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“Do you think it’s over?’ Tafel asked, turning her head towards Lindyss.
“Hard to say,” the cursed elf said with a frown. “Dragons are straightforward, but the phoenixes might try something.” She shrugged. “They might be waiting to ambush Vur once he drops his guard.”
Tafel pursed her lips. “What are you trying to say?”
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Lindyss said, raising an eyebrow. “Phoenixes are underhanded; it’s in their nature.” She gestured towards the portal. “If those phoenixes attacked Vur now, it wouldn’t be the first nor last time a phoenix pretended to surrender to drop their opponent’s guard.”
“I’ve seen Mr. Skelly fake a surrender,” Tafel said.
“Yeah,” Lindyss said, nodding her head. “Humans are underhanded too. What’s your point?” The cursed elf sighed upon seeing the disgruntled expression on the demon’s face. “Look. I never said being underhanded was bad; all I was saying is always keep your guard up around a phoenix. You shouldn’t trust a mouse to guard your rice, and you shouldn’t trust a phoenix without the appropriate amount of strength to resist if they decide to rip your face off one day.”
Tafel stared at the cursed elf, who had gotten completely wasted with a phoenix she had just met the other day. “If you say so,” the demon said and nodded. “Well, if I make an appearance now, do you think the phoenixes or dragons would attack me?”
“If I were a phoenix, I’d hold you hostage upon finding out you were that terrifying dragon’s wife,” Lindyss said, gesturing towards the portal where Vur was towering over the phoenixes and dragons still. “When you’re there, ask him where he’s getting all his mana from.”
Tafel tilted her head. Was the cursed elf saying it was safe? Go and ask Vur where he’s getting his mana from because the phoenixes wouldn’t do anything to her? Go and get kidnapped, but while she’s kidnapped, ask Vur a question? A frown appeared on Tafel’s face as she turned her attention back onto the portal. Her eyes widened.
“What’s wrong?” Lindyss asked, turning her head to the portal as well.
“No, it’s not that,” Tafel said and gestured at the scene. She scratched her head. “I forgot about Mary.”
“Are you sure she’s the only one you’re forgetting?” Lindyss asked, the image of a woman riding a dog with an automatic rifle strapped to her back appearing in the cursed elf’s mind.
Tafel rolled her eyes. “I told you already,” she said. “I left Emile and Susan with their mother. They’re not lost or forgotten.” She furrowed her brow. “Where is Mary, anyway?”
“Wherever she is, I bet she’s wondering the same thing,” Lindyss said.
Although it was most likely true, Tafel wasn’t going to say it out loud. She pursed her lips and stood up. “Well, it looks like they’re just talking for now,” she said. “I’m going through.” There were hundreds of dragons and phoenixes on the other side of the portal, a sight frightening enough to make any seasoned adventurer pee their pants, but Tafel didn’t hesitate to jump through; after all, most of those dragons and phoenixes were barely conscious.
Vur blinked and looked up. He held out his paw and created a ball of air with the help of Zilphy’s power. Tafel’s descent slowed as she made contact with the air ball, and she landed safely on Vur’s palm. “Hi, Tafel,” Vur said, bringing his leg down to his chest, holding the demon near his torso. “Is everything okay?”
Tafel nodded. “I just figured since there wasn’t any action happening, I’d come to listen in on the conversation.”
“Oh,” Vur said and blinked. “But I wasn’t done yet.”
Tafel looked around at the listless beasts staining the ground. “What else do you have to do?” she asked and raised an eyebrow. Volearden and Malvina were the only ones left standing. If the Oebu Sin insect swarm attacked now, the dragons and phoenixes would be in serious trouble. Speaking of the Oebu Sin…. Tafel’s eyes widened. “What about Ashley? She’s still waiting for me to open a portal.”
Vur shook his head. “Let her wait a little longer,” he said. “Sir Selddup is with her; there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Alright,” Tafel said. She wasn’t sure why Vur trusted the dog more than Ashley, but if Vur felt it was okay, then it was okay. He usually wasn’t wrong about things. “By the way, Auntie wants to know how you’re managing your mana so well.”
“Mana?” Vur asked before nodding. “That’s easy. There’s lots of phoenix fire around, so I absorb it and turn it into mana.”
“Wait,” Tafel said. “What?”
“Exactly,” Malvina said, hopping over to Vur’s side, her legs acting as springs bouncing her along. “What?”
“I’m curious as well,” Volearden said and nodded his head.
Vur looked around. It seemed like even the phoenixes on the ground were looking up at him. He tilted his head to the side. “I turn the phoenix flames into mana.”
“But how?” Malvina asked.
Vur furrowed his brow. “The same way you turn mana into phoenix flames,” he said, “but you do the opposite instead.”
“That’s … not how it works,” Malvina said, turning to look at Volearden with an uncertain look. The armored dragon nodded. Malvina nodded in return before looking up at Vur.
Vur shrugged. “I don’t care if you don’t believe me,” he said before looking around. “Who else wants the fight between dragons and phoenixes to continue?” All the beasts lying on the ground shifted their gazes away, unwilling to meet Vur’s eyes. Seeing as none of them were willing to reply, Vur nodded. “Now, after fighting each other, you have to make up to each other. I want everyone phoenix to apologize to every dragon, and I want every dragon to apologize to every phoenix.”
The dragons and phoenixes exchanged glances with one another. Upon seeing their unwilling expressions, Vur slammed his tail into the ground, causing it to crack and fracture, parts of the surface breaking and sinking into the tunnels below. “Now!” Vur said, his imprint glowing as white light accumulated in his mouth. “I don’t have all day.”