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Up here, the world finally felt wide enough to carry what he held inside.
He leveled out, angling himself toward the mainland. The wind roared past him, carrying the faint traces of magic from distant forests and mountains. Somewhere beneath all that, hidden under layers of distance and fading strength, was a familiar spark of dragon-slaying magic.
He focused, searching.
The farther he flew, the clearer the thread became. The Weak signature flickered like dying embers on the horizon—but it still stood out. A small, fragile aura pulsing irregularly, almost smothered by exhaustion.
Varion's chest tightened. He could feel it very faintly.That was Wendy.
He angled downward, wings cutting through the air with sharp precision as the faint aura grew clearer.
She was alive, barely and she was alone. Varion flew faster. Desperate to reach her.
The forest closed in around him as Varion dropped beneath the canopy, branches flashing past as he angled downward. The magic here was thick and unsettled, pressing against his senses in erratic waves, but it was easy to ignore compared to the single, fragile presence he was following. Wendy's aura flickered unevenly—still there, still alive, but stretched thin by exhaustion and fear.
He landed lightly and moved at once, breaking into a run that barely disturbed the ground beneath his feet. The pull of her magic guided him deeper into the woods, past tangled roots and fallen trunks, until he saw the hollow beneath the great tree.
She was curled there, sheltering herself as best she could. Dirt streaked her cheeks, and her clothes were torn and damp, evidence of days spent moving through the forest without rest. Scratches marked her arms and legs where branches or beasts had caught her, and her breathing came shallow and uneven. She stirred as he approached, eyes fluttering open in panic as she tried to push herself back.
"Hey," Varion said quietly, stopping a few steps away. "It's okay."
Fear flashed across her face, sharp and instinctive. She didn't recognize him—of course she didn't—but something in his presence cut through the terror before it could take hold. She sagged forward with a small broken sound escaping her.
Varion was there instantly, kneeling and catching her before she hit the ground. She trembled in his arms, fingers clutching weakly at his cloak as if it were the only solid thing left in the world.
"I couldn't… find anyone," she whispered, voice cracked and dry. "I tried…"
"Shhh, You did enough, great even" Varion said softly, pulling her closer. "You survived. That's what matters."
He wrapped the cloak around her, feeling how cold her skin was beneath his hands not from exposure alone, but from dehydration and fatigue. Her body had clearly been pushed past its limits. Three days without proper food or water would do that to anyone, especially a child.
Her head tipped forward against his shoulder as the last of her strength gave out. She didn't fully lose consciousness, but she slipped into a heavy, drifting state, breath slow and shallow, clinging to him with quiet desperation.
Varion closed his eyes briefly, steadying himself. The nearest village was far—too far to reach on foot quickly enough. He could feel it miles away, a faint cluster of human magic and hearth-fires beyond the forest.
He didn't hesitate.
Holding Wendy securely against his chest, he let his magic surge again. Horns surfaced smoothly, scales rippling across his skin beneath the cloak as his wings burst free in a rush of displaced air. The transformation was quick and controlled, Wendy barely stirred.
Varion launched upward through the trees, branches snapping beneath the force of his ascent. Once above the canopy, he angled forward and flew hard, wings beating in powerful, efficient strokes. The wind tore past him but he shielded Wendy instinctively, keeping her tucked safely against him.
Miles vanished beneath them in under a minute.
The forest gave way to rolling fields, then dirt roads, then the faint outline of buildings ahead. Smoke curled upward from chimneys, the scent of cooking food and hearth fires reaching him even from the air.
Relief loosened something tight in his chest.
He descended just beyond the village edge, wings folding away as he returned to human form without breaking stride. The sudden appearance of a red-haired boy carrying an injured child drew immediate attention, but Varion ignored the stares and went straight for the nearest house with lights on.
"Please," he said urgently to the startled villagers who rushed out, "she needs water and rest. She's been lost in the forest for three days."
That was all it took.
Hands reached out to help, voices rose in concern, and Wendy was carried inside where warmth and care awaited her. Varion stayed close as they laid her down, watching her breathing steady as she finally slept for real—safe, warm, and no longer alone.
Only then did he allow himself to breathe.
