded him of Yugo right before one of their sparring sessions. The Divine Doll was readying herself to go to war, and she had every intention to win it. 

“I want you to help me train my powers.”

The words were out of his mouth before he even had the time to think them over. 

“I’m sorry, you what?!”

“You heard me.” She said, her tone dripping with confidence and sass. He would have to remind her she still owed him a modicum of respect as her master. “I’d like for you to teach me how to use my powers for offensive and defensive purposes.”

“May I ask why you would even need that in the first place?” 

Once again, something flickered in her gaze, but this time the Wakfung master felt his stomach churn in apprehension by what he saw. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was, but something had somewhat doused that same fire that had encouraged the doll to take a leap of faith just a few seconds ago. Suddenly, her eyes were filled with worry and apprehension and, dare he say, fear?

Before he could reach out to her and ask the doll about it, however, she blurted out, “I want to learn how to defend myself, in case something like what happened with Count Harebourg repeats itself.”

Ah, right. The incident with the count of Frigost. While Glip had stayed behind during the banquet at Bonta, Nora and Qilby had spared them stragglers no details, little gossipy hens that they were. 

Apparently, the Divine Doll’s presence left an even bigger impact than they thought on the other guests. According to Qilby and Nora, Harebourg, an attractive Xelor aristocrat, seemed quite taken to Amalia right from the start, and he didn’t hesitate to whisk her away while Yugo’s back was turned. 

As the Twelvian saying went, ‘When the Meow Meow’s away, the mice will play.’

Unfortunately, his interest in her soon proved itself to be far from innocent. As soon as he got the chance, he started making proposals to her, and when that didn’t give him the results he had been hoping for, he grabbed a hold of her, refusing to let go until he was forced to. 

By Yugo. 

Who, for some inexplicable reason, had been fuming practically all night. 

Part of him was relieved he missed all that drama, while another part of him was disappointed about it. But most importantly, he was concerned about Amalia. The whole incident must have shaken her up more than he expected if she was asking for help about it now, months after it happened. 

He couldn’t help himself. “Lady Amalia, you know that what happened with Count Harebourg wasn’t your fault, right? He was just a creep.” He reached out and put one hand on her knee, hoping it would come across as reassuring. 

But she just shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. Her eyes were glassy, causing Glip to gulp. As much experience as he had with little kids, he had never been good with people crying. He certainly didn’t know what to do to make Amalia feel better about this.

“I still should have done something!” She retorted, her voice wobbly. “Maybe I’m not as old as other demigods, but I am still one of Sadida’s Divine Dolls. What good is having powers beyond mortal comprehension if I’m just going to freeze up every time I’m faced with a challenge?”

Glip wanted to protest, to tell her she was wrong and that there was so much more than what her powers could do for her, but he didn’t get the chance. 

“I can’t keep relying on Yugo to fight my battles for me.” Glip actually started at the sheer bitterness in her voice. The way her fingers clenched on her forearms, her frown deepening… He didn’t know where she got that idea from, but he knew it couldn’t be good. “He’s not going to be able to always be there for me. I have to learn to take care of myself when he isn’t around.”

He almost let out a yelp in surprise when her bark-like gaze settled on him, her face set in a mask of determination. 

“That’s why I’d appreciate it if you could teach me how to defend myself, Master Glip. I have a lot of potential, I just know it! I just don’t know how to put it to good use.” She clasped her hands together once more, her eyes earnest and searching. “What do you say? Will you help me?”

Glip considered his options, doing his best to look away from the doll’s forsaken puppy-dog eyes lest they tore at his heart and made him cave. It was incredible how even Qilby admitted in all their years they had never found a more efficient manipulation tactic than those darned eyes she and the children liked to use so much. 

On the one hand, he wasn’t sure he could help Amalia even if he agreed to. When he said he couldn’t teach her Wakfung because their magic was different, it actually worked both ways. He highly doubted he’d be able to understand how Sadida magic worked well enough to not only come up with exercises for the doll, but to evaluate her progress as well. 

But, on the other hand, he knew that look. The one he’d seen on her face when she confessed to being disappointed at herself for, in her mind, failing to stop Harebourg. And no matter how many times people tried to assure her it wasn’t her fault, she would just keep blaming herself. It was the kind of look of someone who didn’t want to be hurt again. 

It was the look every Eliatrope who understood what happened wore on their face ever since the war with the Mechasms. 

He couldn’t bring himself to say no to her when all she wanted was to be able to stand on her own two feet. Not when he found it to be nothing but admirable. 

Not to mention, it would also be the perfect chance to study how Sadida fought. If they learned how to counter a demigoddess, then there would be no problem in case her mortal counterparts ever chose to attack them. Which at the same time would be the perfect excuse to justify his training her. 

Not even Efrim would be able to protest that. 

With a heavy sigh, he prayed to the Great Goddess he wasn’t making a mistake, “Very well, Lady Amalia. Come tomorrow after lunch for your first lesson. I will see what I can do.”

The smile she gave him in response was so radiant he couldn’t help but understand why Yugo was head over heels for her, even if he would never admit it. 

...........................................................................................................................

A loud thud! snapped him out of his thoughts, his head perking up at the sound. As he refocused his attention back to the present, his eyes roamed all over the space until they finally settled on the young boy laying on the ground and outside the rink limits. Shaking his head quickly to rid himself of any more distractions, he brought his staff down and signaled the end of the match. 

The afternoon went on like that for about another hour and a half. Knowing the sun would set in just a few more hours, as always, Glip congratulated his students and briefly explained what they would be doing the following day before wishing them all well. And with that, he and Baltazar announced class was over for the day. 

Just in time for the kids’ parents to come pick them up at the gates.

While the throngs of children returned home with their families, Glip turned back around and began to tidy up the area. The upside of Duel Day was that there wasn’t much to store away in the first place, since all they really did was fight in a mostly bare circle while their classmates sat around the pit. Tomorrow he wouldn’t be so lucky, however, as he intended to teach his students some new katas and needed to arrive early to take out the training dummies. 

As he scoured the area in case any kid had accidentally left anything behind, the large shadow that fell over him was enough to let him know his brother wished to speak with him. 

“How did you find today’s training, Baltazar? Did we manage to take your eyes off your books for once?”

As he chuckled fondly, the dragon let out a puff of hot air through his nostrils that had the Eliatrope holding onto his hat lest it flew away. “Baltazar enjoyed what he saw, correct.” He leaned over so he would be looking his twin in the eyes. “You have been making a lot of progress in a relatively short amount of time.”

“What can I say?” Glip shrugged in an attempt to appear nonchalant that nonetheless failed to conceal his actual pride. “The kids are very focused this year. Not a single day goes by where they don’t practise what they’ve learned in their free time.”

“Hopefully, they’ll be as willing to study when it’s Baltazar’s time to teach.” He commented airily, the smile stretched over his maw betraying the humour in his words. 

“Look on the bright side, Brother. At least this time no kid fell asleep in the middle of one of your lectures. That is definitely something!” Glip laughed, remembering all the times he had to act like the tough, stern teacher and wake up sleeping students. Although he’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it. 

“As much as Baltazar would like to take credit for it, he must admit that was probably Lady Amalia’s doing. The kids are so enchanted by her, the last thing they want to do is disappoint her!”

“Yes, you might be right…” He trailed off, his eyes momentarily fleeting over to where the Divine Doll was. She was usually the last one to leave the training grounds, either because her special circumstances meant she needed to stay behind to discuss with Glip how her training should proceed, or because she liked to bid the children goodbye as they left. At that moment, she was doing the latter. 

“Her powers seem to be developing quite nicely as well, despite the lack of formal training.” Baltazar observed, following his twin’s gaze. 

The Eliatrope hummed in response, noncommittally. 

“You are doing a good job teaching her in spite of the limitations, too.” The dragon smiled. “It was very wise to advise her to stop relying so much on her vines. Baltazar personally never would have thought of it.”

