Prologue
The Dragoness lifted her head up towards the great Alder tree, with branches tangled over other branches while curved in the color of warm almond. A beautiful sight, with its leaves glowing brighter in the light of the pale moon. Her scales were as pale as the moon itself, and bright blue eyes to match her cold gaze. But the Dragoness’ gaze was not fixed on the Tree itself, but at the figure at the base of the tree. The body of another dragon. It’s golden scales with yellow under scales lined with a charcoal black. It’s eyes a warm magenta color, directed at the Dragoness below him. The Dragon’s body slowly turning transparent, his metallic silver horns no longer gave off the warm, comforting glow, now it was just emanating a strange feeling...one she knew very well. The feeling of melancholy...
He’s disappearing… right in front of me… but why… why can’t I do anything to help him… The Dragoness thought to herself, her talon tips curling into the ground making a deep gash. Even though such a terrible and unfair thing was happening, right in front of her, she couldn’t move an inch. She was angry with herself, angry at everything up to this point. If only she had noticed sooner… if only she could’ve done something to help…
“Why...” The Dragoness said softly. “WHY?!” She repeated again, louder and more demandingly. What… a foolish Dragon he was. She thought angrily, digging her talons into the muddy soil, rich with the scent of blood. Even though she’d known him better than anyone, even his own family... Even though they’d done everything together since they day they met. She’d loved going places with him, watching the grin on his snout form every time something seemed interesting.
And yet… Why did it feel as if it was all being thrown away? All the adventures they went on, the challenges they had shared… all of it. Fading away into the depths of nothingness. And for what? Saving this so-called world that he loved…. Even more than me? She couldn’t help but allow that thought to surface, even though she knew the answer to it herself. Even though this same world hated him, and even tried to get rid of him… The Dragoness felt her back teeth grinding against each other. Irritation and anger welled up in her once more, more concentrated and furious than when she was fighting.
“WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS,” The Dragoness growled, “AFTER THE WAY THEY TREATED YOU! THEY EVEN TRIED TO KILL YOU!! DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?! EVEN AFTER WITNESSING ALL THAT, YOU STILL WOULD GO THIS FAR FOR THEM?!” She didn’t even try to hide the aversion in her voice, and she didn’t intend to either. “You don’t even… get anything in return…” She felt as if she had to make him known, see if she could somehow find a way to get him out of this. Or else...
The Dragon looked down at her for a moment, eyes narrowing as if in deep thought, and did what she thought was the most arrogant thing that he could’ve done in this situation: He smiled. That stupidly, charming, cynical grin that made her heart ache even more. “Alva… even if that’s the case… if I didn’t do this...then everything I loved would disappear.” His voice was hoarse, like the creaking of an old tree about to fall. “The world where we found each other in… it would disappear…”
“But you’ll disappear as well!”
The Dragon slowly reached out his talons, beckoning her, and she quickly rushed towards him to take hold of them into her own. Though she tried to hold them, his talons nearly slipped between her own. The ever so apparent sign of his soon departure. Too soon. The Dragoness looked closely and saw that his talons were nearly transparent, and dread began to fill her stomach to the brim.
“I-...I don’t want to lose you…” She sobbed ptifully, tears clogging up her vision. “If you leave me… then… I’ll be all alone…”
“I’m… sorry… Alva. I know that you’ll hate me for this but…” Laen moved his snout closer to her, to the point where both of theirs were touching. “I want you to live on. Even if you can’t do it for yourself… then do it… for my sake. Please, Alva… please grant the wish… of your old friend… just once…”
His voice grew softer as his physical form began fading more rapidly than before. The siphoning process had already gotten to the point where she could barely even make out his outline in front of her. He breathed out his last words, and her talons finally grabbed empty air. His form had finally been absorbed into the Great Akli, much to her despair. His final wish. “Live the life I couldn’t…”
The Dragoness felt more tears run down her snout as his talons disappeared from her grasp, it came fast like a flood. She sat with her head bent, the sound of the Ushi’s vibrated in the background as if mourning their friend.
And no matter what happens… I want you to remember… that… I love you. And only you. Please… keep growing… Queen of the Realm of Mihago...
The Dragoness lifted her head up, suddenly embarrassed and upset with herself for losing her composure for a moment. The Dragoness used her tail to wipe the tears from her eyes, refusing to seem weak, and flared her wings in determination. The others would laugh if they saw me now, she joked. She turned towards the tree with narrowed eyes. I’m sure you would as well. She could almost imagine his arrogant smile again.
She tried getting up slowly, feeling a little off balance from lying on the ground for so long, and reflected about his final words with a sigh. “Such an idiot. Always with the dramatics.” She stared behind her, at the outline of a kingdom that she had nearly abandoned. Her father, mother, and brother were most definitely upset with her, her petty ambitions and dreams had nearly cost them their home after all. At least, that’s what she thought, only one Alistasian would beg to differ. She almost laughed at herself.
As She fanned out her wings and lifted herself into the air with a few beats, Alva made her way towards her home, and her Queendom, created from the blood of her fallen brethren and past comrades. Huffing out a plume of smoke against the cold, bitter wind tingling her scales. “Don’t worry, Laen. I’ll take care of it for you…And when you return, we’ll have a feast...Just like before.” She raised her head and looked up at the two moons boobing lines in the sky. The stretch of a bright, orange-red horizon that brought along both a new day, and a new era.
“I Promise.”
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