Dhaga rested near a tidal well as the last of his minor wounds healed up. He was among the fortunate ones as countless other nagas had far more serious wounds. Given the moon was going through its waxing crescent phase, even minor wounds took time to heal. Those with serious but non-life threatening would eventually heal up once enough time passed. Sadly, those with life-threatening injuries were unlikely to survive long enough to see the next sunrise. Such was the cruel reality of war.

  If only I could find the naga chosen by the healing orb…

  We can do that while you train!

  Dhaga jumped when Cridror appeared out of nowhere. The orca said it would visit the owner of the red orb, stating that it wanted to check on her and answer any burning questions. Only a few minutes passed and the orca had already returned. As soon as he regained his composure, the young naga asked how he could train and search for the owners of the orbs.

  From our earlier engagement, what did you find yourself missing?

  Dhaga spent a few minutes thinking over what he learned. The two sides engaged for a few hours before the soldiers returned to their respective camps. He was unsure why the Kraken followers didn’t keep up the pressure but, as Cridror shared, the tide of battle wasn’t always obvious, especially for those in the thick of battle. The generals often had to observe from afar to gauge whether their forces were in an advantageous position. Just as a general observed the battlefield to find ways to win, Dhaga had to observe the frontlines to see how he could better contribute to the battle in his own unique way.

  I lacked speed and awareness. Speed would have given me a chance to get to key locations faster and assist by striking at the enemy weak spots. Awareness would have allowed me to find those key locations sooner. I don’t excel in fighting enemies in a bogged down situation. I must be a spear that only strikes at enemy weak points. That’s what I learned from observing your charges.

  I’m impressed you learned so much in so little time. You will swim at your top speed to all the locations with tidal wells. This will not only train your speed but you will also work on your awareness as you move at top speed while searching for anyone picked by any of the orbs. Sounds simple enough, right?

  With his wounds fully healed, Dhaga immediately committed himself to the training exercise. Despite experiencing fatigue, he was told by the orca that he had to push through with his willpower alone. The seemingly simple training exercises proved more difficult than he first anticipated when he narrowly avoided nagas and structures within a few minutes of starting. It was hard enough for him to focus on where he went while going at full speed. To focus on anything else would distract him too much, resulting in near collisions.

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  Cridror really knows the best training exercises. I got to make use of the time we have before the Kraken forces attack again.

  Many naga lookouts were stationed outside the walls to alert the defenders as soon as the Kraken followers made their move. Until they relayed news of an attack, everyone inside the walls could rest and heal. Dhaga, knowing the importance of being an orb bearer, didn’t have the luxury to rest when he had to be strong enough to make a difference on the battlefield like Cridror. The young naga resumed his training, waiting for energy to surge from one of the orbs. A few hours later, he felt that he could navigate everything better, almost as if his instincts were developing as he went.

  I should ask Cridror about this later. Maybe the orb has something to do with my fast improvements.

  Despite sensing improvements within himself, the young naga still had no luck finding orb bearers. He had visited half of the tidal wells but there was no sign of the orbs glowing. Dhaga then arrived at a crowded tidal well when a scene stopped him. A juvenile naga reached into the well with both hands and poured the content over a badly wounded naga. She then grasped her hands together while she chanted in a foreign language with her eyes closed. Normally, pouring the contents of a tidal well was no different from being in close proximity of the well so the healing wouldn’t be different. However, the terrible wounds were healing at a rate faster than Dhaga’s minor wound healing earlier. As he questioned if this juvenile naga was the healer he searched for, the pink orb materialized before him.

  “May I have a bit of your time?” Dhaga asked the juvenile naga. “My name is Dhaga. What is yours?”

  “I’m….I’m Azi. I’m an albino naga.”

  Albino nagas weren’t afflicted with albinism but were instead different from other nagas. The term was associated with something that made the naga stand out, resulting in discrimination from other nagas. To many, albino nagas were closest thing to cursed nagas so it was wise to stay out of their way.

  How tough it must be to be labeled as an outcast? This poor thing.

  "I know this comes as a surprise but I want you to touch this orb. It will give you a chance to help more nagas."

  The young naga could see the hesitation but Azi eventually reached out towards the orb. Upon contact, the juvenile naga had a big smile on her face as she looked around her, as though she was surrounded by spirits. Her hands reached out, as though touching every single spirit. A minute later, she bowed to Dhaga.

  “Thank you for everything, Dhaga! I can help more nagas now!”

  Despite being mistreated, she is still willing to help others. I think she’s stronger than I’ll ever be.

  "Do your very best!" replied Dhaga. "If you need help, look for a giant black and white creature. It's an orca and its name is Cridror."

  "That would be me!"

  Both Dhaga and Azi jumped when the orca appeared out of nowhere.