“Meh.” Glip just shrugged it off. “It’s the same kind of advice I would give to any of our children. Besides, we’ve all seen she is capable of so much more than just summoning vines; she just needs to be able to incorporate those other abilities into her more instinctual responses to danger.”

“Still, to be able to train her at all despite not even being the same race…”

“I mostly just taught her some basic katas so she has some experience with hand-to-hand combat. Besides that, I basically let her run wild with her powers.” The Eliatrope said dismissively. 

A knowing smirk tugged at the corners of Baltazar’s mouth. He had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes at his brother. “You know, Glip, for all your liking your students to respect you and how much you like to show off your skills, you can actually be quite modest.”

His wings fluttered in delight and he chuckled when all Glip did in response was grumble. 

“What were you thinking before?” He asked suddenly. 

“Huh?”

“Before, during the match that followed yours and Lady Amalia’s.” He clarified. “And don’t try to lie to Baltazar, he can tell when his twin’s mind is elsewhere.”

“That darned psychic connection…” Glip muttered under his breath, tsking his tongue. 

Still, his dragon twin’s persistent look proved itself to be too much to bear. He raised his arms up in surrender. “Alright, alright! I’ll tell you! Sweet Goddess Eliatrope, are you annoying!”

“It is one of Baltazar’s charms.” He said easily, shrugging. 

With a scoff and a roll of his eyes, Glip finally admitted, “I was just thinking about the day Lady Amalia asked me to train her, is all. Sometimes I can’t help but feel like she pushes herself too much for our sake. Like she still feels like we don’t want her here. And while I can’t help but feel responsible for how I treated her at first, at the same time I just can’t fathom why she would feel the need to demand so much from herself. After all, her mere presence is already helping us!”

There was a moment of silence where Baltazar just let his brother recover from his little rant, panting as he did, before he simply asked:

“Is that all?” 

Glip had to refrain himself from doing something he would regret, equal parts flabbergasted and enraged his dragon twin would extort a confession out of him only for him to act so nonchalant and even bored about it. 

He limited himself to glare at him. “Yes, that’s all.” He deadpanned. 

For reasons beyond Glip’s understanding, Baltazar simply nodded, straightening himself back up. He’d recognise that devious little glint in his bright blue eyes—he was plotting something. The real question was, what?

“You know, Baltazar believes Chibi and Grougaloragran should be about done with the books Baltazar lent them the other day. But Baltazar has no time to retrieve them today.” He said out of the blue, confusing his Eliatrope twin even more. 

Before he could question him about it, however, the beige dragon called out, “Lady Amalia! Do you have a moment?”

Perking up at the sound of her name being called, the doll, who had just said goodbye to the last girl and her family, turned her head around. When she saw it was the Ivory dragon who called out for her, she immediately jogged up to join them.

“You called, Master Baltazar? Is anything the matter?”

“This old dragon just wanted to ask you for a favour, my Lady. That is, if you’re not too busy?”

She shook her head. “Not at all. I was actually about to head back to the palace.” She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder to illustrate her point. “I wanted to check in on something from my garden, but it’s nothing that can’t wait. How may I help you?”

“Thank you kindly, dear.” The dragon smiled. “Baltazar is actually relieved to hear you are indeed headed towards the palace, that way, he won’t be keeping you for long.”

“Oh?” She tilted her head, her emerald ponytail bobbing with the movement. 

“You see, Baltazar lent Chibi and Grougaloragran some books a few days ago, but he cannot go get them back since he has some matters to take care of. Since you are headed to the palace anyway, would you mind stopping by their workshop to get them for Baltazar?”

“Oh, certainly. It’s not a problem at all.” She replied easily, before growing a little sheepish, fidgeting with her fingers. “But, uh, I haven’t actually been to their workshop. I don’t know where it is.”

“It’s on the lower levels of the palace. Above the underground systems but below some of the emergency communal areas.” Glip explained despite himself. When he was done, he felt like facepalming. 

“I see! Thank you, Master Glip.”

“You’re welcome…”

“Well, there you have it!” Baltazar said, clasping his large paws together. “Do you think you could do Baltazar this one favour, Lady Amalia?”

“Of course! You can count on me!” She beamed in response. “I’ll be sure to return your books to you tomorrow.”

“Baltazar is very grateful, my dear.”

With that, Amalia summoned a large vine underneath her feet that would take her to the outskirts of the village, where she would have to make her way to the palace on foot. The place was still protected, after all. 

As they watched her go, Glip’s eyes kept darting back and forth between her retreating form and his twin’s suspiciously serene smile. Oh yes, he was definitely up to something. 

..........................................................................................................................

Amalia climbed down the stairs leading to the level housing Chibi and Grougal’s workshop with curious eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like. The truth was she hadn’t been to one since her father created her in his hut, and she had been on Oma Island long enough to know she couldn’t exactly expect the Eliatropes to function just like Sadida would. 

As she made it to the final step, she had to squint her eyes as she adjusted to the difference in lighting. Given the floor’s almost underground position, there were no windows around, a bunch of torches lined up around the corridor, the only source of light. Following the line they formed, the doll perked up at the sight of a large shuttle with the Eliatrope emblem in bronze at the other end. 

Heading straight for the door, a part of her couldn’t believe the Ebony Twins would ever find such a location for their workshop acceptable. Given how they acted when she said she wanted to redecorate her room to feel more at home, one would expect them to be appalled at the lack of natural sunlight in their own wing of the palace. 

She pushed that thought aside for now when she reached the gate. Raising one fist up, she was about to knock on the door when she took notice of a metal arrow coming out of the shuttle and pointing at a large button to her right. Peering over at it curiously, the faint light allowed her to see there was something written above it; unfortunately, it was written in draconic, and all she knew about it was that she knew nothing of it. 

Still, figuring she didn’t have anything to lose, Amalia shrugged and pressed the button. To her surprise, all the action did was elicit the sound of bells ringing. It was nice, if a little underwhelming. When the ringing stopped, she awkwardly waited for a few seconds, rocking back and forth on the ball of her heel, before the abrupt appearance of a metal horn and a microphone made her yelp in surprise and almost jump right out of her skin. 

“Yes? What is it?” Came an echo-y voice that sounded suspiciously like Chibi’s. 

Her hands over her still rapidly-thumping heart, Amalia composed herself enough to reply, “Uh…This is Amalia?” She said uncertainly, grimacing. “Master Baltazar asked me to come pick up some books he lent you.”

There was silence on the other end until, “Oh, right! Right. The books. Yes, we have them right here. Come right this way, Amalia.”

The doll went from staring blankly at the receding equipment to whirling her head around at the whirring sound of the metal gates opening right in front of her. A nervous tingle went down her spine as she took the first step into her room, causing her to shiver when her bare sole came into contact with the sleek, cold floor. 

She had to blink a few times because of the new change in lighting, but when her brown eyes finally adjusted, they immediately widened as a gasp escaped her throat.

Chibi and Grogaloragran’s atelier was an engineering and architectural marvel. The room formed a u-shape that, upon further consideration, seemed to take up the entirety of the floor it was located in, explaining the lack of personnel and other rooms. The floor was made of some kind of metal, and the walls were the same bluish colour as the stones scattered all over the village, suggesting it was made from the same material. 

Neon blue streaks the colour of the purest wakfu lined up the walls, forming spirals; the turquoise hue shone brighter every so often, indicating some sort of activity as it pulsed with energy. Sticking out of those very walls were golden gears, some of them doubling as platforms and even tables on top of which were scattered countless artefacts and tools Amalia wouldn’t have been to name even if she tried. But what really caught her eye and brought a smile to her face was the sight of potted plants carrying white flowers in bloom that decorated the top of the columns supporting the ceiling.

Despite its grandiosity, however, it had to be said that the workshop wasn’t exactly the tidiest, most organised place either. Aside from all the objects cluttering the different tables, there were numerous pieces of equipment lying around on the floor, obstructing the way. Just like many blueprints the contents of which the doll couldn’t make heads or tails of were hung up the walls or threatening to slide off the tables. 

