Conscious, Conscientious

“Seize them, Noble Lammy.”

Eyes hot, Lammy gazed behind himself and summoned his giant fish technique. The aquatic beast rose from the floor like a phantom and scooped up several of the guards down the hall. The rest found themselves trapped behind a wall of fins.

Lammy carried Layla in a dash towards the next hall. He could no longer count the hours they’d been on the move since leaving the kitchen.

“Noble Lammy, summon Loozooloozeux.”

He’d already begun before she got the words out. Around the corner, another league of armored men met them with light swords raised high. The rainbow dragon made its appearance and scooped up the young consciousnesses just in time to avoid a sparkling swipe to their heads.

Loozooloozeux tossed the escaping duo from its furry claws onto its back. Lammy held on tightly to the saddle as Layla continued holding on to him.

“Excellent work,” the Queen honored, clearly fighting just as hard to maintain her composure as the soldiers were to chase them down.

Lammy nodded, trying to slow his breathing as they flew just below a crystal chandelier. While he didn’t necessarily need all of Layla’s commands, he wasn’t about to brush them off. In fact, her unquestioning dependence on him sharpened his every move.

It was oddly comforting.

This was a new sensation—to be relied on so readily. He’d always been the one on the opposite end: Deon would take his hand and help him up. His mother would wipe his tears. His father would pat his back (a little too hard, retrospectively).

Zayza was the first person—the only person—to watch him grow into the strength he had now.

And today, all Layla knew of him was the person he’d become.

She’s never seen all the crying or pleading, Lammy recognized.

But Zayza had.

And she still believed in him, regardless. No—it was a deeper belief: she knew the courage it took.

I’m no ‘noble hero’ like Layla thinks, Lammy thought, but I can try to be. Now I know I can.

“You can count on me,” he finally replied a bit shyer than he’d heard in his head.

She fell unusually quiet all the sudden, so Lammy checked back.

Layla wore a warm smile, and she resembled Zayza more now than he’d ever seen. Behind her, however, was a sight in stark contrast: dozens of men practically fell over each other in failed attempts to catch the dragon. A few even threw their swords, which sparked against the ceiling violently, illuminating the Queen’s face.

Lammy whipped back around to steer Loozooloozeux before she could see his cheeks beat red.

Well…with all of her own soldiers turning on her, she must be pretty glad to have someone obeying her orders again, he quickly reasoned.

Her grip tightened around his waist.

“I know I can count on you…” she uttered, her voice shaking. “And…I’m so happy…that I have people I can say that to again.”

They leaned as Loozooloozeux took another sharp turn down a hall.

Something in her voice made it clear to Lammy. His heart twisted.

Whether it was much needed guidance, or an order to do something he was about to do anyway, he resolved he’d treat everything Layla had to say like the most important words in the world.

~

“Straight ahead. Towards the opposite end,” Layla directed.

Lammy set foot outside the hole in another one of Layla’s many enchanted walls, once again carrying her on his back. He’d dismissed Loozooloozeux around an hour ago after the guards’ numbers kept increasing, flooding the halls with their light swords. He’d only barely managed to break Loozooloozeux free of them this time.

Come to think of it, their forces had been rising gradually throughout the course of their the escape. It was almost as if Lammy and Layla’s efforts were having the opposite effect.

Then again…I’ve only been trapping and holding them back temporarily this whole time, Lammy thought. And Layla hasn’t been aiming her explosion enchantments to kill—they’re her own warriors.

So all we’ve been doing is slowing them down, and giving them an idea of where we are, he concluded.

“All of their forces are condensing into this portion of the castle. We don’t have much time before our capture becomes inevitable,” Layla agreed after Lammy brought it up.

“So what do we do?” he wondered.

“We’ve nearly reached the western tower,” Layla revealed. “So we power through.”

“We’re—we’re close?

He was beginning to think he’d never hear those words.

Layla shifted her balance in his arms with a spark of liveliness. “We are,” she promised. “And this sudden increase in royal soldiers may actually be a positive sign. It may indicate—”

“Zayza and Raznizu are close, too,” Lammy finished, his own excitement getting ahead of him.

“Quite possibly. They may have been spotted nearby,” Layla confirmed.

Then they made it this far…the thought sped Lammy’s steps through this low-lit, unusually long room.

Finally observing their new surroundings, he found this room’s shape wasn’t its only uncharacteristic feature.

“What is this place?” Lammy wondered.

Long and slim white banners hung proudly all along the walls, each featuring a simply insignia: one quick stroke of a black line in between two similar, smaller ones. Its simplicity was elegant, yet the sharpness of the lines emitted a simultaneous ferociousness that Lammy found oddly familiar.

