The Allura Empire's capital, specifically right around where the manor was located, was reduced to ashes and ruin.
Silence settled upon us as survivors mourned their losses, looking at the shattered pieces of their lives.
The choking scent of death clogged my throat, and my magic waned, pushing my body further into exhaustion from exerting so much of my spirit power. Though, ever since bonding with the guys, I'd noticed that all of my magic had greater limits than it did before I bonded them.
Guards clad in the Allura Empire's armor surrounded us. One of the guards, I believed to be a captain, stepped forward with his hard gaze cold and unforgiving. "You sent a dragon to ravage our village--for the second time. You will answer for your heinous crimes."
"Excuse me?" Silas scoffed, his chest moving up and down rapidly as he caught his breath.
Another guard stepped forward. "How else would another dragon egg end up in our castle? It happened the last time you were here too."
"We came because of the dragon last time, and we saved you then too!" Silas's body shook with visible anger.
"Do you expect me to believe that a dragon suddenly appeared out of thin air and reduced our homes to ashes?" The guard shook his head. "Your denial means nothing."
"You are absolutely wrong!" I stumbled forward and sucked in a shaky breath. "We are the only reason the Allura Empire's capital is still standing. Your training and your magic may be strong, but that dragon was stronger. It killed its own egg, and it did that because it is under the effect of a rage potion. It's something all the monsters are being given right now due to the state of the world."
The captain shook his head. "Innocence can be a well-crafted guise, my dear. I have my orders to keep this empire safe, and until proven otherwise, you and your fellow adventurers will be treated as criminals."
Jasper let out a deep chuckle, his arm snaking around my waist and pulling me into his side. I let out a sigh of relief to be in his arms, and I leaned on him. "We aren't innocent by any means, but we are when it comes to this. The Revivium Empire is who you want to go after. The Lethium Empire is dealing with the same shit, and your entire empire has been dealing with it for weeks now. That's not on us."
Casper stepped forward on my other side, placing one of his hands on my shoulder. He smirked at the guard. "I'm pretty sure you haven't spoken to your emperor and empress because if you had, you would know not to accuse us. We are helping you. My sunshine has a big heart, but if this is how you're treating her, I'd rather let you be crushed and burned by the next dragon."
"Or I could just kill you myself," Jasper stated, his words unwavering.
The guard's eyes widened slightly before he dropped his knee. "Emperor and Empress Lovington."
"What is the meaning of this?" Emperor Lovington shouted, and Jasper glowered at the captain.
"We believed your guests were the ones responsible for the dragon," the captain stated, eyes firmly on the ground in front of his emperor and empress.
"Then you are fools!" Empress Lovington cried out, her gaze disgusted as she looked at her guards. "Master Fawn and her bonded mages, who are also shields of the Lethium Empire, are only here to help us. Yet you accuse them."
"It's completely inappropriate," Emperor Lovington agreed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You need extra training, but we don't have time for that right now."
There was discord within the manor's walls, and I was sure that the captain didn't just randomly decide to accuse us. It was probably the work of the bone mage that we still didn't have the identity of trying to sow discord in the Allura Empire--and it was working.
I used Casper and Jasper to keep myself upright by gripping their arms and looked at Bastian. "Do you have any truth serums left?"
"Of course, love. Why do you need it?" Bastian pulled a vial from his rune and handed it to me.
"To prove a point." I popped the lid off and downed the contents in one gulp, licking my lips. I stared at the captain before shifting my attention toward the emperor and empress. "We were in no way involved in this dragon attack. The only thing we are guilty of is stopping the dragon from causing more damage."
Emperor and Empress Lovington smiled softly at me, bowing their heads slightly. "Master Fawn, we apologize that you felt that was necessary. We are loyal to you just as you are loyal to us."
"I do not want to cause any mistrust within your capital and within the imperial guard. This is my way to clear our name and keep your guard loyal." I glanced at the captain, who shifted his gaze downward. He was smart enough to look a little ashamed.
"We trust you," Emperor Lovington stated, moving his attention to the guys. "And we trust Emperor Lloyd."
"Something has happened within the Revivium Empire, and we are tasked with going back there to stop it." Silas stepped forward, his lips in a thin line.
"You're welcome to stay here for the rest of the night and leave in the morning," Empress Lovington offered.
I glanced around at the destruction from the dragon. It could've been much worse, but it was still terrible.
The once serene capital now lay in a catastrophe of ruins. Charred buildings and debris were scattered everywhere. Smoke still lingered in the air, remnants of the rage-fueled dragon attack.
"Where are your earth mages?" I asked.