However, the most fascinating thing of it all had to be the weak pulse of light coming from behind what seemed to be either a closet or another small room located at the far end of the atelier. It pulsed with energy, the same kind of energy travelling all over the workshop, nay, the palace, only purer, clearer, more powerful. 

The Divine Doll didn’t even register taking the first step deeper into the room and towards the energy source, entranced by its call. It was like those mysterious pulses she kept feeling now and then, resonating with her and reverberating all over her being. But also different. It just compelled her to get closer. To reach out and—.

“Amalia! Good afternoon!”

She was stopped dead by Chibi jumping out of a portal right in front of her. His usual laidback grin was as contagious as always, causing her to manage a small, trembling smile of her own even as she tried to recover from the fright. Sliding one arm around her shoulders, the tanned Eliatrope continued talking as if he hadn’t just scared about a century or two out of her lifespan. Hadn’t the doll been so out of it, she might have noticed he seemed to be gently leading her away from the gates guarding that mysterious energy. 

“Good afternoon, Chibi. It’s good to see you again.” She managed. 

“Let me just say, Grougal and I weren’t expecting you.” Right as he said that, the dragon in question appeared from behind a column, offering the Sadida Doll a curt nod of acknowledgement that she returned with a weak, but friendly, wave. “We were actually expecting Baltazar to come at some point, asking for them.”

He led her straight to a nearby table, motioning for her to sit down after pulling out a chair for his surprise guest. With a soft ‘Thank you’, it was Amalia’s turn to explain. “Apparently, he was busy today so he couldn't come himself, and since I was headed to the palace anyway, he asked me for a favour.” She shrugged, unbothered. “As I said, I was planning on coming back either way, so…”

“Still, it is rare for Baltazar to delegate something so minor on somebody else.” Grougaloragran pointed out, coming to join them at the table. “Normally, he would take care of it himself some other day. When it comes to lending books, he’s much more of a giver than a taker.”

“Maybe he needs them for an upcoming lesson he’s prepping up?” Amalia offered. She furrowed her brow when the Ebony Twins just exchanged a glance, clearly not convinced. 

“Maybe…” Chibi conceded, drawing out the words slowly. Then he perked up, seemingly choosing to ruminate those thoughts later. “Anyway, here are the books, Amalia. Thank Baltazar on our behalf; hopefully, we’ll be able to apply what we’ve learned from them.”

Grougaloragran pulled a few tomes out of his white robes and handed them over to the doll, who, after letting out an ‘oof!’ due to the unexpected weight, could only tilt her head in confusion as she read the titles. A perk of living on Oma Island with the Eliatropes was that one of the first things she learned was how to read their language (draconic speech notwithstanding). A downside of it was that she still had a long way to go before she could understand everything.

And what was written on those books she had no idea what it said. 

For a moment, she pondered whether she would be too nosy for asking, but curiosity won out against good manners and, before she knew it, she blurted out, “Uh, if you don’t mind my asking, what did you need these for?”

She blinked at Grougaloragran’s answer, “Grougaloragran and Chibi just wanted to know if they held the answers to some of their questions.”

The white-haired Eliatrope flashed his brother a wry smile, amused at his enigmatic answer, but especially at the discombobulate look on the doll’s face. Whatever Amalia had been expecting when she asked, it sure wasn’t that. 

Normally, Chibi would leave it at that, thank Amalia again before bidding her goodbye, and focus back on their work. There was much that needed to be done and their constant setbacks weren’t helping them any when it came to making progress. Rather, instead of learning from their mistakes, they just found new ways to make them. 

One thing was patience being the mother of science. One thing was trial and error. But another, very different thing was being absolutely, hopelessly stuck. More than once he found himself hoping he’d get one of his visions and that would miraculously lead to a breakthrough, but no such luck. 

Sometimes he couldn’t help wondering what was the point in being a prophet if he didn’t have a say in the things he could see and when. It would certainly be of use with creative blocks. That was a problem they hadn’t really dealt with since their days designing the Zenit, judging from Qilby and Shinonomé’s retellings. And Chibi couldn’t deny he liked it much better when his and Grougal’s creative juices flowed freely. 

They’d been putting off helping Mrs. Minervante pick some curtains due to this for weeks! Say what you will about her, but that woman had impeccable taste when it came to interior design and the Ebony Twins, passionate as they were for their craft, had to respect that. 

It was in spite of all this—their inherent perfectionism; their tight, self-imposed deadline; their drive to give their people even the slightest sense of normalcy and familiarity in unfamiliar territory—, Chibi surprised himself by taking a few minutes to seriously consider and try to answer Amalia’s question. 

“What my brother means, Amalia,” the doll’s head snapped over to Chibi, her brows furrowed as she listened attentively, “is we’ve been having a bit of trouble working on a new invention lately.” He sent her a lazy smile. “So we were hoping we’d be able to figure things out if we had more information.”

Amalia let his words sink in, taking her sweet time in processing them. That was right. It had completely slipped her mind that those two weren’t just the brilliant minds behind the design and construction of both the palace and village, but they were also their people’s greatest inventors. To be perfectly honest, she hadn’t really spent all that much time with them since she redecorated her room, so it was easy to forget their multiple facets beyond ‘interior design nuts.’

It turned out even geniuses had creative blocks every now and then. Huh, who would’ve thought?

Her curiosity piqued, the Divine Doll couldn’t help but ask, leaning closer from her seat, “May I ask what kind of invention has been giving you trouble?”

The dark-clothed Eliatrope sent his older brother a questioning look, silently asking for permission—and not-so-silently via their psychic bond. 

Grougal’s golden, slitted eyes flickered between his twin and their guest, unsure. It wasn’t that he didn’t like or even trust Amalia, thanks to his wakfu vision, he had been able to see she meant them no harm practically as soon as she arrived; it was just that he tended to be a little squeamish when it came to whom he allowed near their inventions. Especially the unfinished ones. 

Eventually, he gave in with a sigh, throwing his head back slightly in surrender. It wasn’t like secrecy really mattered anymore, not after Chibi told her loud and clear the reason they needed Baltazar’s help in the first place. Besides, they were already making zero progress. What was Amalia knowing going to do, stuck them more?

Amalia scurried to her feet, honestly surprised, when Grougaloragran raised a clawed hand and gestured for her to come with him, Chibi following right behind her. So, raising from her chair, she walked right behind the humanoid dragon, not knowing what to expect as he led her deeper into their workshop. 

She let her eyes roam around the space for a little while longer, her brown orbs following the patterns drawn on the walls by the wakfu lines almost on autopilot. Her neck craned instinctively as her eyes tried to follow the energy pulses all over the room and up to where they ended—or began, depending on how you looked at it. 

She was so lost in thought, she didn’t notice when Grougaloragran stopped walking and she bumped right into his back. Letting out a small sound of protest, she brought a hand to her nose and gingerly nursed it. 

“Amalia, are you okay?” Chibi asked, his hazel eyes shining with concern, but mostly amusement. 

She waved him off with a motion of her free hand. “Yes, yes, don’t worry. I wasn’t really looking where I was going, that’s all.”

Speaking of… Where were they? Blinking rapidly to focus, the Sadida Doll peered over the dragon’s shoulder—who stood with his arms crossed over his white tunic as he waited for his two companions to be done with their conversation—and finally took in her surroundings. 

They were still inside their workshop, that much was obvious. But it was somehow even more disorganised than the area she had just been in. Tucked away into a corner was a relatively small space, not unlike a grotto, hidden away from the rest of the world behind a large, thick curtain that was currently drawn to the side, revealing its contents. 

Draped all over the walls were even more blueprints she didn’t really understand, alongside papers with countless equations, unfinished or scribbled over, and lists with certain elements crossed out or with arrows sticking out of them and pointing and what she could only imagine were corrections. Gaze lowering, she laid her eyes on another golden gear right below sticking out from the wall, flanked by two stools, and equally overflowing with contents: an assortment of unused pieces, tools, and scrap metals were scattered over its surface, some dangling dangerously close to the edge while others had long fallen to the floor, where they laid, forgotten. Trays and glasses with nothing but crumbs or half-eaten food already revealed that the Ebony Twins hadn’t really left their wing of the palace in a while, not even to eat. 

