Together, we Conquer

Into the Flames

Madran's group walked onwards, and fought a few more shadows. However, after a bit, Madran began to notice that the ground around them was scorched and burnt.

"Uh, hey, what's happening to the floor?"

Everyone looked just as confused as her, and Margaret spoke up.

"Hmm... possibly, he's keeping an Orthrus somewhere."

"No, they don't do this much damage so quickly."

The group walked down the path more, and eventually came across a giant room.

"Hmm. This appears to be a memory room."

Madran nodded, and saw that the background had turned to resemble fire-like colors. Margaret then activated the orb, and everyone began to watch. Madran was shocked to see a six-year old Madran standing with Travert and Elia. A moving truck was situated by their home, and the younger Madran was chatting with an Asian girl of her age.

"So, you're going to Japan?"

"Yeah! Daddy says we'll be there for a long time."

"I'll miss you! Do you promise to write back?"

"Yep!"

"Madran, hurry up, we have to go soon."

"Hang on, dad! Bye, Chloe!"

Madran hugged her childhood friend and got into a car with Elia and Travert. They then drove off with the moving truck, and Madran was felt with an odd pang in her chest. Then, the image switched to a slightly older Madran who was sitting on a swing. She appeared to be rather lonely, and was humming something to herself to a beat that matched the swing. Then, a girl walked up to Madran, with present Madran seeing that she had short black hair.

"Hi, um, Madran? I'm sorry about Xia and her friends..."

"It's fine. Hey, who're you?"

"I'm Suga!"

The younger Suga got onto the swing next to her, and another girl charged after her.

"Hey, Suga, wait up! Oh, hi, new kid!"

The girl waved to Madran, and Madran waved back.

"Sheila, weren't you with Xia?"

"She told on me, so I told her we weren't friends. Then, I decided to leave because she started crying."

"That's mean!"

"Well, she was being mean to, um, Mad?"

"Madran."

"Ooh, is that bald dude your dad? He looks kinda scary..."

"He is! Um, he isn't as bad when you get to know him."

The three kids chatted for some time, and Madran looked back at Suga and Madran with a surprised look on her face. Suga and Sheila also mimicked that look, and all three looked back to the memory. It had turned to Madran comforting a crying Elia.

"Wait, this was when dad yelled at mom for allowing my friends over..."

The memory then became Madran cuddling a puppy, and Travert looking at it from across the room with annoyance. Then, several memories of Elia and Travert arguing and Travert talking to Madran flashed across, with present Madran shaking her head.

"He tried so hard to convince me to go with him once he and Elia separated... he didn't seem to know why I didn't want to live with him."

The memory became Travert berating Madran for her writings, telling her that it wouldn't get her anywhere and recommending lawyering. However, each time he tried, Madran refused, which caused him to storm off.