With their meeting over, Storm left his study and walked through the tunnels towards the mine's old mineral processing chamber where Aurora should be located.
He found her in the center of the room still locked in the cage on the wagon, luckily for Storm she was curled up and seemed to be fast asleep.
She didn't even seem to notice his presence.
He contacted Augustus mentally a moment later.
"You didn't let her out of the cage!?" Said Storm.
"Sir? Considering the circumstances, I thought it best that she remained locked up?" Replied the elf.
Storm held his head in his claws and sighed.
"It's no wonder that she's so upset!"
"With all due respect, sir? She's locked up 'because' she's upset!" Replied Augustus.
"I doubt she'll see it that way! Send someone to open the cage at once!"
Storm looked at her thin frame. She clearly hadn't had a decent meal in a while. "And tell them to bring food when they do! She's less likely to eat them that way."
Once the elf confirmed that he sent someone, Storm walked to one of the darker corners and sat down to wait for her to wake up.
After a hour of waiting, a group of elves opened the door, waking Aurora in the process.
They brought a large stag that had been carefully roasted for her as well as a bowl of fresh spring water,.
even though dragons were fully capable of eating raw meat, They preferred their food properly prepared.
So Storm had mentally instructed them to do so for her. They placed the stag on the ground, before a single elf came to the cage door, causing Aurora to back away.
He unlocked the cage door and opened it for her, before turning around and rejoining his fellow elves as they left the room without even saying a word.
As she cautiously stepped out of the cage, Storm concealed the glow of his eyes by closing his inner eyelids.
"Eat!"
The sound of Storm's thundering voice caused Aurora to jump in fright. She tried to identify Storm's form in the surrounding gloom but she was unable to make him out in the darkness.
"Who are you!? What do you intend to do with me!?" Yelled Aurora.
"Eat!! We'll speak after you have filled your belly!!" Commanded Storm.
She flinched at the authority in his voice.
Realizing that the stranger was unwilling to continue until she did as he instructed , she turned to the stag and sniffed it a few times, before giving it a light lick to test for poison.
Once she was sure that it was safe, she laid down and began tearing at the meat. She started slow at first, but soon her hunger got the better of her and she began eating more ravenously.
Once she'd eaten her fill, she turned to the bowl and drank for another 10 minutes. Before she settled down to talk.
"Thank you, stranger. I can't remember the last time I've had a proper meal." Aurora said.
"That much was apparent from the condition of your body." Storm replied.
"May I ask your name, stranger?"
Storm hesitated for a moment before he answered.
"I am known by many names. But you may call me Calamity." Storm answered.
A look of fear crossed her face when she heard his name.
"You are afraid of me?" Storm asked.
"Forgive me! I meant no disrespect! It's just... your name is well known among humans and non humans alike and not all the stories paint you as 'benevolent'!
It would help ease my appreciation if I could see you. Come out! You don't need to be afraid!" She said.
Storm chuckled in amusement. "I am not afraid."
"Then show yourself!" She replied.
Storm opened his eyes fully, revealing his location to her. He then slowly stepped into the light.
Her breath caught in her throat as she saw him, her entire body was shaking from some unknown emotion as she stared at him with a open mouth.
"S... S... Storm?" She stuttered.
He nodded his head in response.
"I'm dreaming... aren't I?" She asked.
"No, Aurora. It's really me. I'm here." Storm answered.
Without another word, she threw herself at him. Embracing him with both her fore limbs and her wings.
Tears flowed from her eyes as she cried.
"I thought you were dead!? We all thought so!? How could this be possible!?"
"I'm not dead, Aurora!! I'm here! And I'm not leaving your side again!" he answered.
She continued to sob as Storm held on to her and comforted her as best he could.
After a few minutes, she pulled away from him and locked eyes with him.
"Tell me everything. " she said.
Storm began to tell her everything that had happened to him. His discovery of the elven village, his battle and injury fighting the Ogre, his discovery of his home's fate.
When he came to the part where he had failed to catch up to them, she started weeping again.
"I'm sorry!! We should have waited longer!! Should have gone searching for you!!"
"It's all right, Aurora!! I don't blame any of you for what you had to do!"
As he embraced her again she suddenly stiffened in his grip. She pulled back and locked eyes with him.
"Storm, when you first introduced yourself? You called yourself 'Calamity'? Did you really mean that when you said it?"
Storm nodded his head. "That is one of the names I am known by, yes."
"You can't be the same Calamity as the one in the legends. You'd never do the kind of things he's known for?"
"I am, and I have."
"Storm!! This can't be what you've become!!"
Storm bristle at her accusation.
"Who do you think you are to judge my actions!! Do you have any idea what I went through!!" Yelled Storm.
"Do you think I had it easy!! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to leave!! For how long I mourned you!!" She shouted back.
Storm averted his eyes. "At least you had the others to comfort you. I was all alone."
Her gaze softened .
"Storm! You must realize that what you're doing is wrong! Turning a blind eye to the suffering of the other magical creatures?
Forcing others into war? Harming those who's only crime is to be enslaved?"
"No! It is 'you' who is wrong! We're at war, Aurora. and you're too naive and soft to realize what must be done!" Said Storm.
He twisted around and stormed out of the room.
"STORM!! WAIT!!" Called Aurora. But he ignored her and left her alone with her regrets.