While a part of Amalia couldn’t help but be concerned for their health, what held her attention was the unfinished contraption standing out amidst the mess, almost as if beckoning her to focus on it. Either she had a good eye, or Chibi must have noticed her looking at it, for he gestured at the mysterious object to explain:

“This,” he began, picking up the rectangular and surprisingly thin object and dropping it gently into the doll’s careful hands, “is what’s been depriving us of sleep lately. As you can see, it’s not quite finished yet, but with Baltazar’s books, hopefully soon.”

“What is it?” Amalia asked, almost absentmindedly. 

Fully aware that what she had was something important to her hosts, she gingerly moved it around in her hands, giving it a good glance-over. It was a small, metallic rectangle with a smooth glass on one side and rather rudimentary circuitry on the other, which, if she had to guess, she’d say was probably the part that remained unfinished. Even so, despite its unpolished state, the doll had to admit it was considerably sleek, so much so, she was actually looking forward to the finished product. 

Even if she had no idea what it could be. In her eyes, it looked like a very futuristic hand mirror. She wrinkled her nose at her own thoughts. She seriously doubted the Eliatropes’ greatest minds would have that much trouble with something that had already been invented. 

As the saying went, ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’ Which was doubly true when talking about mirrors, especially if you were superstitious. 

Although, to be perfectly honest, even Grougaloragran’s answer didn’t do much to enlighten her: 

“Back in our homeworld, that was called a cellphone.” He said, leaning closer to Amalia and pointing at the ‘cellphone’ in her hands with one claw. “Our people used them to communicate with each other immediately, even at long distance.”

“All they needed to work was to be connected to the Wik-Fi Network, a connection Grougal and I developed that used radio waves to transmit data to the Wakfu Core, which at the same time allowed for every cellphone user to be in contact with each other and to communicate.” Chibi rambled, too engrossed in his explanation to realise all his techno-babble went right over his guest’s head. 

As he spoke and Amalia’s expression grew more and more dumbstruck, the Eliatrope raised a glowing palm in the air. Curious, brown eyes following the direction it was pointed at, the doll managed to vaguely make out a moderately-sized object standing not too far away from them right before a portal opened up right beneath it and swallowed it whole. She stared blankly at the now vacant space for a few more seconds before the sight of that very same object emerging from the floor and right in front of her startled her, causing her to almost drop the cellphone in surprise. 

“If Grougaloragran may…” Ever the cautious one, the black dragon gently pried the device from her hands and placed it back on the table. 

As much as she would’ve liked to be offended at the silent implication that she couldn’t be trusted with it, all Amalia could do was blush and laugh sheepishly instead as she toyed absently with a strand of her hair. To be fair, she did almost drop and break it just now. 

Deciding it’d be best if she played it cool for now, the doll focused back on the prism she now had right in front of her. It was a blue, square-shaped object with golden details decorating every corner and lining up the edges. Some small lights located alongside the base flickered on and off, shining the same bright turquoise she had long learned to associate with the portal-making people. Glinting underneath the room’s faint light and on top of the base of the artefact was what appeared to be a button of some kind, a dark shell inside a golden circumference pierced by straight lines that brought to mind the outline of a portal. Several more, smaller buttons surrounded it, each of them in charge of their own unknown function but clearly nowhere near as important as the one they all guarded. 

Despite himself, Grougaloragran couldn’t help but chuckle at the owlish look on the Divine Doll’s face as her eyes trailed all over the object, but it was Chibi who continued on with the explanation. “And this is the Wakfu Core. Thankfully, we managed to bring it with us from home and it is still operational. Talk about luck, too!” He made a show out of wiping his forehead at the same time as he let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Getting a cellphone to work is a walk in the park compared to trying to rebuild the Wakfu Core from scratch. It would have been nearly impossible even for us!”

“Is it really that important?” Amalia couldn’t help but ask, failing to grasp the true significance of it all. She knelt down and gingerly slid one hand over the machine’s smooth surface, and almost snatched it away when she noticed it was actually warm to the touch. 

“Extremely so.” The black dragon replied, the gravely inflection in his voice conveying just how serious he was. “It may not look like it, but this little friend over here powers the vast majority of our technology. From the lamps in the village, to the Eliaculus.”

“The Eliaculus—?”

“Without it, we would be left unable to perform even the simplest of tasks for a very long time. Our only chance would be relying on far more primitive and rudimentary methods to get by.” Chibi added, returning the Wakfu Core to its previous place just as quickly as he first summoned it. 

“You mean like lighting candles during nightfall?” Amalia offered as she stood up from her crouched down position, mentally resigning herself to accept her question went ignored but choosing to let it go. 

“Precisely.” Grougal nodded. 

“Alright. Then what seems to be the problem?” Just as the doll asked, Chibi grabbed a pair of safety goggles from a nearby shelf and put them on. She involuntarily let out a small gasp of excitement, her body standing to attention at the possibility of finally seeing an Eliatrope with his hood off—although a part of her really wished it had been Yugo—, only to softly whine in disappointment when the robed Eliatrope turned her back to her and somehow got the glasses on with his hood still in its place. 

When Chibi finally turned back around, goggles safely in their place, he couldn’t help but raise a confused eyebrow at the doll’s slumped shoulders and sour expression, his twin soon mimicking his actions. “Um… Are you okay, Amalia?”

“What?” Fretting when she realised she wasn’t doing that good a job at hiding her disappointment, she immediately straightened herself back, an awkwardly big grin that didn’t really fool anyone on her face. “O-oh, yes. Of course. Everything-everything is fine.” Then, cheeks burning under their intense scrutiny and her own mediocre acting, she sputtered, “S-so, you were saying?”

“Okay…” The Eliatrope drawled out the word, sharing one last look with his twin before walking past the doll and toward the table. Pulling one of the stools away, he plopped himself down on top of it and began to tinker with their unfinished prototype. “Well, as we were saying, our main problem is that we just can’t get the cellphone to connect to the Wik-Fi Network, therefore, it simply doesn’t work. However, if Baltazar’s books are right, all that’s needed are some minor adjustments and problem solved!”

Amalia couldn’t help but gape in awe when, with a purposeful twirl of his fingers, Chibi summoned forth a few wisps of energy that he then molded into a small hammer and a pair of pincers. While she already knew Eliatropes could use their magic to shape wakfu into energy objects, she had only ever seen Yugo summon his trusty sword and shield, so the sight of Chibi’s own choice of tools still took her by surprise. Although she had to admit his preference for actual instruments rather than traditional weapons suited him perfectly. 

She watched on as he poked and rearranged and altered the circuitry, small sparks flying every which way with every touch of his tools, lighting up the corner. She was completely transfixed by the process, hands clasped before her chest and a beaming smile stretching her lips. However, when the doll chanced a glance the black dragon’s way, her doe-like eyes soon darkened with concern. 

The Divine Doll had long come to understand Grougaloragran was, for the most part, a rather stoic dragon. The only things that really got his blood pumping were his position within the Council of Six, their people’s safety and well-being in jeopardy, and the mere suggestion that you didn’t agree with his and his brother’s expert opinion on home décor. So it really wasn’t a surprise to see he wasn’t nearly as awestruck as her by his twin’s work (really, it was to be expected as he most likely saw it on an everyday basis). What the green-haired doll hadn’t been expecting, however, was the deep frown framing his golden eyes, nor the way his jaw tensed. 

Before she could ask him if anything was wrong, though, he blurted out, “Chibi, are you sure you know what you’re doing? Those are far too many sparks for Grougaloragran’s liking…”

His brother just waved his hand dismissively with a psh sound, not once tearing his hazel eyes off his task. “You worry too much, Brother. According to what I read, we just need to weld circuit A and circuit B together and it’ll be perfectly functional—.”

Just then, the cellphone caught on fire. 

