“I agree, it does sound completely ridiculous. I’ve never saved anything, let alone our world. I’m not exactly the heroic type.” I looked down at Vajra with a frown. He stared back, his face impassive and unreadable as it often was. “But there’s obviously something going on… something unnatural. The rumors coming out of Jurguard… there’s got to be a reason they exist, and that city isn’t exactly a safe-haven.” I turned my gaze back to hers. “If my master wanted [i]me[/i] to do something, then things are clearly much more dire than they seem. They’ve remained quiet for a long time. There’s been no news of their armies, no news of political standings… nothing. It’s like they’ve gone completely off the grid, and nobody can exactly go check up on them.” 

I mulled over the last part of her sentence, pursing my lips as I considered how to explain anything. “I can tell you anything you need to know… but not here. There are too many eavesdroppers.” I turned to look back at the funeral home, on one of the second floors I could see one of the sage’s watching us. He seemed panicked when I caught him and quickly retreated back into the building. “Here, come with-“ I felt it before I actually heard it. That rhythmic shift in my chest, the seeming split in personalities that signaled something very bad had happened. Vajra let out one long, angry growl. I looked down at him, spotting the familiar glint in his eyes. What caused it? “What Is it?” I followed his murderous gaze, out past the water to where the boats were. Wait… four? A scream echoed off the walls from out into the lake as the new boats closed the distance between the little dugouts that belonged to the workers guiding the coffins. I took a closer look at the twin masts, that insignia on the sails… “Jurguard.” I cursed as Vajra’s hair began to stand. “What are they doing?” 

“They’re taking the bodies.” Vajra replied, his voice deeper than before, angry but also more gravely. It sounded thousands of years older than he had before. Vajra was not the only one with us now. “I’ll stop them.” He said, shifting his stance to leap out into the water. “No. I need you to alert the council. Those ships probably have fifty or so soldiers?” 

“Fifty seven.” He corrected me. “I can feel them all from here.” 

“Good.” I turned to Myra with a pained expression. “I hope you can fight.” Vajra turned toward me, his eyes pitch black as the flames that had once danced within floated around his neck. I took the chains from my neck and dropped them onto his back where they wound themselves of their own accord, wrapping around his midsection, down each of his front legs and around his neck. He needed them to move large distances away from me. Without them I was like an anchor or a short leash to him. He couldn't leave. “Back to the temple. Tell Vex.” I ordered. The cat vanished on the spot, and I returned my attention to the boats as they came to a stop beside the dugouts. The city had erupted into chaos, screams ever present as the people on the streets struggled frantically to get back to their homes; to safety. I could feel it bubbling beneath the surface, the rage that I struggled to keep in check. If they succeeded in doing this… I would not be safe here. The city would not be safe. “Can you help me drive them out of the city? This will get complicated if I can't fight them full out.” my voice betrayed me, the anger coming through in my tone as I attempted to control myself for just a moment longer.