A/N – I know, it's been two million years since I last updated, but a lot has been going on lately. Firstly, there were my finals, which took up a month and a half, then I had a bad case of writer's block, and quite recently, there have been other personal issues (I was originally meant to complete this last week and have it submitted, but then yeah, stuff happened) Anyway, I deeply apologize for my absence, though I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I will be replying to the previous chapter's reviews later ~

EDIT:

Responses to the previous chapter's reviews:

meowometer: I kind of felt the same tbh, most stories are written from Korra's pov, which isn't bad in itself, but it just leaves out on Amon's thoughts/feelings/introspections. Plus, I greatly enjoy writing him, so I guess that helps in characterising him too. Thank you for your review.

PinkTypewritter: Yeah, I want to show that their trust builds over time and not at once, and I'm pleased you like that aspect.

Falcon: Glad to have ahah, thank you for reviewing.

Anonymous: Well, although that chapter was shorter than the others, it was still a good seven pages long. I also mentioned at the end that I purposely left it off there for the build-up in this chapter. Glad you enjoyed the chapter though.

ANONOOOOO: I made a post on tumblr(ages ago) about replying to chapter reviews. Granted, it makes the chapter seem 'longer' when it's not, hence why I haven't copied your responses. However, just a thing: I do not, in any way, prioritize responding to the reviews over my story(I only reply at the end when the chapter's complete). Please don't harbor that misconception. If you're reading this story up until now, let me know what you like/dislike about it instead.

ItsBatCountry: I'm so happy you noticed that! yes, it was deliberate on my part to somehow symbolize the state of their relationship through the surrounding elements. I'm delighted you like their character development so far too, I focus on that aspect of this story the most. Thank you so much for your thorough and detailed review, stuff like this does help in keeping me motivated to keep writing ahaha (and know what to improve on in the future)

levi97100: We'll see what happens, lol.

Guest: Are you the same 'guest' who reviewed the previous chapters too? anyway, thanks for reviewing.

Chapter Seventeen – The Fire Lion Turtle City

His fingers tightened around the vine ropes as he continued to move forward, his eyes not daring to stray from the path in front and glance down below into the gorge. His steps were even and slow, and without having to check behind him, he could feel the Avatar's slightly uneven gait as she followed, keeping in line, supporting one hand on the rope, the other in his own-

Taking a deep breath, Amon willed himself to stay calm; and concentrated instead on the scent of wet rock and faint traces of blossoms filtering throughout the atmosphere. They were almost halfway there, only a short distance left until they reached their point of destination, in this case, the back of a lion turtle. He was still having trouble digesting this fact.

His gaze travelled up towards the rows upon rows of closely built stone towers and huts and their sloping roofs, and across the twisted trunks of trees and shrubbery entwined around every man-made (or spirit made?) building in sight.

As they reached closer to the edge of the lion turtle's back, sounds became more distinct and audible, and the scent of food being cooked permeated the air. It was a pleasant smell, and it only urged him to keep moving forward.

It was strange however, in a sort of way, to be reduced to such a state in which he required nothing but sustenance-for the time being, at least. But he had been like this for several days now, his mind prioritising survival over all else, and for once not occupied with strategies to amend the movement of electric currents in Hiroshi Sato's new model of technology, sign the latest papers sent by the publication press, or oversee the new recruits in the training basement…

It was best to keep those thoughts away as far as possible. To not ponder over what the current circumstances were like back in Republic City was better. No doubt, this was a bizarre situation he was caught up in, beyond his comprehension, beyond his knowledge.

And it held no meaning, no matter what.

"You can let go, I handle this myself now."

Amon stilled at the unwelcoming voice, but promptly let go of her hand. He waited, sensing whether she was about to move.

"Thanks, anyway," she said.

One foot caught on the next plank as her words coursed through his mind. Should he reply? Was he supposed to say something? And if he should, then how exactly? Granted, this was, once again, something else he had not prepared himself for, however it was not difficult to reply with formalities either. But he couldn't and-he would not allow that sense of cordialness between himself and her-the Avatar.

The Avatar, he reminded himself again.

The Avatar.

-:-

Crossing over the last plank and stepping onto the damp earth beneath, Amon halted in his steps to observe the location. They were here.

In front of them lay a dense forest; thick green foliage reaching in every direction and bathing in the afternoon sunlight's warmth. Twisted roots ran the course around the bottom of the tree trunks, while luscious plum-like fruits hung down on vines, similar in appearance to the bridge's ropes.