Amalia screamed, acting on instinct and coming to hide behind the humanoid dragon, who couldn’t help but take a step back in alarm even as he instinctively used his body and spread his arms wide to shield the frightened Sadida Doll. 

Jolting in his place, it took a few seconds for Chibi to fully process what just happened. As soon as he did he let out a loud stream of curses and jerked away from the table so fast he knocked over his stool in the process. 

This was bad. This was really bad. If the fire got out of control… Even if he didn’t dare finish that thought, his eyes still flickered all over the room and at the very flammable objects held within. All those blueprints, the highly volatile oils and substances they sometimes worked with, the pots overflowing with flowers… His eyes trailed over Amalia’s form, his stomach dropping to his feet as he took in her leafy, green hair, her plant-based clothing, her dark skin that he had seen become raggedy fabric with his own two eyes… Even now he idly wondered if it was some kind of hyper-realistic fabric known only to Sadida or if in turn it was actual skin. 

One stern glare from his twin brought him back to the present and away from his crafting-oriented train of thought. 

“Hey, Amalia?” He called out to her, surprising even himself with the relative steadiness of his voice given the circumstances. “Given you're a Sadida Doll, will you burn?”

Wide, alarmed eyes darted back and forth between the Eliatrope and the quickly increasing fire in utter disbelief for a few seconds, her shock slowly hardening into outrage as she steadily lost her grip on her emotions. Finally, hysteria took over and she snapped, “I don't know, but I don't feel like finding out!”

“Good point.”

“Chibi, now is not the time for idle conversation!” Grougaloragran groaned, incredulous. He loved his brother to death, he really did, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would be the death of him. Although, if he could choose, preferably not in a fire of their own making if it was possible. “Do something about the fire!”

“It’s alright! There is no need to panic!” Chibi tried to reassure them. Not wasting a second, his hazel eyes began to scan the room with renewed purpose. There had to be something he could use to put out the fire, but what? As he kept one watchful eye on the growing flames, he racked his brain for every single fact he knew about fires, trusting his vast experience with lab-related accidents to come through for him and give him an idea on what to do. 

“Okay, Chibi. You got this.” He told himself, taking yet another cautionary step backwards and away from the burning table. “Fire. We’re dealing with fire. And what do we know about fire? We know it’s the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. The flames are the visible portion of the fire, and they are made of carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrogen and… Oxygen! Fire needs oxygen to burn!”

Eyes widening at that crucial piece of information, the white-haired Eliatrope didn’t waste a single second. He reached for the clasps of his dark cloak and tore it off, revealing the golden plates protecting his upper body and the black bodysuit he wore underneath. He didn’t have to worry about uncovering his head since his ever prepared mind was always two steps ahead; he had long decided it was far more convenient if instead of wearing a hooded cape he sewed it onto his bodysuit. That way he could move more freely in combat without having to feel even more exposed. 

He was so focused on putting out the fire with the discarded piece of garment, he didn’t hear Amalia’s disappointed whine. More glaringly, however, was the fact that Grougaloragran’s warning came too late, “Chibi, no! Wait—!”

“Huh?”

Just as he turned his head around to send a questioning look at his dragon twin over his shoulder, the Eliatrope flinched when the crackling sound of the flames only intensified, alongside Amalia’s high-pitched cries. Heart thumping wildly in his chest, he whirled his head back around so fast it was a miracle he didn’t give himself whiplash, only to confirm what he already feared; somehow, trying to deprive the fire of oxygen had only made things worse. 

“But I don’t understand!” He exclaimed as he came to stand beside Grougal and Amalia. His eyes wide and frantic. “Without oxygen, most fires die and fizzle out on their own! My cape should have done just that!” He complained when Grougaloragran, face contorted into the most equally aggravated and frantic expression he had seen on his face in a really long time, smacked him on the back of his head. 

“Grougal, now is not the time to devolve into barbaric behaviour! We have a fire to put out!”

But the dragon’s unamused frown only deepened something fierce. “Chibi.” He started after a deep exhale from his nose. His last attempt at remaining calm. “Care to remind Grougaloragran what you used to deprive the fire of oxygen?”

It was Chibi’s turn to frown, only he was just confused. “Why, my cape, of course.”

His two index fingers clasped and tapping them against his nose, the dragon hummed. “Right. You mean the same cape you often use to clean your hands off the many substances we work with? Including highly flammable ones?”

 The Eliatrope had the decency to blanch as realisation dawned on him. “Oh.”

“‘Oh’ is right.” Grougaloragran deadpanned. 

Amalia could only look back and forth between the quarreling brothers, incredulous, all the while she grew poignantly aware of the growing fire that wouldn’t take long to reach them just a few metres away from them. Somebody needed to do something, and they were done for if those two didn’t get their priorities in order. 

“Guys!” She screeched, finally drawing their attention, the two of them blinking down at her in clear surprise. Amalia tried to let the fact that they’d clearly forgotten she was even there in the first place slide. For now. They had more pressing matters to tend to. “Hate to interrupt, but in case you forgot, there’s a fire in the middle of your workshop!”

Flinching at the reminder, the two of them had the decency to look chagrined for a moment, before the severity of the situation dawned on them and they shook their heads in unison. They had to focus. 

“Any ideas on how to deal with that?” Chibi asked. 

Grougaloragran shook his head, while Amalia said, “I’m afraid I can’t do much either. My powers are connected to plant-life; I highly doubt my vines will be of much help save for serving as kindling.”

She silently cursed her luck. All that training with Master Glip to be able to think fast in times of crisis, and the first threat she faced without Yugo by her side had to be the only one where she was virtually useless. Ecaflip had to be having a field trip with her. 

The dark-haired dragon raised an eyebrow. “What about your dolls? You said they can be used for a great variety of purposes, including clearing the air from toxins.” But Amalia just shook her head sadly at his suggestion. 

“While it’s true I could use my dolls to try and absorb the fire, they’re all in my garden at the moment. Too far away from me to summon them. And I’m still working on developing the seeds needed to create a bunch of portable, rapid-growth ones. They won’t arrive on time.”

“Wait, that’s it!” Chibi startled his two companions, an idea already forming in his mind. He pointed at the fire and instructed, “Grougal, blow the fire!”

“What?!” The dragon sputtered. “Chibi, you know Grougaloragran cannot do that! If he does, all he will do is breathe fire, which will only make matters worse!”

“Yeah… I don’t think the whole ‘fight fire with fire’ thing will really be useful in this context…” Amalia had to agree, air-quoting. 

Chibi smacked his head, cursing himself for his inappropriate wording. “Wait, no, that’s not it. I meant the opposite of blowing!”

“You mean breathe in?” The doll offered. 

“Yes, exactly!” He turned to Grougal. “Brother, you are a dragon! Fire cannot hurt your lungs. If anyone can inhale the fumes and the flames and come out unscathed, that’s you.”

Grougaloragran’s eyes widened as he realised his brother had a point. He had to at least try. With a confident nod, he strutted closer to the burning table, the fire spreading all over the small space yet thankfully remaining relatively controlled for the time being. Firmly planting his feet on the sleek surface of the floor, the dragon took a deep breath, his back arching as he inhaled all the air around him and, with it, the flames. His throat felt a little scratchy from the smoke and the tongues of fire licking at his esophagus, but he pushed through. He’d had worse whenever the chef felt like cooking something spicy for dinner. 

He didn’t stop until he was sure he had everything. Only then did he swallow the hot sensation back down, a small burp escaping him and tendrils of smoke peeking out of his nostrils as he apologised sheepishly. 

And just like that, the crisis had been aborted. They could finally release the collective breath of relief they had all been folding. 

“See, I told you there was no reason to panic.” Chibi said, standing proud with his hands on his hips.

Only for the fire to start up again no sooner had the air left their lungs.

“Okay, time to panic.” The Eliatrope squeaked, eye twitching. 

And panic they did. 

Any semblance of calm and level-headedness flew right out of the nonexistent window at the sight of the persistent flames, all that was left was collective hysteria. The three of them began to run around in circles like headless chickens all around the area, their arms flailing wildly around them as they screamed.