Actually, he could have sworn he’d seen this very insignia on clothing before—but he couldn’t remember where.

The banners’ design didn’t at all match the glamorous aesthetic of the rest of the castle. Nothing of this room’s decorations did, in fact. In the section they walked past now, dark articles of clothing rested on display behind plaques written in a language clearly different than the magic one Layla used for enchantments. A series of ancient scrolls and artifacts were spread out on a platform barely higher than the pearly black-tiled floor.

Three simple torches were all that illuminated the room, spread out evenly across the floor’s center.

Somehow, everything was quieter here than all of the other places they’d scurried through in the castle. Lammy couldn’t decide if it was an actual lack of sound, or simply a feeling.

“This is one of the rooms my parents dedicated to the Zinn—Raznizu and Najinzu’s people,” Layla told him. “They wanted to honor the Zinn culture; it was one of the first orders they gave upon becoming King and Queen. This place serves as a shrine and sanctuary for them.”

Lammy observed the items on the long table. One appeared to be some sort of intricate drum—though he couldn’t quite picture Najinzu or Raznizu breaking into song with it.

“So…with Zayza staying in the Dream World all this time,” Lammy started, “you think Raznizu was able to keep her safe?”

“I’m certain of it,” Layla replied without hesitation. “Raznizu has been looking after me and my sisters our entire lives—that’s always been his role. He’s spent more time with us, watching us grow up, than our own father.”

Then clearly, he was much more than a particularly loyal soldier like Lammy had believed. While Layla’s words spoke only of Raznizu’s duty, Lammy could hear the love behind them.

“He’s like family,” he acknowledged.

Layla paused, seeming to take in their surroundings just as Lammy, but with a much deeper understanding.

“The Zinn have been the protectors of the Royal Family since nearly the inception of the Azvaylen kingdom,” she explained. “Legend says their people descended from the clouds of Lanmuraarch long ago. Others even believe they are indigenous to our reality’s moon. Those may just be tales…but what is historically documented is the alliance between Azvaylen and Zinn people that began when they appeared, which has continued for over a thousand years.”

Whoa…that’s a lot of years, noted Lammy.

“In the old wars, the people who would eventually form Huksdür outnumbered and nearly annihilated the Zinn in their quest for dominion. But when the Azvaylens came to the Zinn’s aid, their joint forces successfully warded off the conquest, preserving their existence. The Zinn vowed to protect and uphold our kingdom ever since, and that partnership has remained to this day.”

“Even despite Proscious,” Lammy pointed out. “Raznizu stayed loyal to you and Zayza when literally nobody else did. Najinzu now, too…that’s a powerful bond.”

Nearing the opposite end of the room, Lammy carried Layla past a tall display of tools he finally recognized: a series of small, black knives, some almost invisibly thin, and a collection of darts—all weapons he’d seen the brothers use.

“Raznizu and Najinzu are the only two left of the Zinn—at least, that anyone can trace back,” Layla revealed. “Raznizu brings pride to the Zinn legacy as our protector. And not simply for tradition’s sake—but because, as you said, he is family.”

She sighed, her muscles easing a bit against Lammy.

“That’s why I know Zayza is safe in his arms right now.”

Lammy allowed silence to reclaim the Zinn sanctuary for a moment. But he still had unanswered questions—ones he wasn’t sure Layla would be able resolve.

She’d spoken so highly of Raznizu, who’d proven his loyalty before Lammy’s eyes several times over now.

But what about Najinzu?

Had he really changed like Fewpar and returned to the Queen’s side?

His assistance in their capture, alongside members of Proscious, was the last Lammy had seen of him. And he certainly emitted nothing but hatred towards them then.

However, now that Lammy thought of it, Zayza wasn’t the only source of his rage that day. Najinzu’s words towards Proscious members were almost as demeaning. In fact, he’d always seemed to mock them—even dating back to Ryan in the North Mountains of Realistic Fiction Country.

‘Prosciousness scum,’ Lammy remembered. That’s what he called all of them.

Considering Najinzu’s involvement in their escape, it was safe to assume Fewpar had revealed Zayza’s truth to him. Could that, combined with his pre-existing resentment for Proscious, have been enough to win him over?

As Lammy and Layla passed by one final display of gorgeous black art—akin to the scars Najinzu had given to Zayza all over her body—he found himself doubtful.

And considering he still felt that way when they were nearly at the end of their mission to reach him for support, that doubt became especially disconcerting.

But he couldn’t bring himself to believe Najinzu yet. Not until he’d seen the actions to prove it, like Fewpar.

Layla released one arm when they reached the wall. She reached down to pull a fabric on the skirt of her dress, and once more, a circular hole opened before them.

