Goodbye For Now

Nearly a month had passed since Sigardus, Liam, and Titania had seen Pandrea, and everyone had reached the end of their training. The three had shared meals together and even done some training and sparring together. Each of them had gained individual mastery over their Shyfted and Armashyfted forms.

Everyone was asked to meet at the front gates and the group, Dalphia included, took a carriage to the outer gate that everyone entered through. Once there, everyone got out, and Liam walked directly over to the gate guard Ollie. Liam had changed over the month of training with the guard, skills, and strength earned to help him grow in the future.

"Thanks, Deacon! I thank you for what you have done for me! I hope to come back and visit one day!"

"You did good, kid. Don't start slacking just because I'm not there to watch you, hear me?"

"YES, SIR!"

Liam walked back to Titania and stood together, holding hands, watching the pacing Sigardus with smiles on their faces. Liam had loosened up over the last month, and Titania was able to get him to open up and tell her about his past. The two practiced together a lot during the previous week, practicing special skills.

"He is getting pretty worked up. If he doesn't stop pacing, he might wear a path in the ground!" Liam jested.

"Yeah, but Sig has been working hard while she has been gone. I guess it's different for him, but he has a good spirit, and I heard he gained another Shyft! So she will be impressed, I'm betting," Titania told Liam.

"The question is, where is Pandrea?" Liam asked.

Sigardus was walking back towards the two of them when he froze. A funny look crossed his face, almost like recognition and confusion, all at the same time. His stare was past the two, so Titania and Liam both turned to see Pandrea, but she looked so much different.

Pandrea's once black hair was now a flowing white strand of silk that framed her beautiful face. Small horns protruded from her forehead, parting her hair to both sides. Beside her walked Lunaro with Aquina riding her on one side and Calimus on the other, quite the sight.

"WAH?! Pan, your hair and horns! They look great! Look at you go! Even three Shyfts now!? Holy Hallan, you have been busy!"

"Look at you too! Where are Kira and the other one I can feel coming from you?"

"You can tell? Well, Kira is with Barge somewhere around here…" Sigardus was looking around.

Suddenly, an earthen dog with Kira clutching its neck burst from the ground beside Sigardus. Kira was more grown now, with her helmet fitting her head now, and she rolled off the Earth Shyft Barge. Pandrea moved up to pat Barge on the head, and Kira came to give her a hug.

"You're getting bigger. What have the people been feeding you?" Aquina asked as she slid Lunaro's back and slid across the ground on ice that formed in front of her feet and disappeared just as fast.

"Don't be a show-off," Lunaro scolded Aquina as she did a pirouette.

Aquina turned back and stuck out her tongue while leaning forward, allowing her long braided blue hair to fall around her face and almost touch the ground. Aquina turned back to Kira and gave her a hug while patting Barge's head and then smiling up at Pandrea. Sigardus was about to walk over closer to Pandrea when another carriage arrived.

This one was more lavish, and it had golden flames running up the side of it. Everyone gathered around as the horse slowed to a stop. When the door opened, Dalphia and the King stepped out.

Dalphia was dress in a soft blue kimono with a sash tucked under her ample chest and made them that much more noticeable. Her hair was up with a pair of sticks, and she turned to smile at us. That is until her eyes fell on to Aquina and Kira. Dalphia's eyes lost focus, and then they started to water as a massive and creepy smile spread across her face.

King Aegis sighed and put a hand over his face as Dalphia chased after the now screaming Shyfts. Aegis was garbed in his traditional black robe, but she wore a friendly expression even though Dalphia was an apparent embarrassment. He walked over and shook the boy's hands and gave the girls each a hug, holding onto Pandrea the longest and whispering something in her ear that no one else was able to hear.

When they parted, the King stepped back and looked over the group.

"You all have come a long way in the last month. Each one of you has gone through rigorous training with your bodies, but the FAE will be able to help you cultivate your mind next. The final step will be to visit Hallen-Gra to cultivate your spirit."

Dalphia had finally caught and squeezed all but the life out of Kira and Aquina. After letting them go, she came over to stand with the King.

"Dalphia will be joining you as an escort on your flight. I hope she doesn't cause you all to much trouble, as much of a pain as she can be, you all know her as a skilled fighter."

This was true, and each knew it, Except for Pandrea. No one had seen her the entire time they trained, and now her appearance had changed so drastically, but at the same time, even with the short time they had spent together, it had formed a strong connection. This held the entire time they were apart, and now having her back made everyone feel like the group was complete.

"One more thing, for now, you all should be fine, but Valkirus has fled the capital. I have no idea where he will go, but he was angry and very hotheaded, so I could see him doing something stupid like going to join Gra'Nixhas. Just be wary of your surroundings and the people you meet."

With that, Aegis got back in his carriage, and the horses turned it around. It then headed back to the keep in the mountain. Everyone turned to face each other, all smiling. It had been some time since the group was a full unit. And some much had changed. Everyone decided it would be better to talk on the way, so everyone headed to leave through the front gate when a noise stopped them.

"Oh, no!"

Pandrea looked over to Sigardus, who already was picking up speed to get out of the city, but it was too late for him. The King's right-hand man overtook Sigardus and tackled him to the ground. The two men wrestled for a while, but soon they were both dirty and laughing.

"HA! You tried to run away from your master? What kind of half a star pupil are you?"

"One that wanted to stay clean for a bit longer," Sigardus complained as everyone laughed.

"You had better not slack off, or I will know, and then I will have to come and find you! But regardless, be same and be good to the lady here," Deacon Winked to Pandrea, and she blushed slightly while turning away.

Deacon left them, running back to the castle, the man was tenacious in nothing, but it was got to see a person like him so lively.

"Everyone ready to go for real this time?" Titania asked.

Everyone agreed, and they all left through the front gate. Just over one month ago, all of them had arrived here with barely a clue what was going on. Now the party was leaving as partially train people with a better grip on what the world had to throw their way. These ones would not be pushed down.