Well, Amalia was going in circles and flailing her arms around, her green ponytail a frazzled mess. Chibi and Grougaloragran were standing face to face as the latter repeatedly shook the former by the shoulders, all the while the Eliatrope kept smacking his twin in the forehead, both of them frantically yelling at the other to ‘Think, think, think!’

They all froze when the crackling got more intense, hazel, golden, and brown eyes owlishly and comically large as they observed the flames grow higher for a few agonising seconds. Only for all Shukrute to break loose when the fiery tongues started making their way towards them. 

And to think it all came from an object the size of their palm!

Rushing forward to the other side of the workshop in a blind panic, only to collide against the walls, not for the first time that day Amalia had to bite back her personal, very justified opinion on how ironic and downright moronic was that a pair of design enthusiasts like Chibi and Grougal didn’t think it appropriate to have windows in their own work zone. Lips pursed into a tight line that only barely kept her groaning at bay, she punched the wall in frustration, grimacing at the ache coursing through her fist right after. 

Her face contorted in pain, she shook her hand in hopes of ridding it of the unpleasant sensation when she caught sight of a blinking light from the corner of her eye. Doing a double take, she snapped her head to the side, where she stood, frozen and cursing their clear struggles with working under pressure, slapping a hand against her forehead.

Because right as there was a fire going on around them, one they had no idea how to put out, Chibi and Grougaloragran were busy trying to save their many ongoing projects, prototypes, surviving tools, and books. The dragon scurried to grab as much as he could into his large arms, only to then unceremoniously drop them into the portal his Eliatrope twin kept open as he told him to hurry up or not to forget certain things. 

Amalia could feel her eye twitch.

Mustering every ounce of self-control she possessed not to screech at them, she uttered, her voice deceivingly calm, “Chibi, aren’t you an Eliatrope?”

The aforementioned Eliatrope and his dragon twin halted in their task long enough to send her a confused glance. Now wasn’t the time to be playing ‘Captain Obvious’! 

“Um, yeah? Obviously.” He shared a bewildered glance with Grougal, mentally asking each other if the stress had got to her and she had officially lost it. “Why do you ask?”

“Then why don't you just open a portal to get rid of the faulty prototype that threatens to burn us alive?!” She couldn’t take it anymore, she finally screeched, one hand pointing meaningfully at the ‘faulty prototype’ in question while her own glare burned holes into the twins’ skulls. 

Eliatrope and Dragon just blinked, the latter still carrying as many salvageable things as he could in his arms while the former kept the portal open. After a beat where the very irate doll’s words sank in, their mouths formed a perfect ‘o’ shape. 

“…Huh. Good call.” Chibi conceded at last. 

“Chibi!” Amalia snapped, urging him to wake up and do something.

“Right, right.” Raising his palms up, he dropped the portal he had already created and redirected his hands towards the table holding the source of their anxiety. Hands facing towards the fire, he willed a small vortex of wakfu to materialise right beneath the more than busted cellphone, the swirling energy engulfing it and, unbeknownst to them, scaring the living daylights out of a family that had been lounging around in the shore while on a beach outing as it unceremoniously plopped right into the ocean without a warning. 

And just like that, the fire was gone. This time for good. 

After a beat and making sure nothing else would suddenly combust, all Grougal could do was deadpan, “…Grougaloragran and Chibi cannot keep postponing to install a system of sprinklers in their workshop. It would have saved them a lot of trouble.”

All the air leaving her lungs in one enormous sigh of relief, Amalia fell down to the floor, the stressful experience leaving her practically boneless. “Oh, thank Sadida! I thought I was a goner for good!”

“Hey! Not to be disrespectful, but I’m the one who saved the day!” Chibi felt the need to point out, only for the doll’s unforgiving glare to shut him up. 

Grougaloragran shrugged, letting out a heavy sigh, “Back to the drawing board. Clearly, Baltazar’s books were wrong.”

But Chibi just shook his head. “Nah, his books are never wrong. My money’s on the materials being the problem. Clearly, we still haven’t found the right replacements.”

Her heartbeat back to normal, Amalia perked up at that, her interest piqued. She raised to her feet, her head tilted to the side in curiosity, as she took a few cautious steps towards the two inventors. “What do you mean the materials are the problem? And why are you talking about replacements?”

The Eliatrope gestured with his hand for her to get closer, before picking up a half-burnt piece of scrap metal from the scorched table—not without yelping and blowing hurriedly at it to cool it off—and showing it to her. 

“Cellphones are made with a special type of mineral known as ‘Eliatan’.” He began to explain. “It’s essential for them to work, as it channels the wakfu around them so the device becomes receptive to the radio waves coming from the Wakfu Core, hence, allowing the cellphone to connect to the Wik-Fi Network.”

Grougal continued, “Eliatan was fairly common in our homeworld, but apparently nonexistent here.” After a moment’s worth of consideration, he added, “Although, that isn’t necessarily surprising. After all, the Great Goddess is the source of all wakfu in the universe; it is only natural a world of her creation meant for her people would be more closely connected to life energy than one where no one worships her.”

Amalia didn’t have time to process that piece of information before Chibi went on with the improvised lecture:

“Even the inanimate objects were charged with wakfu!” The white-haired Eliatrope pointed out. Then he turned back to Amalia. “We’ve been trying to look for similar materials to build our new cellphones from, but there just doesn’t seem to be any homologues here on the World of Twelve. We thought we could always change our approach and that maybe the answer would be elsewhere, but…” He trailed off. 

“Clearly, we were wrong.” Grougal finished for him with a huff. 

Amalia didn’t know what to say, she didn’t know what to even do. She really wished she could help them, but she was a Sadida Doll, her specialty was plants, not machines. She feared there really was nothing she could do to solve the problem. The realisation sent a painful pang to her heart; it was clear if Chibi and Grougal were so insistent on seeing this particular invention through, it had to be important.

Just then, as she was about to offer her condolences to the twins, she registered a faint motion from the corner of her eye. Following her line of sight, she took notice of a small petal falling from the flower pots located above their small station. An eager grin lifted her lips as an idea came to mind. 

“Then why don’t you stop trying to use inanimate objects?” She blurted out, startling the twins out of their conversation. 

“Come again?” Grougal said, raising an eyebrow. 

Amalia pushed through. “You said the World of Twelve is not as charged with wakfu as your homeworld, so there aren’t any raw materials that can channel its energy like you want them to, correct?”

They both nodded, trying to understand where she was getting to. 

“Then why don’t you try using materials that do have wakfu? Shouldn’t that make things easier?”

Chibi and Grougal exchanged a look of surprise, before turning their gazes back ahead as they pondered her hypothesis. “In theory,” Chibi began, his voice laced with caution, “that could work. After all, that does guarantee the wakfu will flow better. But what could we even use to achieve that? We can’t just take animals and use them as living batteries!”

“It would be extremely inhumane.” Grougaloragran agreed solemnly. 

“Then how about plants?” Amalia smirked. Then, under their astonished gazes, she stepped closer to the hanging pots and stood on her tippy toes as she gingerly picked one of the flowers up and presented it over to them. “Wakfu flows through plants naturally, and this way you could plant them all around the island in order to have a wide network. As for how humane it is…” She shrugged, trying to hide her own unease. “Well, it depends on if the process would hurt or not, and whatever the answer, we could always ask them first.”

“It wouldn’t hurt.” Chibi blurted out so fast he surprised even himself. “Unless we’re talking about a very high dose, enough to far exceed a mortal’s limits, having wakfu ‘injected into your system’,” he air-quoted, “feels more like a boost in energy than anything.”

“Then, what are we waiting for?” Amalia smiled. “Let’s give these little ones a boost.”

“But Grougaloragran and Chibi aren’t botanists.” The dragon pointed out. He hated to be the one poking holes at their plan, but they couldn’t keep going in blindly about it. It would be too risky. “We do not know how to make this work.”

