The trip home didn’t take as nearly as long as Lyndria feared. They traveled at night and took turns sleeping during the day. Other than the occasional half-starved animal, they saw no one. Still, they chose to remain cautious and traveled on foot, only taking to the air when absolutely necessary which was never.

The lack of interaction with other life worried her. It was never a good sign when there were no tracks, smells, or sounds from the world. That usually meant something had gone horribly wrong and scared everything away. It made her feel closed off from reality as if the world had left her behind. Silias showed no concerns. Over the course of their journey, the drake slowly returned to his old habits, but the fear of Tanor and her retribution remained in his eyes.

Lyndria knew she needed to do something about that before they reached their destination. Freezing up out here could be deadly.

It was a good thing she intended to make a pitstop before then.

Finding the place where she had left Madrin was easy even after all this time. She found the trail, overgrown and littered with debris, as if she had walked it a thousand times. As they drew closer, her chest tightened. There was too much destruction, too many dead trees, and charred corpses. Even if the fighting hadn’t reached Madrin, no way could she survive in this. Her sister was gone, moved on to a place where the food was plentiful and the water didn’t taste like ash. Her sister was gone. Even as the thought played in her mind, she refused to acknowledge it. Her sister wasn’t gone. Madrin would be there waiting for her.

A burned-out husk of a building in a field of ash greeted them when they entered the clearing.

Lyndria ran towards the remains in a panic, constantly checking the air for any traces of Madrin’s scent. but she only caught the dry air and stench of dead wood. The lack of dead body smell and discarded corpses didn’t ease her anxiety. Enough time had passed that the scent could be overpowered by something else. She turned to the fallen remains of the house and began digging through the rubble furiously. The damage and weathering had rendered most of it brittle and it broke away easily under her claws.

Silias sat down next to her. “Lyndria, there is no one here.”

“Shut up. I know. I just need to be sure.”

“Sure of what?”

“My sister. This is where I left her.” She increased the pace of her digging.

“If I had to guess, she’s moved on. We should as well. This area is too exposed.”

“Not yet.”

“Lyndria!”

“NOT YET!”

Silias grabbed her tail and pulled her away from the site. She snarled and whirled around, coming snout to snout with the glaring drake.

“Oh, now you remember you have a pair when Tanor’s not around,” she spat. It was petty and the look on Silias’ face told her so. She snorted and turned back to continue digging, but now that she had stopped, reality sunk in. Madrin wasn’t there and likely hadn’t been in a long time.

She considered apologizing then thought better of it and simply walked away. “We’re wasting time,” she grumbled.

They spent the rest of the night walking in silence. When sunlight began peeking over the horizon, they found a large outcropping to sleep under. It was a tight squeeze, but nothing they weren’t used to at this point. Their backs were protected and the dense trees made it hard for passersby to spot them.

“I’ll take first watch,” Silias said.

Lyndria shrugged and got as comfortable as the confines allowed. He always took the first watch.

“There are many truths I’ve come to accept,” Silias said.

Lyndria opened an eye but said nothing.

“I’ve learned to accept my limitations and the hardships that will derive from them,” he continued. “However, I have always prided myself on my unyielding loyalty and dedication. Not even a Matriarch could make me break my oath.” A low growl filled the brief silence before he spoke again. “Then Tanor came and shattered my resolve with such ease. I was not only useless, I was a liability.”

“Have you really never been under the Call before?”

Silias shook his head. “The Call is not a perfect weapon. It can be resisted or ignored even by those vulnerable to it. It all comes down to the individual. I’ve never had my resolve challenged that way before. I was so certain I couldn’t be broken, and yet she did so easily.”

“So that’s why you’re sulking? Because you never got your ass kicked? Look, sometimes it’s not about how badly you want something. Like you said, we have limitations and don’t always get what we want.”

“Speaking from personal experience?”

“Does this look like the kind of life I wanted to have?”

“No, I suppose not.”

Silence fell over them again. Lyndria became irritated with the lack of ambiance. She worried about Madrin and imagined her sister’s fate was not how she wanted to spend the night.

She shifted to get into a more comfortable position and spoke, “So what’s the deal with you and Sareen anyway? Why are you so dedicated to her?”

“I promised her mother.”

“That’s it? Just a promise?”

He tilted his head. “All of our actions are driven by promises, for good or evil. Sareen has suffered more than you know. The humans turned on us, killed her mother, and tried to break her mind.”

Lyndria understood perfectly but chose to let the drake continue his story.

“When I found her, she was clinging to what little sanity remained. The humans had almost succeeded. Bringing her back from the brink of madness was…difficult. She vowed to never again be chained and collared, and I vowed to never fail her or her mother again.”

“That still doesn’t explain why Tanor got under your skin like that.”

Silias said nothing for a moment. The silence over them became eerie. Even the trees swaying in the distance made no sound. Lyndra worried she had finally crossed the line and Silias had shut down.

Finally the drake spoke. “Tanor is not a Matriarch; she is a true Dracaena.”

“I thought that was just a title?”

