Oblivion, A Timeless Void

Chapter 19: The Songbird's Lament

"Are you sure you don't need any reinforcements?"

"Thank you for the kind offer, but I think we'll be fine."

Theodore nodded solemnly at the woman's reply, his turquoise wings fluttering a little. Seeing how sure she seemed to be, he didn't wish to push Mavis. The Elementals were strong. They held their own against the Ten Commandments. Saving a comrade should be a walk in the park for them.

Not questioning it further, he shifted into his dragon form—a gigantic turquoise creature, one that towered over them all, making them look like tiny, insignificant ants.

He may not have questioned Mavis's words, but Mavis herself questioned her own judgement. It was as simple as saving a comrade. Why did she have such an unsettling feeling of foreboding? Why was it as if something terrible was on its merry way over?

Disregarding those thoughts, she turned her gaze to the rest of her team—her comrades-in-arms, her housemates, her friends... her found family. They set themselves apart from her parents, who, despite doting on her, felt the immense need to control her every move and repel everybody she'd ever known.

For Mavis, things had been that way for a large portion of her formative years. They hated all her childhood friends; they hated Aiyana, her dearest friend; and they hated Layth from the day they met him. By extension, Mavis felt that they also may have not liked Alcestis that much.

They warmed up to her over the years she spent with them, though.

Mavis returned her focus back to the matter at hand. She first looked towards Deyanira and Layth. "You two will be at the frontier. It is your job to intercept anything that may befall us."

She then looked at Aylin and, consequently, Nerina, who had been supporting her. "Neri, you make sure to protect Lin. We'll need her healing prowess."

Her gaze lastly fell on Alcestis. Her wisteria eyes seemed to soften as she put a hand on the girl's head. "Al, you stand by as backup. Make sure to stay near me at all times."

The girl opened her mouth as if to say something, but then it shut soundlessly. She nodded in response to her mother's instructions.

"Alright then. Let's move."

One by one, Theodore allowed them onto his back. As soon as everyone was settled with Mavis at the forefront, the woman leaned down closer to the dragon's ear. "I trust you know where the forest is?"

Soundlessly, the avian creature gave a firm nod. Then his wings lifted upwards, going as far into the sky as possible, towering over the large expanse of grass below. Then, with the might of a thousand suns, they beat down, lifting the dragon upwards and into the air.

Alcestis instinctively cried out in surprise, clinging onto her father's back while the latter gritted his teeth in a similar sentiment. Deyanira's boisterous laughter could be heard as they sailed on through the skies.

It was so different from flying in a plane. The flapping of wings continued to echo in the skies, and the forest drew nearer and nearer.

A shrill scream then echoed in the evening winds.

Mavis recognised that voice. Maybe she recognised it too well. A dragon's roar rang out next. A large black silhouette came into view, followed by a violent crash. Mavis's mind stopped working.

With no rhyme or reason, the woman stood to her feet, preparing to jump off as soon as they were near the ground enough. Noticing that, Layth looked alarmed. He feebly reached out as if to stop her. "Mavis!"

The woman didn't reply. As soon as the distance to the ground was reasonable enough for the one known as the leader of the Elementals, she jumped off of the dragon's back, landing on the ground with a loud thud. The raging black dragon paid her no mind; rather, it seemed to be focused on the area from which the thud had sounded.