“Luckily for you, I do.” The doll grinned proudly, bringing a hand to her chest. She looked back down at the flower in her hand and gently caressed it with a finger. “I can use my magic to better prepare it for the energy intake, but I will need you to infuse it with wakfu. As you said, the World of Twelve is different to your homeworld, even if life energy flows through plant-life—.”

“It might react differently to the waves coming from the Wik-Fi Network.” Chibi finished for her, eyes widening as he finally understood where the doll was trying to get at. 

If Amalia was right, that could indeed be the answer to their problems! All they would need to do was to develop a new species of flower—which should be a piece of cake with a Sadida Doll by their side—and plant them all over Oma Island. It certainly was different from usual, maybe it would even pose a bit of a challenge, but the possibilities were endless…

He turned to his dark-haired brother. “What do you say? Wanna give it a try?”

After a moment of consideration, Grougal just shrugged. “It can’t be worse than almost setting the workshop on fire…” A puff of air escaped him when an enthused Chibi excitedly grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him flush to his side in a side hug. But even as he rolled his eyes at his twin’s antics, the dragon couldn’t help the small, affectionate smile that formed on his lips. 

Now that they had Grougaloragran’s approval, Chibi and Amalia grinned at each other with starry eyes, a sense of anticipation bubbling up inside them. The Eliatrope didn’t waste any time coming to stand beside the doll. 

“So, what do you need us to do?”

Amalia looked down at the flower in her hands, then at the sleek, metallic floor, and back up at Chibi, her brow furrowed in concentration as she pondered her options. 

“Can you get me a pot with some soil in it? I need to plant this somewhere for my idea to work.”

With a nod, Chibi looked over at Grougal, who was already ten steps ahead of him with a small ceramic pot and some ground at the ready. He took it out of his twin’s hands and placed it on the floor and right in front of Amalia, just like she requested. 

It was Amalia’s turn. She crouched down in front of the pot and dug into the soil a little bit with her free hand, enough so she could safely place the flower inside it. Glancing up at the Eliatrope, she motioned with her hand for him to follow, silently urging him to come to stand at her eye-level. 

Delicately touching the white petals with both hands, she instructed, “First, I’m going to transfer some of my magic to the flower in order to prepare it for the sudden intake of wakfu it’s about to receive. At my signal, I need you to synchronise its energy with the waves coming from the Wakfu Core. Do you think you can do that?”

“Like Grougal said, it can’t hurt to try.”

Knowing that was the best they were probably going to get, Amalia nodded her head and took a deep breath to steady herself. As she let her fingers mindlessly trail over the snow-white petals at her reach, she concentrated on the familiar energy at her fingertips, letting it transfer from the flower to her veins. At the same time as the flower’s wakfu coursed all over her body, she willed her own life force to redirect itself towards the bud, allowing her lips to lift upwards into a small smile as she sensed the process strengthening her little friend’s core and preparing it for what lay ahead. 

That ever-present mysterious pull made its presence known once more, but instead of getting distracted by trying to trace it back to its source, Amalia welcomed it, taking advantage of the small energy boost it granted her.

Eyes never leaving the task at hand, she called out for the inventor, “Now, Chibi.”

Acting fast, Chibi placed his own hands on top of Amalia’s. He couldn’t help the small gasp that escaped his throat as he felt the current of wakfu transfering itself both ways. Shaking his head back into focus, he mimicked the doll’s actions, closing his eyes; only he was trying to link the flower’s energy with the waves coming from the Wakfu Core. 

After what felt like an eternity of futilely searching and fearing they would have to give up, a jolt ran down his system. 

That was it. That was the core’s signature! 

Refusing to let it slip away, Chibi reached out for the wave of energy he just sensed and mentally pulled. He pulled with all his might until the links between the flower and the core were within touching distance and, with one final push, he tied them all together. 

Grougaloragran’s astonished gasp was the only thing that broke them out of their trance. 

Hazel and brown eyes snapping open in surprise, all Amalia and Chibi could do was stare in gleeful disbelief at the sight in front of them. The flower’s stem had grown exponentially, to the point it now probably reached past their waists if they stood at their full height. While it had yet to fully bloom when Amalia had picked it out, its beautiful white petals were now open wide and proud, revealing a beautiful, blue swirling vortex where the seeds used to be. 

“Did it work?” The doll asked, equally parts fascinated and apprehensive by their possible scientific breakthrough.

“Only one way to find out.” Grougaloragran said, reaching a hand out towards the flower. Closing his eyes, he projected his own wakfu onto the plant and waited. After a beat where a heavy silence reigned over all three of them, the dragon’s golden eyes snapped open when he heard the telltale sound of a working phone line on the other end of the connection. 

“It… It works!” He exclaimed, his voice tremulous, as if he couldn’t believe it himself. And he certainly wouldn’t have believed it hadn’t he heard it for himself.

Chibi and Amalia broke down in celebratory cheers at the news, hugging each other tightly for their successful teamwork, each of them insisting it was all the other’s doing and that they had merely helped. They even brought a still catatonic Grougal into the hug, the sudden action snapping him out of it as he half-heartedly tried to pry them off of him, the grin never leaving his face no matter how much he tried to hide it. 

After they calmed down a little, remembering they wanted to establish an island-wide network, with a swirl of her hand over the flower’s centre, Amalia summoned a sizable amount of seeds she then entrusted to the inventors. All they needed to do was plant them around Oma and their Wik-Fi Network would be good to go!

And with that, they all bid each other goodbye for the time being, still buzzing from their success. 

As the doll left the workshop for the day, secretly hoping she wouldn’t have to come back in a really long time despite her giddiness at having been of help, all three of them failed to realise the books she originally came looking for were laid forgotten on the table she’d been seated at upon arriving. Or the fact that Baltazar didn’t ask for them when he met up with either of them later on. 

.........................................................................................................................

The upside of living on a tropical island was that temperatures tended to remain cool and pleasant. Even at night, whenever a storm wasn’t brewing, the air would remain consistently warm, with only the slightest bit of crispness as gentle breezes ensured the heat wouldn’t become unbearably stuffy. Not to mention the clear view of the beautiful stellar canvas shining above the territory, guiding sailors and travellers alike to safe port, as well as providing wonderful scenery for anyone out and about. Something to get lost gazing at. 

But even idyllic landscapes weren’t immune to cloudy weather, even when the weather was nice. And dense clouds traversing harmlessly through the dark canvas of the nighttime sky was the perfect cover when one wanted to do some surveillance without being noticed. 

While the dark plumage all over her body offered great camouflage, the same couldn’t be said for her wings—between their rather striking colouration and her considerable wingspan, remaining hidden as she glided over the island was proving itself to be more trouble than she had originally anticipated. But it had to be done. While she usually didn’t like to get involved until the right time had come, she was the only one with the aerial skills required for her current mission. 

If they wanted to learn more about Amalia and the Eliatropes, they couldn’t afford to wait until they were allowed into the next political gathering. If they wanted information, they had to go straight to the source and get it themselves. 

Coqueline had offered to send her seagulls once again to keep watch and to report back to them, but her leader quickly dismissed the idea. As useful as the demigoddess Osamodas’ powers were for stealth and infiltration missions, especially when they could just send a seemingly unsuspecting animal to gather intel for them, it was a risk they couldn’t take at the moment. Not after that periwinkle, legless dragon seemed to have sensed they were being watched, even if he apparently didn’t figure out the birds flying around Oma were the cause of his unease.

With one mighty flap of her wings, she abandoned her hiding spot and ventured a little closer to the palace, all the while keeping a sizable distance in case she needed to retreat. Her sneaky eyes narrowed as they took in the light coming from what Coqueline had assured her were the Sadida Doll’s chambers. Although they weren’t exactly easy to miss—it was the only room in the entirety of the palace that more closely resembled a greenhouse than someone’s private quarters.