“In the old days, it was more than just a title. We used it to identify dragons were above Matriarchs, who had achieved a greater level of power.”

“Like the awakening,” Lyndria finished.

“Yes. But over time, the humans used it to refer to all dragons and we, having grown weaker and ignorant, began to do the same.”

“How do you know all this?”

“My mother was an Oracle. She would tell me stories of the old days.”

Lyndria shifted into a better position. This had piqued her interest and she didn’t want to risk falling asleep. “Like what?”

Silias began to tell her stories passed down by his mother. Of the legends of many heroic dragons and humans, of fearsome creatures, and of the origins of Geolga and the world. She had never paid much attention to history before, but now she found herself enraptured by it. Perhaps she was just desperate for a distraction from her sister’s disappearance. Or perhaps it was because she found Silias’ voice so soothing. Or perhaps he was just a good storyteller. The way he described the events, the forgotten locations, and the mythical abilities, she could picture them almost perfectly.

Intertwined with many of his stories were talks about Calmia, Sareen’s mother, and how she enjoyed hearing these tales. Lyndria couldn’t recall ever seeing the drake smile as much as he did whenever that name came up. It became clear his feelings towards the dragoness were more than just platonic, but Lyndria chose to keep it to herself.

It made her feel a little jealous. She didn’t have someone like that. She had her mother and her sister, but she had never known that special feeling of love, knowing someone wanted to be around her, with her. Even before Delour’s reign, she was more interested in training and hunting than finding a chosen.

It was hard to push the thoughts from her mind, to not focus on how alone she truly felt. Squeezed under the outcropping, practically on top of a drake, she realized this was the closest she had ever been to one in a long time. There were flings in the past, but this was different. This one she saw as more than simply a tool for her own ends.

Silias continued talking until nightfall. They decided to continue the storytelling on the road. The area was just as dead and quiet as everywhere else, and the conversation was a welcome change of pace from the quiet and gloom. To hear Silias talk so passionately of a lively and vibrant world, of a time when the world was full of heroes and hope, reminded her of what they were fighting for.

Lyndria noticed in all the stories he told, that none of his interactions with Calmia included an intimate moment and Lyndria realized the truth; Silias’ feelings weren’t reciprocated. Calmia never saw him as more than a friend. At that moment she realized that Sareen was more than a promise to him. Sareen was the last living memory of the dragon he loved. The final vestige of her hopes, dreams, achievements, and legacy. Finally, she understood why Tanor had him so shaken.

But she kept the realization to herself and decided to distract herself from those thoughts. Ideas of how to approach the clan, how to find Nayome, and what would happen if they were caught swarmed through her mind.

Those thoughts weren’t pleasant.

The sun dipped below the horizon again, when she noticed they were getting close to her old clan. They made better time than she expected. Listening to Silias talk of the past distracted them from the walk.

But now it was time they went their separate ways. It was clear he and Sareen needed each other. If nothing else, he needed to go back to her. “Listen, I think I should go alone,” she said.

“What--?”

“Before you start, I know the place better than you, and I’m smaller so it’s easier to hide. If I run into trouble, I can just use my Call. If I’m not back by morning, assume the worst and go back without me.”

Silias said nothing and stared at her.

“Don’t look at me like that. I said, ‘if’.”

“I promised I would look after you.”

“And I promised I would send you back to Sareen. Besides, this is my job. You already have your awakening.”

“If you’re not back by morning, I’m coming for you.”

“Don’t—”

“You won’t stop me. If we’re to stand a chance against Tanor, we all must be there.”

Lyndria rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Then she ran off towards her clan.

She threw caution to the wind. Most of the clan should be sleeping by the time she arrived, and time was against her. Even if Silias wasn’t coming for her, she had to be gone by sunrise or else contend with a whole clan of furious dragons. She was a Matriarch, but she still didn’t like her odds.

She had no idea what time it was when she arrived at her old mountain home, but the moon sat high in the sky, barely visible through the clouds. The lack of light gave her increased cover.

She slowed down and snuck towards the old entrance she used as an outcast, hoping it was still unused.

The tunnel was quiet and abandoned, but still smelled of dragon. It was a good sign as she hadn’t checked if the clan was even still around. With how dead the area was, it wouldn’t surprise her if they had moved on.

Whether it was nostalgia or curiosity, she found herself standing in front of the nook where she used to sleep. She didn’t want to be here. There were no pleasant memories of her time here.

“Who’s there?” someone suddenly called out.

Lyndria swore and flattened herself to the ground, although it made little difference. It would be hard to miss her crouching in front of the entrance. It was too dark to see anything further than the stone archway. The moonlight didn’t extend that far. She blinked rapidly, hoping it would help her eyes adjust faster.

“Who’s there?” the dragon repeated. “What do they want?”

Lyndria lifted her head as her stomach sank. She knew that voice though she wanted to be wrong. “Nayome?”

The sound of shuffling broke the silence. As if by design, the clouds uncovered the moon, giving her more light to see by. She immediately wished she couldn’t.

