Alexx gathered his thoughts as he took a breather. While he put the mask and sword away, he watched Silas murmuring and laughing at his own jokes, picking up some of the bullets he fired, as well as pieces of stone and wood that were smaller than his hand. There wasn't a scratch on the wily Bacoot, and he seemed no different after engaging in a flying Kagral. Another hymn whistled from the old rat's lips, signifying that nothing had bothered him. His thoughts were interrupted by another explosion coming from the top of the tower.

  "It's tha' dragon!" Silas shouted, "Com on, ah bet tha's where Trandin is!"

  Alexx stood and followed Silas a fair distance, deliberately keeping his steps slow. Silas was already out of sight before he took the first step upwards. The thought again entered his mind to try and leave, but was convinced again by the Bacoots sense of smell, as well as Trandin being nearby. His luck of getting away a second time seemed less than the first time. He trudged up the steps, wishing the dragon would kill them before he made it.

  He passed through two more empty floors until he heard a commotion. "Trandin!" Alexx heard Silas crying up above as the sounds of swordfish ting followed. Curious, Alexx hurried the rest of the way to see the Swordsman clashed with another figure with a pale gray face, black hair and a purple robe enshrouding his entire body. Alexx noticed the tattoo lines interconnected on his face. A giant needle-like weapon hovered around him, moving freely without being held as it parried and attacked Trandin.

  It's like it has a mind of its own... Alexx assumed the cloaked man was using some form of magic to manipulate the weapon. He looked to see Trandin in a deep trance; eyes intently focused on his target, breathing

  heavily, and moving slowly. He looked as worn out as before, and now with spots on his arms and legs bleeding. As the enemy's weapon moved sporadically, Trandin followed in kind. The level of focus he needed to keep up with the object was difficult for Alexx to keep up with.

  "Looks like he could use some help." Silas looked at Alexx. Begrudgingly, Alexx sneaked forward and readied his sword to strike. As he went to swing, the man with black hair took notice. He stepped back then flew away just as the pirate swordsman struck. Alexx hadn't seen a man fly away without wings before. The amount of magic he could see coming off the stranger was astounding. Alexx locked eyes with the man staring back at him.

  "Who are you?" said the man, needle floating to his right.

  "Pirate Captain Alexx Junder," he said forgetting the part he was playing in front of Silas, "Who are you?"

  "Makido, loyal servant of Senkazital," he said in a dreamy, young voice, "You are the one who released our master?"

  "You know about that? Word travels fast..."

  "You have my deepest gratitude. Because of you, I may soon walk this planet under his glorious cloud of splendor."

  "Well that wasn't my intention—"

  "Where is Kryll?" Makido asked, "He was down there before, and I just noticed I cannot sense him."

  "Yeah, and he's dead now."

  "Kagral cannot truly be killed—"

  "Blah, blah, blah, that's what Kryll said, I get it!"

  "So impatient," Makido sighed, "Senkazital requests you return that mask, Alexx Junder. You have been a disloyal vassal."

  "This ain't no vessel!" Silas shouted stepping forth, to Alexx's dismay, "I'm a gittin' tired a you purple feller, you best be ready ta join yer batty friend in tha' void!"

  Makido looked down upon Silas, his brow crooked, "What is this creature doing here?"

  "Huckle B Silas, I am tha' personal gawrd of the child o' prophecy!"

  The atmosphere drastically shifted after Silas' words. Trandin shuffled his feet and knelt down close to Silas while Makido's eyes widened and the needle began shifting.

  "Little Bacoot," Trandin said with short breath, "When you say you are his personal guard, does that mean you have seen the child?"

  "I shur hav!" Silas replied in shouts of excitement.

  "How can this be?" Makido shouted, "And so soon? How was he found?"

  "He was frozen in ice deep in the south, where four Tutle brothers found him!"

  Alexx screams internally, realizing every lie he told Silas was about to be exposed.

  "Where is he now?" Trandin asked, almost in conjunction with Makido.

  "Rite cheer!" Silas pointed at Alexx. Alexx froze completely, both sets of eyes on him, his tongue in shock.

  "Are you kidding me?" Trandin said, bewildered, "You told him you're the child of prophecy?"

  "Alexx is the child..." Makido muttered.

  "Of all the bone-headed things to do, you had to take people's hope and use it to save yourself?" Trandin shouted.

  Alexx shrugged, staying silent.

  "It all makes sense now..." Makido said, catching everyone's attention, "Yes it's very clear, that's why you're looking for the Moon's Heart, and why he wanted you to free him. But, you're gathering people underneath you, and Kryll... you already have the strength to beat him. I have to kill you now, before everything gets out of hand."

  Makido disappeared from Alexx's sight. A bone freezing chill ran down his back. Silas shouted for him to move, but to where Alexx was unsure. Suddenly, he felt a presence appear directly above him. He looked up to see the point of Makido's weapon coming directly towards his head.

  Silas shot the weapon away before it could skewer Alexx. Silas joined his side, "Alexx, this fellers strong, if we keep on, we won' hav it in us ta kill the dragon!"

  "What about Makido?" He had asked Silas, before he noticed another incoming attack. Trandin unleashed a blast of air past Alexx's head, launching the needle into the wall. Surprised the pirate looked over to the bird man stepping between them and Makido.

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  "Thanks?" Alexx said, with uncertainty.

  "Don't thank me at all," Trandin quickly replied, "I was going to let you die, I did leave you a couple of twice now. But now, I see you've put yourself in something far worse," Trandin eyed Silas and smirked, "I only wish I could watch it all fall apart.