The village settled into a quieter rhythm once Wendy had been properly tended to. Warm water, clean bandages, and a simple meal worked quickly on exhaustion that had been building for days. She rested against the pillows, no longer trembling, eyes open now as she took in the unfamiliar room with cautious interest rather than fear.
Her gaze kept drifting back to Varion.
He noticed, of course. He always did.
"You don't look scared," he said gently, standing near the doorway with his arms folded loosely.
Wendy shook her head, a little embarrassed to be caught staring.
"No… just curious."
"About?"
"You," she admitted. "You came out of nowhere. And you didn't feel… bad. You feel familiar."
That earned a small smile from him.
" That sounds about right."
She shifted under the blanket, studying him more openly now. "What's your name?"
"Varion."
"…I like it," she decided, after a moment. "Are you a mage?"
"Yes," he answered simply.
That seemed to satisfy her. She relaxed back against the pillow, fingers fidgeting with the edge of the blanket as if testing whether she was really safe. After a few seconds, she spoke again, softer this time.
"Thank you… for finding me."
Varion inclined his head slightly.
"You don't need to thank me, I would have found you no matter how long it took."
When her breathing evened out again and she drifted into a lighter sleep, Varion stepped outside to give her space. The evening air was cool, carrying the distant hum of magic from the surrounding land. He let his senses extend outward, carefully this time, mapping what lay beyond the village.
That was when he felt them.
Two distant sparks, faint but unmistakable, flaring together at the very edge of his perception. Dragon-slaying magic—young, raw, and stubbornly bright. They were far away, separated from him by miles of wilderness, but close to each other, moving in rough, uneven bursts as if arguing or struggling without knowing why.
Sting and Rogue.
Varion exhaled slowly, eyes closing for just a heartbeat. They were alive. Exhausted, confused, but not cornered. Their instincts were keeping them together even if their memories didn't know why.
Good.
Behind him, the village remained calm, its people unaware of the dangers prowling the forest beyond the firelight. The beasts were still there—watching, waiting—but they were wary now, keeping their distance. They could wait.
The children couldn't.
Varion opened his eyes, the decision settling into place with quiet certainty. He would get the other two quickly, bring them back here, and then deal with the forest once everyone was safe. It was the order that made sense. It was the order his instincts demanded.
He stepped back inside long enough to speak to the woman tending Wendy.
"She'll be fine," the woman said confidently. "Rest and food will do the rest."
"I'll be back by morning," Varion replied. "If she wakes, tell her I stepped out to take care of something."
The woman hesitated, then nodded. Something about his voice left little room for doubt.
Varion stepped back into the night and let his magic rise and spike enough to scare off the beasts. Horns surfaced smoothly, scales rippling faintly beneath his cloak as his wings unfolded with a controlled rush of air. He launched upward beyond the treeline, angling his flight toward the distant pull of two stubborn, familiar sparks.
The forest passed beneath him in a blur as he accelerated, the village shrinking into darkness behind him
Varion reached them long before the sun fully crested the horizon.
They were far—far enough that even his sharpened senses had only barely caught them at first, two distant sparks burning stubbornly against the vastness of the land. Walking would have taken days. Waiting wasn't an option. So he had flown, wings cutting through the night air without hesitation, driven by a familiarity that tugged at him even now.
He descended silently into a shallowed clearing where the forest thinned into broken stone and scrub. A small, struggling fire burned at its center, more smoke than heat, and beside it sat two boys who looked far too young to be dealing with a world this unforgiving.
Sting was pacing in tight, irritated loops, kicking loose pebbles as if the ground itself had personally offended him.
"This is stupid," he snapped. "We land in the middle of nowhere, there's monsters everywhere, and you're just sitting there like that's fine."
Rogue sat with his back against a boulder, knees drawn up, eyes fixed on the tree line. He hadn't moved much, but his attention never wavered.
"Complaining won't help," he said quietly. "We should stay alert."
Sting scoffed. "You've been saying that all night."
"And you've been loud all night."
Varion stepped out of the trees.
He didn't announce himself. He didn't need to. The moment his presence crossed into the clearing, both boys reacted on instinct alone. Sting spun around, magic flaring sharply, feet shifting into a defensive stance before his mind fully caught up. Rogue rose more slowly, but there was no mistaking the readiness in his posture.
Varion stopped a few steps away, hands relaxed at his sides, posture open.