She bit back a low curse. While there was light coming from inside and the shadows reflected on the walls indicated movement, Amalia remained out of sight. Her nightly routine most likely took place away from the balcony or the large windowpane leading to it. And to make matters worse, she was beginning to get tired. Though she wasn’t a stranger to remaining afloat for extended periods of time, she was beginning to yearn for a place from where to perch herself to, but alas, the Brotherhood’s goal wouldn’t allow it. 

Not when she could become an easy target with her talons gripping a railing. 

Her mother must have been paying attention to her plight and, as always, decided to remain completely unhelpful to her child, for just as she tried to get a little bit closer to get a better look at Amalia’s room and the doll herself, she caught movement from the corner of her eyes. 

Head swiveling to the side, her bright yellow orbs shrunk significantly as she caught sight of a humanoid white-and-blue dragon headed her way. The snarl on his maw and shining blue eyes alerting her that, much like the periwinkle dragon, he must have sensed her, draconic wings fluttering almost frantically as he searched for the intruder and possible threat. Momentarily frozen on the spot, she vaguely remembered Count Harebourg identifying an identical-looking dragon as King Yugo’s very own twin and right-hand man, which would only seal her fate if she were to be caught, before snapping out of it and commencing her retreat.

But even as she used the dark veil of the night to cover her tracks and hide herself from view, the Eliatrope dragon was relentless in his pursuit. Only a few metres of distance kept her from getting captured and their plans being put in jeopardy. Then, as she failed to lose her pursuant even after diving headfirst towards the ocean, only to do a feint at the very last second and ascend once again, she couldn’t help but slap her forehead in frustration when she realised his enhanced senses—the same that had allowed him to recognise her presence in the first place—most likely meant he had locked in on her. 

It would take nothing sort of a miracle to escape. 

The wind whipping through her locks, she frowned and groaned in resignation. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to resort to this, as it would risk her anonymity and temporarily unveil her identity, but it was shaping itself up to be her only chance. 

Loathe as she was to admit it, it was better to leave clues behind but to escape than to let yourself be captured. 

Thus, with a resigned sigh, she spread her wings wide and concentrated all her power within her very core. As soon as it reached its apex, her energy expanded all over her body, a faint purple light momentarily outlining and emphasising her features. Then, under the astonished gaze of the dragon hot on her trail, a series of particles detached themselves from her body. Taking advantage of the fact that her back was to him, she took one of those particles in her hand, right at the same time as her pursuer came back to his senses and sped forward with the intention of apprehending her. 

However, just as she could feel his claws graze her back, there was a bright flash of light that forced her would-be capturer to halt mid-air and shield his eyes. When he lowered his forearm after a few seconds, his jaw dropped. 

She had vanished without a trace. 

Or so he thought. Blinking rapidly a few times to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him allowed him to realise their runaway intruder hadn’t been as sneaky as she thought. Eyes darting towards the clues she left behind, he didn’t waste a second and dove, reaching out for them. 

.........................................................................................................................

Yugo waited in his balcony for Adamaï to come back to report his findings during the night shift of their patrol, barely stifling a yawn. He might be used to waking up with the dawn of day, but that necessarily didn’t mean he couldn’t be tired still. Especially when he stayed up late revising some urgent documents. 

Kingship was a full-time job. 

The ears on his hood perked up as he finally made out the advancing form of his twin, headed straight towards him. He raised a hand in the air to enthusiastically wave at him, only for his smile to falter at the expression on Adamaï’s face. He was far too alert and on edge for someone who had just pulled an all-nighter. 

Something was wrong. 

He made sure to ask him about it as soon as he landed in front of him. “Ad, is everything alright?”

Adamaï didn’t beat around the bush, he wasn’t sure they could even afford to, “I caught someone spying on us last night.” He winced as he forced himself to look his brother in the eye for what he was about to reveal, “I found them near Amalia’s room.”

Yugo’s blood turned cold. Eyes flashing angrily and protectively, his voice grew steely, “They ran away, didn’t they?”

“She.” Adamaï corrected him, but that didn’t change the fact that the ‘she’ in question wasn’t apprehended by his side at the moment. “But yes, she ran away.”

“Wait, ‘she’? Ad, did you get a good look at her?” He cursed his luck when his brother shook his head in the negative. But of course, they couldn’t be so lucky so as to at least know who to look for. 

Once again, Adamaï could only wince. 

“Not exactly… But, I can tell you this much: it wasn’t a Cra. She wasn’t riding any birds like their soldiers.” He rushed out to say, knowing that was Yugo’s next question. Then, he rubbed his neck sheepishly, averting eye contact. “To tell you the truth, Lil’ Bro, I’m not even sure what she was.”

Yugo’s brow furrowed in confusion at his admission. “What can you tell me about her? How do you even know it’s a woman, was it your wakfu vision?”

“Not quite.” The dragon admitted. “Her wakfu definitely hinted at her being female, but I didn’t fully confirm it until I was about to catch up to her, when she ran away.”

The king gestured for him to go on, his arms crossed as he listened to his twin’s retelling intently. He never in a million years would have been able to guess what Adamaï said next:

“Right as I was gaining on her she suddenly… began to glow.” He confessed, moving his arms around and gesturing wildly as if that action would help him convey his story better. “This faint purple glow outlined her whole body, lighting up the night sky, and I could finally make out her form: she was definitely a woman, a winged woman at that, and I’m pretty sure I also saw a pair of horns on her head. 

“To tell you the truth, I was so taken aback that it affected my reaction time, because even as I finally shook the shock off and set out to close the distance between us, it was too late.” He heaved a heavy sigh. He looked Yugo square in the eye. “She disappeared.”

The Eliatrope’s eyes widened at the revelation, his stomach churning in worry. A winged, horned woman who was seemingly capable of teleporting herself away had been spying on them, more specifically, on Amalia? That spelled trouble. They would have to double down on their defences and urge their guards to keep an eye out at all times. Not to mention the upcoming headache that would be informing their siblings of the situation. He was most certainly not looking forward to Efrim's response to it in particular. 

Even so, he couldn’t keep his mind from wandering. Who could their mysterious intruder possibly be? Or, more glaringly, what? Judging from Amalia’s explanations on the twelve gods and their followers and his experiences with them back in Bonta, no Twelvian filled the criteria needed to identify the woman. 

Apparently, the Osamodas were master shapeshifters, though their actual level of skill varied from individual to individual, which would explain the wings and horns. And, now that he thought about it, not only did he remember sensing something odd about their royal family, but one of their princesses was apparently the Sadida’s future queen consort. In other words, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to believe they would have some kind of secret interest in Amalia. But, even so, what about the teleportation spell? As far as he knew, they were incapable of such a feat. That was something only Xelors and his very own people could do. And while he wouldn’t put it past that wretched Harebourg to watch Amalia for his own twisted pleasure—his blood boiled at the mere thought—, it couldn’t possibly be him. Not when Adamaï had identified the spy as female. 

That still didn’t explain how she managed to escape, however. A recall potion, perhaps?

“But,” his twin’s words broke him out of his thoughts. “Not all is lost. She left something behind when she ran away.” He said before gingerly dropping something into his king’s awaiting palm. 

Yugo stared, wide-eyed, at what he had in his hand, before bringing it to his eye-level to study it more closely. Bewilderment overtook his features as he stared back at Adamaï and back at what he had in hand. 

“Black, white, and red feathers?”

[guys-moments]

[snakeoil2]

Skytober, Day 16, Imaginators

That is three characters. I am surprised I managed it. The three are a magic knight, life brawler, and fire sorcerer. Flamlin, Bast, and Baltazar. I also tried to recreate the background from the creation screen, and it could've gone worse.

[isprinnytaken]

My cat Baltazar

I don't usually make posts but my cat passed away today after a tragic encounter with a car. The street my boyfriend and I live in is very busy and people speed there a lot. There are no speed bumps or signs there although it is packed with elderly folks and pets.

We hope to contact the city regarding this and try to make a change for cats, dogs, even people (lol) and our precious Baltazar.

In memory of him, I remind you; if you have an adventurous village cat that likes to spend time outdoors exploring, check on it, train it to fear cars etc.

Love ❤️