  "Wha' d'you mean, sir?" Silas asked Trandin.

  "Noble Bacoot," Trandin replied, ignoring the question, "Take this man to fulfill his destiny. Don't let him out of your sight, and make sure he never falters from his path." Trandin locked eyes with Alexx. Alexx was wide eyed, red faced, and scowling.

  "What are you doing?" Alexx growled.

  "Giving you what you deserve." Trandin smirked.

  The Swordsman rushed to finish before Makido could pry the needle from the wall.

  "Go, Silas, I'll look out for you!" Trandin screamed.

  Without a word, Silas pushed a reluctant Alexx up the steps.

  "No!" Alexx let slip a cry of hesitation. But Silas kept pushing, he was surprisingly strong. Alexx could have fought harder, but Makido scared him with his blinding speed. When they had a moment to themselves, Silas stopped pushing. He was giving hip pats to Alexx as consolation.

  "Tha' was bee-you-ti-full, sir," Silas said softly, "Tha' way you cried out fer 'em, I coud feel the bond y'all share."

  Alexx didn't say anything because too many emotions were running through him at the moment. He had no idea that he could wish for death as much as he is in this moment. His feet began walking for the dragon even though confronting it was still not something he wanted.

  He climbed higher up the stairs, listening to the sounds of weapons dim in his ears and the sound of flames replace them. He looked ahead and the opening above him was a great distance. Bright orange flames surrounded the exit and covered the fallen rubble. Black smoke rose to the sky and concealed the outer view. The higher he climbed, the louder the new encounter became.

  He kept his pace until the end of the climb and at last he jumped through the flames and smoke out onto the other side. He stood and took a deep breath, accidentally inhaling some smoke. He felt slightly worn out from his climb.

  But before he could enjoy the morning air, he was met with an ear shattering roar. He looked before him and could see the great beast facing away from him, probably towards those pale green foes he saw before. It's size was so great, as great as a ship, but nowhere near the size of the kraken. He felt a little ease after finally meeting it, and admiring its scales, tail and claws his fear let up.

  He looked to Silas, who as always was raring to go, but was breathing heavier than usual, and wasn't keeping up like before. But Alexx could see that Silas was trying to hide it– keeping his head up, uttering incoherently, then laughing. The old Bacoot noticed Alexx looking at him and smiled, "Quite tha' beaut ain't she?"

  "Yeah!" Alexx chuckled in reply, "Never did think I'd—" The beast let out a fearsome roar, interrupting its praise.

  "What' was 'at?" Silas shouted.

  "I said, I never thought that I would—" A plume of flames cut his conversation short.

  "I didn' heer 'at either!"

  "I thought I would never—" It's tail thrashed and the dragon stomped its forelegs repeatedly.

  "Never mind!" The pirate moved towards the edge to see if he could spot the battle. He strained to see what the dragon was fighting, as it was ferociously stepping back and forth. He saw the two figures. One had the body of a boar, pale green fur, and stood like a man. The other seemed human, clothed head to toe with pale green metal armor. They both were large, and bulky and did not look tired.

  "Who would've thought the dragon would be the third strangest thing I saw today..."

  The dragon turned around and looked at Alexx and Silas. It made a complete about face, they heard the cries of hesitance, and the large Kagral in pale green armor fell off the bridge screaming. The other one caught the tail in its arms, and stopped from falling. It sank its teeth into the tail.

  Before the dragon could get a good look at Alexx and Silas, it reared back in pain, then curled its head to its tail. In an attempt to chomp the Kagral, it failed as the boar let go of the tail and grabbed the mouth. Alexx marveled at the strength of each monster being equal in strength.

  "I feel kinda sawry for it," Silas said, taking a knee.

  An idea struck Alexx, like the ones that got him into this situation.

  "Silas, hear me out," he said to the tired Bacoot, "What if we found a way to get it on our side?"

  "Ba-frind it? How in da worl' ah we gonna make frinds? You got sum dragon talk in ya?"

  "No, and I don't know how, but if we think about it; we could use more muscle against Senkazital, and it can fly. No need for a ship!"

  Alexx could see the idea inviting inspiration inside Silas' mind by the wide eyes and smile, with a slight sigh of relief with it.

  "I don't reckon thas a bad idear. No one says ya caint!"

  "Myodis!" the pig Kagral yelled. Alexx looked down, watching the Kai hit the ground. He watched for a minute to see any movement, hoping the impact did the job. But that thought vanished once Myodis began stirring.

  A thunderous force burst from the tower door. From the door, an eruption of wind bellowed. While the dragon was unaffected by the torrent, Alexx and Silas were swept away. They found themselves holding on the hindlegs of the dragon. In the air, particles of Energy were inlaid. Without a doubt, this was Trandin.

  "What's that Swordsman doing now?" Alexx forced himself to look. He had never seen such an attack of this scale used before, by anything. Silas mentioned something about the winds being so strong that the place where they come from had the power to shred things. Alexx imagined Makido ripping into pieces like paper.

  "Alexx!" Silas had cried out before it became impossible to see him. The dragon shifted, and Alexx found himself dangling in the air. He looked around and the landscape shrank, similar to when Rush took off from Lanrete. The feeling of relief from the danger of three highly evolved Kagral was mixed with the fear of falling the longer the dragon rose into the sky. Silas had tried to yell at Alexx but it fell on deaf ears. He looked back to see the pig, and Myodis together again on the bridge, watching them fly away. To his surprise he could make out a purple robe emerging from the tower. It was Makido, holding a shining white blade.