They both jolted—suddenly the heavy doors to the sanctuary burst open.

“GO!” exclaimed Layla.

Lammy didn’t waste time to see how many guards had begun piling in. He broke into a sprint, or at least his best attempt at one.

He dashed through the next room, ignoring all of his surroundings but the next wall Layla pointed towards as she closed the hole behind them. They just had to get to a more open space again—then they could fly away and break free just as before.

Almost there, Lammy reminded himself.

He didn’t stop this time as Layla began her next enchantment. They were leaping through the hole the instant it formed, catching dust on their heads.

“Prepare to summon—” Layla started.

Lammy stopped dead in his tracks, Layla’s sudden shift in weight almost toppling them over.

They’d returned to the main hallways as planned.

But this time, they found an endless sea of royal soldiers facing them. And more urgent than that: a flurry of light swords were swinging straight towards their bodies.

Layla squeezed onto Lammy hard and buried her head. Somehow, perhaps because of that, Lammy didn’t scream.

Then a blur swept between them. Lammy’s eyes went wide as the light swords fell to the ground and deactivated.

The first row of soldiers before them collapsed.

Before the next line of guards could close in, the blur returned from where Lammy had barely seen it go. It became a man, tall and slender, facing the legion of swords with two small, thin black knives.

Raznizu.

And wide awake, balancing safely on his back just as Layla was on Lammy, was Zayza.

Her bright green eyes met theirs as she turned to them with a smile of sheer relief. An unquenchable comfort overcame Lammy.

“My dears…” Zayza greeted. “Goodness…I am incredibly happy to see—OH!”

Raznizu suddenly pounced at their enemies once more, knives high. But the silver-haired warrior didn’t seem to use them, as the dozens of soldiers that fell to his swift strike only featured dents in their armor.

Even now, he continued to honor Layla’s wishes not to kill her men.

“My heart is full to see you alive, my Queen,” he said calmly as he returned to their defense. “But we must keep it that way.”

“The tower is just ahead. We must reach the others,” Layla declared. “We’ll take flight. Raznizu, can you cover us from the ground?”

Nodding, he lowered Zayza to her feet.

With increased resolve, the crowd of soldiers charged forward.

“Noble Lammy!” Layla cued.

“Right: Loozooloozeux!!”

The dragon’s humanlike roar filled the halls even before its body fully formed in the air before them. As Raznizu launched forward at the guards, Loozooloozeux swooped down and took hold of Lammy, Layla, and Zayza. Lammy worried three people might not fit in its saddle, but thankfully, they all sank into it without trouble.

“Loozoo…loozeux?” Zayza struggled to repeat.

“Correct. I christened Noble Lammy’s steed with a proper name,” Layla defended haughtily.

“Noble Lammy?”

“Well…yes! Is there a problem, sister?”

But Zayza let out a quick laugh. “None. It’s perfect,” she decided. “I’m sorry about her,” she whispered over Layla’s shoulder to Lammy.

“ZAYZA!”

Unfortunately, Lammy didn’t have the time to soak in this reunion quite yet. Eyes glowing bright, he steered Loozooloozeux ahead, just below the ceiling. He nearly asked Layla where they were headed, but it quickly became unnecessary: their destination was obvious.

Less than a minute of flight away at the end of this particularly wide hall, the wall was curved inward and perfectly rounded—clearly the entrance to the kind of tower Fewpar had briefly described. A massive gate stood at its center as its only entryway.

There, Lammy knew.

Clangs and buzzes resounded from below as Raznizu’s fearless efforts continued.

“I smell Najinzu, but where is he?” he called up. “I’m afraid there are too many to keep this up!”

By the location of his voice, Raznizu was only slightly behind them from the ground. Lammy was impressed he’d been able to manage that alone, given how grossly outnumbered he remained.

“You old fool. All these years and just now, you ask for help.”

The unmistakably raspy reply came from the entrance to the tower. Looking back over, Lammy realized the gate was cracked open.

Finally, he detected even more clanks and metallic swipes coming from that very area. Guards were dropping just as swiftly as the ones that challenged Raznizu.

With a flip, a black figure rose from the sea of men and dove back in, taking more soldiers down.

Najinzu.

“He’s holding the tower,” Layla beheld.

“Fewpar remained in the Dream World to scout when Raznizu woke me,” Zayza revealed. “Najinzu is his only line of defense out here.”

Lammy commanded his dragon forward with even more force. “Well we’re almost there!” he promised.

Loozooloozeux roared as they closed in on the metallic gate.

“Najinzu: prepare to fall back!” Layla commanded from above.

