“Did you kill him?”
“No. He met his end by another means and I slept in perfect ignorance while my home was destroyed.”
Aryu saw then the commonality in their lives. He pressed on no more, lest he be pressing against himself as well. Both of them were helpless in the loss of their homes, and he had to agree that Nixon’s reason was far more painful to take, as he clearly could have stopped it before it happened. Aryu couldn't help but question the mercy of a god that would allow that to happen. It seemed every god thus far could be deemed fallible quite easily.
“It was a sad fate, but it happened long ago and time 'as been said t’ heal all wounds. Even now it's not as 'orrible as it once was. Per'aps I'll see it green once again. The reappearance of tha’ sword does little t’ let me believe tha’ I'll be sleepin’ fore'er any time soon. But, things ’re different now. Maybe my bein’ here with ya is tha beginnin’ of an end. Why else would I be huntin’ a man tha’ as near as I can tell shouldna’ be hunted?”
Aryu smiled passively. “Thank you. Still, I'd rest easier once we both go our own way and I'll never have to see you again. Not that I don't enjoy your company, but you should know you're not the most peaceful and reassuring person I've ever met.”
“Ha, perhaps my next form would be a little less intimidatin’.”
Aryu doubted that. Something told him the essence of power this man carried with him would not go away, despite what he looked like.
“Do you believe it's time for you to go soon? For real?”
“No. Not really. Sadly, I believe it t’ be no more than wishful thinkin’. My job is eternal by nature. No matter if tha God I serve is gone, His vision and word live on through me, even if I'm the only one who knows wha' they mean. Now, about those wings. Are ya fast?”
“I think so.” He didn’t think himself a slouch, but against Nixon, he bet he’d be the slower man.
“Well, I'm ready t’ see if ye are. Shall we be off?”
Aryu agreed, and Nixon lifted the still-comatose Esgona to his shoulder effortlessly.
“Nixon, before we go, I ask just one thing.” Nixon looked over, sure of the question, but not the answer he should give. “What would you say I am? I hold the sword, granted just briefly. If you’re here I could be Adragon, but as you said, I'm not someone worth hunting, so does that make me Ryuujin? Does the mission or the master make me what I am, if your god is so infallible?”
“Ye are a young man who found an old sword. God 'as a place in 'is 'eart fer luck too, and so do I. My purpose 'ere has not been proven t’ have t’ do with you. Per'aps it's the sword, or per'aps something else entirely. If I e'er get my answer, you'll be the first t’ know.”
Even in this place, so out of sorts and somewhat purposeless, Nixon refused to believe the God had made a mistake. Without help, Nixon would simply have a harder time finding out what his mission was this time around. Luck had never played into the finding and use of the Shi Kaze, so he continued to be buried in new situations. No matter what, he would watch Aryu closely until he was satisfied with the answer.
He reached deep down to summon the fire, letting it burst forth, startling Aryu again. The great flaming wings took shape, his unconscious charge was secure and Aryu had his small collection of belongings and his wings extended, ready to go.
With a mighty flap, Nixon took to the sky, dazzling Aryu with the feat. Aryu braced himself and found a spot to launch overlooking where the mountains ended and the fields of nothing led off to the ocean far beyond. Soon he’d taken to the sky, heading back west to find Johan before heading off to the east and with any luck (which by now was a word Nixon was not fond of at all) Crystal Kokuou, who was hopefully still alive and had more answers than he had now.
Chapter 9
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The Enemy of My Enemy
Within moments of leaving the craggy plateau, Nixon knew that for all the acid spit from Aryu’s mouth regarding his wings, he was a bold-faced liar.
His face was what betrayed him. Despite all that had happened and the obvious physical pain he was feeling at that moment, he was still smiling softly as he gained altitude and looked down on the world in a perfectly controlled glide. Nixon now began to see that although not as fast as Nixon would have liked, Aryu wasn’t slow either, and once they leveled out he built up his speed to a fair clip with a minimum of effort. Finally, with his deft movements and skill in maintaining balance and rhythm, Nixon concluded that Aryu loved his wings, enjoyed using them, and only hated them for the fear they incited.
With the wind rushing past as it was, talking was out of the question. Instead, Nixon fell back and motioned to Aryu with his free hand to begin a sloping dive to increase speed. Aryu, after taking a moment