Behind them, the rickety wooden bridge descended off into the other side, with soft, white clouds overhanging on its path. As the wind picked up in speed, they turned away from the edge of the cliff top and began to turn inwards towards the dark forest. A narrow path was carved out in the ground, disappearing into the forest. Without wasting a moment's hesitation, they made their way along the trail.

-:-

Amon took a sip from the water cupped in his hands. After coming across the small pond, and making sure the water was safe enough to be considered drinkable, they sat near the path's edge to replenish their energies.

They had been walking through the forest for what had seemed like half an hour, judging by the sharp shadows been thrown across the tall pine trees they had passed on the way. But it wasn't long, he deduced, until they reached this city-or rather, this lion turtle city.

Re-adjusting the mask on his face, he rose and continued on the trail. He felt the Avatar's movements behind him, her pace quick and solid, rather much like the way she responded on her instincts.

It was easier, this way, to keep her at distance for the time being. From here on, he wanted to keep every interaction at a minimum. Be aware of her, yes, but that was how far it would go. The incidence on the bridge was another matter entirely-born out of desperation and without another choice. It was needed, necessary, even, at the time.

And it most certainly did not mean anything.

By the time they were approaching the edge of the forest, the sloping rooves of the city's buildings became visible once again, the rustic coloured parapets overlapping against one another in the backdrop of the dwindling skyline.

They entered through the first street in sight, and did not pause in their steps to take in their new environment, or rather that, Amon did not want any more extraneous events to add further delays in their-his plans. Follow the instructions, refer only to the map to stay on the correct path, and do not let the actions, or even the incentives of a certain person, obstruct his clear way of thinking.

The population grew in size the further in they traveled through the city streets. Young and old, people of all ages were gathered around near the entrance of small shops selling sweet-smelling coffees and teas, windowless book stores, and other assorted shops of recreation. Above them, laundry hung across the balconies, the sun's burnt, amber rays bleeding through the translucent fabrics as droplets of water hit the cobbled pavement below. Tendrils of smoke rose from the chimneys of restaurants, wavering out into the late afternoon sky.

It was getting late, and they still needed some food and a place to stay. He did not know how much longer he could hold out with the growing pangs of hunger in his stomach. Vaguely, he wondered if the Avatar was just as affected, if not more by this.

More and more people mingled out into the streets, all dressed in odd mixtures of clothing, with deeply coloured, flowing fabrics of mostly red and orange, though also some green and blue. The streets were filled with the cries of peddlers selling their daily goods to passers-by, and merchants showing off their goods.

The closely built buildings grew taller in length along the way as they passed an owlcat picking at the food of a sparrowkeet, and a hogmonkey banging a cooking pan along the shop's windowpane, its human owner yelling at the animal to stop. Amon felt the beginnings of a headache from the noises and crowds. This was not what he had signed in for.

No spirits in sight so far, he observed, but it was also then he noticed that the growing crowds were watching them very closely, peering over their shoulders from where they sat on wooden stools near the food stalls, and milling about near inns selling liquor. Their gaze was not welcoming at all, in fact, it was almost hostile-a far cry from the humans and spirits back at Kuruk's village. Behind him, he felt the Avatar shift uncomfortably.

On cue, Amon sped up in his pace as he looked around for an alley or nook near one of the buildings to get out of sight. Taking quick action was a must in this situation, and so he did not stop in their track but instead moved forward. The sounds of their footsteps against the dirtied, cobbled path were drowned out by the crowd as he finally spotted a turn around the next candle shop.

Turning in, he pulled the Avatar into the enclosed space. It was small, and there was very little light, but they were not in sight anymore-for now, at least.

"Why were they staring at us?" she hissed, dropping the bag down near their feet.

"I don't know," Amon replied, taking a quick glance out into the street. "Perhaps this may have something to do with your title, don't you think, Avatar?"

Although, when he thought about it, it was unlikely that these people were unaware of her identity. And sure, going through each day without eating proper food, restless sleeps at night, and an overall state of improper care and hygiene was taking a toll on her. However, it was affecting him just as much, and at the moment, he was in no mood to quell his temper.

"You-" the Avatar begun as she raised her fists.

He bought a hand to her mouth, cutting her words off as he leaned in.

"We don't want any trouble right now, so I suggest you keep your voice down and listen to my next course of action," he said, removing his fingers from her mouth, but keeping her face still.