Raznizu met his brother just before the tower. Together, they pushed forward and forced the soldiers back from the door with a ferocity Lammy had never comprehended before.

Fighting as one, they were unstoppable.

The dragon swooped down into the small, unstable clearing the brothers had managed to open up.

“Hold on!!” Lammy shouted to his royal passengers.

He dismissed Loozooloozeux once they were close enough to the ground. The three consciousnesses stumbled just before the door. In a frenzy, Lammy rushed to lift Layla onto his back. They all slipped through the small opening in the gate.

Lammy quickly learned picking Layla back up had been a life and death decision: before them awaited a stone staircase that circled up the outer wall higher than he could see. There was no way she’d have made it farther than a step with her injury.

“Move! Move!” barked Raznizu. Had it not been to save their lives, his reverberating voice would have shaken Lammy to the core.

“Up to the top!” Layla ordered.

Zayza led the charge as they began their rushed climb. The gate slammed shut, its boom vibrating the steps beneath them and filling the tower. Lammy dared not look back, but he could hear more clanking metal and crackling light swords not far behind: some of the guards had made it inside. Raznizu and Najinzu’s battle continued.

He felt Layla once again lift her grip for a moment to tug on her dress.

“The tower’s gate is now sealed!” she declared. “We can do this!”

“Permission to use lethal force, my Queen!” came Najinzu’s hissing request from below.

“NO! These are our fellow Azvaylens! Incapacitate only!”

“Yes, my Queen!”

While Najinzu’s willingness to kill was quite unsurprising, his immediate obedience raised Lammy’s eyebrows. Encouraged even the slightest bit, he trudged forward up the stairs.

The tower had gone almost entirely dark when the gate closed, illuminated only by the waving blue from the light swords and Lammy’s glowing eyes.

Soon, he had no sense of how long they’d been running. But he ignored his own shaking legs and kept moving. Lammy could only attribute his speed to sheer adrenaline—he knew if he slowed, Zayza would turn and offer to take Layla for him. They couldn’t afford to stop and make that transfer.

It was time to be strong.

The last of the metallic clamoring faded out behind them. In an instant, Raznizu and Najinzu appeared—one before them and one behind to escort them to the top.

At last, Lammy heard the front of the group slow. Their steps evened out onto a flat surface.

Lammy opened his eyes—he hadn’t even realized he’d been running with them slammed shut.

Only one torch by one of the thick, fortified windows lit the top room of the tower. Though the afternoon sky assisted, the area was still surprisingly grim—nothing but several large wooden barrels were strewn about the gray brick floor.

They converted it into a makeshift hiding spot, Lammy figured.

He lowered Layla and let her sit by the wall. Lammy and Zayza joined by her side, desperate to catch their breath.

Then abruptly, Lammy found himself in a tight embrace.

Zayza had wrapped him and Layla into her arms.

“Zayza…I…I missed you…” came Layla’s mumble. For once, she made no attempt to mask herself in loftiness. She sniveled, tears finally falling again.

“I can breathe again…you’re both okay…” whispered Zayza in a sigh. “You’re both so strong…”

“I should be saying that to you,” Lammy said with a tired laugh. “I have the best teammate.”

“Fewpar,” rasped Najinzu.

The trio released, finding the Zinn brothers still standing without a single gasp for breath or trickle of sweat. Najinzu had made his way over to a particular barrel.

Its lid rattled and then toppled to the ground. Fewpar rose from within it, already neatening his hair.

“Ah,” he noticed. “I’ve returned just in time.”

“If you knew how to fight anywhere besides the Dream World, perhaps this wouldn’t have been such a nuisance,” spat Najinzu.

Fewpar chuckled it off. “Thank you for protecting me, old friend,” he said. “Zayza: I only found a few more Dreamer Guards in my time alone. They should now be neutralized.”

The princess nodded. “Then Layla—Queen Layla,” she reported, “we’ve fulfilled your task for us.”

Layla began to stand, wincing at her ankle. Quickly, Lammy and Zayza rose and helped her to her feet. Fewpar and the others drew closer in a circle, and all eyes were on the small Queen.

“You have all fought valiantly. Our team has come together; all that remains is to join forces with our new allies,” she announced. “It is time to fight back and reclaim Azvaylen.”

All eyes glimmered as the group nodded.

With a sigh, Najinzu averted his gaze in contemplation.

“Right, then,” he decided under his breath.

It happened faster than Lammy could process. Knives scraped together just beside him. He turned to find Raznizu balancing just before Zayza’s now pale face, his weapons raised and shaking as they held back a blade only an inch from her eyes.

Najinzu’s cold gaze fixed on Zayza. Had his brother not moved swiftly, his attack would have pierced straight through her head.