"Easy," he said calmly. "I'm not here to fight."
Sting narrowed his eyes. "Then why'd you sneak up on us?"
"I didn't," Varion replied evenly. "You were arguing."
Rogue studied him closely, gaze sharp and searching. "You don't feel like a normal mage."
Varion nodded once. "I'm a dragon slayer like you 2."
That left the 2 slightly stunned
Varion looked between them, something complicated flickering behind his eyes—recognition, relief, and a restraint that hadn't been necessary the last time he'd seen them like this.
"I know this is going to sound strange," he said after a moment, "but I didn't come here by chance. I came because I was looking for you."
Sting crossed his arms. "We don't know you."
"I know," Varion said. "But I knew you before."
The words landed heavier than he'd intended.
Rogue stiffened slightly. "Before… what?"
"Before you lost your memories," Varion answered, voice steady. "When you came through the Eclipse gate, something was taken from you. Not your skills. Not your instincts. Just… just parts of your past."
Sting scoffed, but there was hesitation now. "You're saying we forgot people?"
"Yes."
"And you expect us to believe you were one of them?"
Varion met his gaze without flinching. "I was there when it happened. I watched it happen."
Rogue's brow furrowed. "Why?"
"It was a side effect of something your parents did" Varion replied.
The fire crackled between them, throwing light across faces that looked far too young for the weight settling into the air.
Sting looked away first, jaw tight. "If that's true… then why do you act like you already know me?"
Varion hesitated then told him honestly.
"Because you haven't changed," he said. "You're loud. Reckless. Stronger than you think. And you argue when you're scared."
Sting snapped his head back. "I'm not scared!"
Rogue glanced at him. "…You kind of are."
Sting bristled. "Traitor."
Varion almost smiled.
"I didn't walk here," he added, shifting the subject before emotions could spiral further. "You were too far away. I flew because time mattered which means I'm in a hurry."
Rogue's eyes widened slightly. "You flew…?"
"Yes," Varion said simply. "And I'll carry you back just as fast. There's somewhere safer than this, and someone else who needs rest more than either of you."
Sting frowned. "Someone else?"
Varion nodded. "The youngest of the 5 of you slayers that was sent here."
Something in his tone cut through the irritation. Both boys felt it—the unspoken urgency, the protectiveness that didn't feel fake.
Rogue straightened. "If you're lying—"
"I'm not," Varion said. "But you don't have to trust me yet. Just don't waste energy arguing in the open. That habit will get you killed."
A distant roar echoed through the forest, low and heavy enough to vibrate through the stone.
Sting swallowed. "…Okay. Maybe I was being a little loud."
Varion inclined his head. "Good."
He went to a clearer area to get ready.
They hesitated only a moment before following him.
Varion didn't bother asking if they were ready.
Magic rolled outward from him in a controlled surge, subtle but unmistakable. The air itself seemed to thicken, lifting Sting and Rogue just enough that their weight vanished from the ground.
"Hey—!" Sting yelped, feet leaving the earth. "I didn't say you could do that!"
Rogue stiffened but didn't struggle, instinctively relaxing when he realized the force holding them was steady—supportive, not restraining.
Varion's wings unfurled in a smooth, practiced motion. With a single powerful beat, he rose into the air, the two boys carried alongside him in a firm but gentle magical hold that kept them upright and close.
The wind rushed past, but it wasn't violent. The magic around them adjusted automatically, dampening the pressure and keeping their balance steady.
Sting, unfortunately, still screamed.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Varion glanced sideways.
"You're fine," he said calmly.
"I AM VERY MUCH NOT—!"
Without breaking flight, Varion reached out and flicked two fingers sharply against the back of Sting's head.
Thwap.
"Lower your voice," he said. "You're embarrassing yourself."
Sting sputtered in midair. "…You hit me."
"Yes."
Rogue looked between them, then sighed. "You kind of deserved it."
"I HATE BOTH OF YOUUUUUU!!!."
-Small time skip-
Varion angled downward as the village lights came into view, flight slowing naturally as he descended. The magic eased them gently back to the ground just outside the village, feet touching down without even a stumble.
The moment they were stable, Varion turned away.
"Stay here," he said, already moving. "Don't wander, I need to go check on someone."