"Firstly, get your disgusting hand away from my face, you should wash them more often, you know," she rebutted, glaring up at him.

Amon took a deep breath, teetering on both edges of exhaustion and irritation, until finally; he exhaled a breath and removed his hand while leaning back against the grimy wall, not at all relishing the way his clothes were being covered in more muck and dirt.

"Our first priority is to find a place to stay, get some food and…" he gestured towards her clothing, "and have a change of garments," he finished.

Something clicked in his mind as he examined the dirt covered and matted fur of her pelt. Of course, one of the most obvious reasons to the stares they had received was due to their foreign attire. Walking around in clothes not suited to this warm environment was bound to attract the attentions of the onlookers. How could he have forgotten? Blending in with the crowd was a good way to keep the attention at a minimum level.

"The clothes we wear, Avatar, seem to be the reason why they were gawking at us," he said, shielding the side of his face from the rays of the setting sun, which briefly illuminated the dark space they were in.

"Well of course that makes sense; your mask sure seems to love getting all this attention," she replied as she stood up straight, crossing her arms over.

He felt a nerve twitch near his forehead, willing himself to stay calm. Her words were partially true however, and that did not help to keep his rising temper at bay. He waited for her next slew of words which would no doubt take away the small ounce of patience left inside him.

But instead she watched him, tilting her head to the side as she regarded him in the shadowed space. This lasted for a few moments, before she spoke again.

"It's okay, you know," she said, in a voice so soft, of which he never knew she was capable of. He let out a breath he had not realised he was holding in until then, unsure of what her words meant. What was she trying to imply?-

"The mask. You can take it off…I mean, no one knows you-us over here so…" she continued, looking away before reaching for the bag, as though she was trying to distract herself, or maybe to keep her mind busy with something else, anything else but this-

"And besides, I don't…I don't think anyone would say anything about you-your scars," she fiddled with the buttons on the bag, lifting up the flap, all the while still not looking at him.

The air felt too thick with the heavy scent of melted candle wax, and he really wanted, in that instance, to remove himself from the now suffocating enclosure.

Her unexpected words had momentarily caught him off guard, and well, it was definitely something he would not allow to happen next time. He had to…stop, in a way, from continuously second guessing her.

"But anyway, I get what you mean about the whole 'drawing attention to ourselves because of what we wear," said Korra as he caught the sight of deep blue fabric slipping out of the bag between her fingers. "When you said that, I suddenly remembered there was something Aki-that spirit human girl-packed into my bag back at Kuruk's village…"

Korra straightened and held an ankle length dress to herself, the silver threads glimmering in the dim light.

"I have no idea how I even forgot about it, but it was out of sight the whole time, wedged right into the corner of the bag," she continued, patting the fabric down.

Despite being crumpled into a small space, and enduring who knows what on their journey so far, there was not a single crease in sight on the elegant dress.

The dress, reminiscent of those ancient days, of his mother, wearing one so similar when they attended the Northern Water Tribe chief's coronation…

"It's not practical, but it will work here and-"

He met her gaze, not realising what her previous words had been.

"-Why are you so quiet?" she continued, draping the dress over her arm.

Truth be told, he did not know either, though he surmised it was definitely related to his most recent train of thought, which had diverged his attention from the matter at hand, made him appear foolish, all because of some stupid piece of cloth which just happened to stir up those memories-

That darn dress.

"Nothing," Amon replied, moving out of the way and stepping out into the street, his back towards her. "Hurry up and change, we need to find a place to stay before nightfall."

There were not many people in sight on this street, however as the sun's final rays were quickly sinking back into the horizons, he noticed a new sound coming from the streets to their left, up further ahead. Laughter, talk-loud and undignified- echoed throughout the chilly atmosphere as warm, golden light pooled out into the streets from the location of the noise.

"I'm done," he heard the Avatar reply behind him, before turning around. "This will help me blend in with the rest-at least, I hope so," she continued, folding the sleeves of the dress up to her elbows.

He did not want to admit anything about the Avatar to himself. Again, there was simply no need to appraise, and evaluate how the frivolous piece of fabric fit her in a most appropriate manner, especially, as he casually glanced down, around her chest-

Stop.

Looking away, he directed his gaze towards the stone towers in front of him, their amber lights spilling down from the balconies, as ashtrays gently swung from the sides. At the front doors of the buildings, there were signs hanging down, etched with various pictograms, including a fish, a pair of scissors, and a calligraphy brush.

"We need to move on," said Amon, noticing that the sky was rapidly turning darker by the moment as the stars became more visible.

Without another word, they walked forward through the street, past the numerous shops of books, barbers and tailors. Their wood paneled doors were shut, indicating they were not open to any business at the moment. He thought it was rather unusual, considering that the stores should have been open during day break at least, but it did not appear that way at all.

They continued along the increasingly narrow but more populated street, with the scent of fried fish and steamed noodles filling the air. Shelter and food, were both important to their survival at the moment. Passers-by pushed them aside, though they did not appear to be carrying any bags to indicate they had recently shopped.

"You need new clothes too, you know," he heard the Avatar half-shout through the crowd. "There are plenty of shops here to get you something, although, I don't know if you've noticed, but they were closed. I mean like-not just the clothing shops, but all the other ones as well."

He definitely noticed alright.

Amon felt his arm being tugged to the side, until he was right at the edge of the path.

"And while no one seems to be looking at me anymore, they sure are having a sweet time not removing their eyes from you," she sniped, digging her fingers into his arm. "But first-" the Avatar let go of his arm, "-I'm hungry-and I'm pretty sure you are as well-even if you try not to show it, so let's get something to eat first."

Her hand returned on his arm, and before he could respond or protest, she was pushing him beside her through the crowd. He almost tripped a couple of times from the imbalance of their steps, until she stopped in front of a peddler selling a variety of foods.

"Two bowls of those soupy noodles please," said the Avatar, pointing towards a large, steaming pot, "a bag of that spicy fried fish, and fireflakes," she continued, waving her hands at the various dishes, "oh, and some dumplings too, please."

"That would be twenty silver pieces, Miss," replied the peddler, a short, bearded old man, dressed in bright hues of green and red like much of the population.

Well, they didn't have any money on them, but moreover, it had not occurred to him that currency was exchanged here. Just another facet of their journey he had not paid much attention to, perhaps due to how far apart and different everything seemed to the human world. Though it appeared there were more things they shared in common than there were differences.

The Avatar held her hands together, though before she could speak, Amon leaned forward instead.

"We are travelers," he said, gesturing towards himself and the Avatar, "new to this land and therefore not aware of the laws and customs." He clasped his hands behind his back, standing straight as the old man scrutinized them. "We do not have the proper money to pay for all this, but as you can see, we have gone many days without proper food and are in urgent need to replenish ourselves."

The peddler placed a finger on his chin, as though deep in thought, before he spoke.

"I'm inclined to believe you, boy," he said, "And if it's not just evident in your strange way of dressing, it does show in your mannerisms and odd accent, and so, I'll pardon you this time," he continued, holding a ladle and filling up a bowl with noodles. "But not everyone here will be as generous," he gave a small laugh, "The fire lion turtle city is known for its frequency of travelers and merchants, and you will find new people here every day from all spheres of life," he set a lid on the bowls, placing them on a tray. "It's also evident, however, that you two are not just any regular travelers. You're not from this world at all." He looked up at them then, placing his hands on the cart's edge, once again appearing as though he were examining them, and moreover, knew much more about them than he let on.

Amon did not flinch under his gaze; though he could sense the Avatar's heart beat accelerate.

"Enough talk for now though! Take a seat over there and I'll bring your meal over," the old peddler finally replied, before ushering them behind his stall, where a couple of small, wooden tables and stools were lined up. There was barely any traffic in this closed-off area.

An overgrown tree was nestled in the corner between two buildings, and from it hung a single, yellow lamp on a chain, as firemoth-flies hummed around in the glowing atmosphere.

Amon took a seat at one of the stools, pulling it forward as the metal scratched against the cobblestone floor, while the Avatar resided opposite him at the table.

This would all be a quick affair. Once they finish their meals, they would then set off to find a place to stay in for the next couple of days. Their lack of money had become an issue, though there had to be other ways to work around the problem. Regardless of his strange demeanor, he would have to discuss this matter with the peddler.

Amon surveyed the site, noticing how the buildings nearby were enshrouded in shadows, and how the leaves in the tree overhead whispered with one another through the wind. His eyes, lastly, fell onto the Avatar in front of him. He had of course, purposely not paid much attention to her during this time.

There was no need to.

She looked up at him then, though promptly shifted her gaze as she fidgeted with her hands in her lap. He continued to watch her, however, and studied the way she was haloed in golden light from the lamp above, how her face was turned to the side, the warm light caught on her cheekbone.

Amon was broken out of his reverie at the sound of the peddler arriving at their table.

"Two servings of everything, with some serving of lychee juice on side!" he announced, placing food off the tray. "Need anything else, let me know," he continued, wiping a hand on his apron.

He had to ask him now, Amon decided. Not just about their accommodation, but also in regards to other valuable and important information which would benefit them on their stay here in the city, and perhaps also, on their journey.

"You're aware of our circumstances so far, and also understand that we, as foreigners who have traveled far distances, need proper rest so that we can continue on our way," he said, before lifting up the bottom of his mask a couple of inches, and leading a pair of chopsticks to his mouth. He was grateful that the old man had not questioned him and the mask.

"Hmm, that I'm fully aware of," said the peddler, holding the empty tray by his side, "Need a place to stay?"

"Yes."

"I can make arrangements for that, along with your daily meals-for now, that is..." he said, as he wiped an arm over his tray, "but if you two are going to be spending some time here-and at other places during your journey-then it is best you find some way to earn money, such as through a job, for instance…"

Amon pondered over what he said. It would make sense that much he knew, and although it would impede their journey, they could not afford more days to survive on scraps of food from the wild, or rest on uncomfortable grounds-there was a limit on how much he-they, could endure. Besides, he was certain they could pick up odd jobs throughout their journey, as so far there was no reason to restrict themselves to one place in order to earn money.

"We will figure out ways to do that too, if you'll be generous to provide us with the correct information regarding it," said Amon, taking a sip from his cup of lychee juice.

"Here, take this coin-," said the peddler, reaching into a pocket and retrieving a small, metal coin, "Show it to the owner of whatever establishment you want to stay at, and they'll understand. Keep it with you at all times," he continued, "I'll provide some more information once you're done," he concluded, before leaving their table.

At that moment, Amon decided to spare a glance across the table towards the Avatar, and he inwardly recoiled in the way she was so engrossed in her food, already helping herself to second servings of the fish, scoffing the food into her mouth as though there was no one around. But whether it was out of boredom, or some weird fixation, he could not look away.

-:-

She caught him then, and her eyes widened as she became aware of herself, and the way her cheeks were no doubt bulging like a squirrelrabbit's. Quickly, she gulped her food down.

"Sorry," Korra mumbled, looking away and trying to focus on something else. The wind swept past the tree overhead, unsettling a few stray leaves as they began to drift downwards, catching onto the damp, cobbled ground. While scanning the foreground, she caught a movement in the corner of her eye-a shadow of some sort, though by the time she turned around, there was nothing.

Finishing up her meal, she brushed off the crumbs from her lap as the peddler returned to collect their empty bowls and plates, and leaving two cups of herbal tea on the table.

Before he left, he discussed some more about their arrangements for the course of their stay here, along with information regarding the city's current state-something about it not been safe past sunset, and staying indoors before sunrise-but she was far too tired to catch onto anything else he said. She will just ask Amon later on-or tomorrow. There was a lot on her mind, but right now, her eyes were feeling heavy, and it was like she was drifting away, far away into the dark cosmos above, leaving everything behind…

"Avatar," repeated Amon for the third time, pulling her out of the half-dream, half-awakened state she was in. "We need to leave."

Stifling a yawn behind her wrist, Korra heaved their bag over her shoulder.

They began to make their way out of the street. Begrudgingly, she followed his lead as he knew where the inn they would be staying at was located. If only she wasn't feeling so tired at the moment, she would have been able to properly listen to the old man when he was giving the instructions.

"There's a train station situated on the other side of the city, and once we earn enough money for our tickets, we depart this city on the earliest train," said Amon as they went up a set of crumbling stairs up the alley. Not as many people were around, though the area appeared to be mostly residential, indicating the presence of families living in the two-story houses built side-by-side.

"Oh, okay," Korra replied dully, not in the mood to talk at the moment.

"Listen carefully, Avatar. There's no reason to give me this attitude despite our inexplicable circumstances," he said with an edge of contempt in his voice.

So, he was choosing this moment in taking every opportunity to further mock and ridicule her- the way he sneered the word 'Avatar'- it was riling her up. This wasn't fair at all, and she was just too tired of everything.

"It's Korra, by the way," she snapped back, her words echoing off the stone towers surrounding them.

He gave no response as he made a turn into the next street, while she followed suit. He was refusing to answer her at all, and so she stopped in her tracks. She could not leave this matter alone; it was time he properly acknowledged her.

"My name is Korra!"

He halted in his steps then, and turned around. This street was livelier than the previous one, with men and women going past in both directions, though not paying her-and him, any attention.

Not intending to bend any of the elements at Amon, Korra ran up towards him, preparing instead to give him a talk, make him listen to her for once instead of continuously brushing her aside as though she were some insignificant mothfly-

There was loud crash, from the direction of the old book stores up ahead. Before she had any time to register the noise, there was another crash from the opposite direction of the shops.

Frozen in her spot, there was never any time to process the scene unfolding before her as a fire erupted in the distance, alighting in the middle of the street. People were running away from the site, rushing past one another, screaming, yelling, and some crying for help.

That was her purpose after all, to help those in need, to face any sort of adversity and restore the true balance. She knew that much, despite so much else there was left to learn.

Her previous state of fatigue and tiredness dissolved within a blink of an eye, and without a moment's hesitation, she ran forward, hands poised, ready to attack whoever-or whatever it was causing this destruction.

She registered someone by her side as she approached the fire-which strangely enough, was not growing larger in size, but instead remained the same size from where she was. More people were rushing past her-and Amon she realised, who was taking the same route as her. Finally, they came at a stop to assess the site.

Although the night was dark, there was enough light being provided by a lone street lamp to show the extent of the building's damages. A couple of window panes had broken off, with glass shattered around the rubble on the ground. While the sloping rooves had remained intact, the doors to the front entrances had been caved in, surrounded by fragments of stones, and books torn in half.

But despite the wreckage, and her quick exploration of the site, there was no one around to suggest who had caused this.

Nothing, not even a small hint.

There was a strange pit in her stomach…the same feeling she had when she came across the remains of their makeshift raft. Something wasn't right.

"Who did this?" Korra whispered, more to herself, holding her arms as Amon surveyed the site, before turning to the center of the street-where the fire had mysteriously gone out without warning.

It was then that she heard a cry-small, distorted, and barely audible-but a cry nonetheless, coming from one of the dilapidated buildings.

She listened carefully, following the path of the sound. Before she could deduce the source of the cry, Amon had already reached around the other side of the building, where she saw him kneeling down.

Korra held a flame in her hand as she approached him, and without a word, knelt down beside him. The crying was more insistent now, and she realised there was someone-something, just beneath the rubble of books.

Despite herself, she shivered, and without thinking, her hand caught onto Amon's down beside her. She felt him tense beneath her, and she quickly removed her hand. "Sorry," she said to him for the second time that night. He gave no reply.

Ignoring the dread she felt, and gathering all her courage, she carefully began to remove the piles of books with one hand, keeping a flame alight in the other. He pitched in too, removing every book obstructing the way of whatever it was.

The last book was removed, and Korra gasped at the sight beneath her.

Swaddled in a thin, torn blanket was a child, a boy no older than two years of age, with a mop of matted, dark hair. But the unsettling detail was the blood; his face was covered in it, and it ran down his torso, with his arms and legs covered in gashes-how deep, she didn't know.

The child let out another cry, weaker than before as his eyes fluttered open, just barely.

Korra did not know whether to be saddened or horrified, or both. Who did the child belong to? There was no one around. But she wanted then, to reach out and hold the poor child, heal his wounds and clean him up, if he were to live, that was-

She took another deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, until she heard Amon speak. She had forgotten he was there.

"He'll live," he said simply.

How he was sure, she didn't know, but she looked up him, holding onto his words. It was so difficult to read his expression through the mask at times, as it always was.

A stray tear escaped the corner of her eye as she watched the helpless boy. She didn't know why the child was affecting her like this, and even more, she could not trust herself to hold him.

She was surprised, however, when Amon reached out and held the child, in a manner so gentle, placing his head in the crook of his arm, and securing his other arm around.

"He will be okay," he said, before rising.

What part of her was holding onto his words was a mystery, but she rose too, and walked alongside him, close to him, as they made their way out of the ruins, going past the books scattered on the ground, past the mounds of rubble.

It was a short while before they entered into a more open street, and a cool mist was engulfing them by the time they arrived at the site of their accommodation.

As usual, do let me know what you think of this chapter, it's characters and events :p

Really enjoying Book 4 atm, though I'm anxious for the finale, it's only a little while away! (and also, I loved the Amon cameos, even though I think him and his brother should come back ;-; )

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