Nayome’s body was badly scarred and encrusted with what Lyndria hoped was dirt and filth. Nayome slowly inched closer, head down like a beaten whelp. Lyndria inhaled sharply when she saw the Oracle’s wings were missing.

A smile crossed Nayome’s lips, her dried and scarred face resembling a creepy mask. “This is a surprise. The disciple returns.”

“What did they do to you?” Lyndria whispered.

“The disciple committed a grave taboo. She killed the Matriarch in cold blood. Left her kind to fend for themselves without a leader. They blamed this one for training her. But they still need an Oracle so this one was made an example of and cast out.”

Lyndria shook her head. “That’s not true! I was gonna kill Delour anyway!”

“But who helped her awaken her Call?”

“That’s not the damn point!” She sank to the floor and clenched her jaw until it hurt. She wanted so badly to scream and rage, but that could wake the others.

Nayome stepped closer. Lyndria lifted her head, noticing something different about the sound of her steps. Leaning to the side, she noticed Nayome’s left hind leg was missing as well.

Lyndria felt sick. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

The Oracle noticed her staring and chuckled. “This one knew the disciple had hatred in her heart, remember? She helped the disciple escape. This one regrets nothing and was prepared for punishment.”

“Why? You’re a Matriarch; you couldn’t fight them off?”

“A Matriarch is powerful but we are far from invincible. The Call is not a perfect weapon. Their desire for vengeance was stronger.”

“Then run!” Lyndria cried, jumping to her feet. “Why’d you stay, knowing what was coming?”

“We cannot escape the consequences of our actions just as this one knew the price of her actions when she chose the disciple. Besides, this one has a role to fulfill. Do not lament what has been done. Take it as a lesson.”

“Yeah? And what is the lesson I’m supposed to learn?”

“The disciple clings too much to the past. She spends too much time looking back and can’t see where she’s going, instead looking to others to guide her.”

Lyndria snapped her mouth closed. After all this time, Nayome hadn’t changed a bit and still spoke in weird code. It sounded so simple in theory, but there was more to it than that. She didn’t like that Nayome still spoke to her as a student, as someone who still had lessons to learn.

Nayome soft chuckle broke the silence again. “So why did the disciple return? Has she come to exact her vengeance on the rest of the clan?”

Lyndria ignored the implications of that statement and got straight to the point, “I need to learn how to unlock my awakening. I need the memories of the old Matraichs to learn how they did it.”

Nayome’s eye’s widened. “Where did she hear of that?”

“What does it matter?”

“Years ago, another Matriach visited this place and spoke of the same thing. She had scales as blue as the sky and her power was fierce. She wanted to know if any here had awakened, but our Matriarch refused to answer. The Matriarch didn’t take the response well.”

“What was the Matriarch’s name? Was her name Tanor?”

“This one doesn’t know. But the Matriarch was powerful, too powerful. The only reason we were spared was because of our weakness. She thought us not even worthy of killing. It was the most humiliating defeat. The disciple’s mother took that as a sign that our Matriarch was too weak and narrow-minded. She believed she could train us to become stronger.”

“Wait, that’s how my mother took over the clan? Why didn’t I hear about this?”

“The others could not know. It was too dangerous to share. But that is enough of that. The disciple wanted to know of the Matriarchs of old, but she has the memories already.”

“I tried to look into their memories. I couldn’t do it.”

“Memories are worse than whelps; they never come when you call them. If the disciple wishes to awaken her latent powers, there is only one way.”

“How?”

“She unlocked her Call through adversity, anger is the fuel that spurs her to new heights, the desire to overcome all odds and succeed. And so she must be challenged. She must be pushed to new heights if she wishes to rise herself.”

Lyndria quickly backed away. The last time Naymoe had said something similar, she had sent several drakes to kill her. It was a difficult fight, but it pushed her to awaken her Call. Still, she didn’t look forward to doing that a second time. “Nayome…”

It didn’t matter as enraged roars filled the caverns. Lyndria swore and rounded on Nayome. "Did you really just use your Call to tell everyone I was here?!”

A perverse smile crossed the Oracle’s face. “Will she rise above even a Matriach or has she reached her limit? This is her final test.”

With an angry snarl, Lyndria rushed out of the nook. She needed to reach a defensible position before they cornered her. She ran blindly through the tunnels. The echoing voices and darkness made it impossible to get her bearings and she operated on impulse, following the routes she memorized years ago. Somehow she avoided running into anyone.

What was Nayome thinking? She knows what they’ll do to me if I get caught and she woke up the whole damn—

Her thoughts were cut short by a wall of scales slamming into her as she passed an opening. She fell on her side but quickly scrambled to stand again before the interloper could realize what happened. To ensure her presence went unnoticed, she used her Call to order the dragon to stand down.

The dragon ignored her and charged. She just managed to dodge in time and scramble up the now open hall. Her attacker slammed face-first into the wall, but she didn’t stop to see if it slowed them at all.

This was bad. If her Call wasn’t working, then it meant the Matriarch here had everyone under her influence and that was worrying in more ways than one.

She just needed to reach the top. It was often used as a launching pad for flight. If she could get there, she might be able to get away and into the trees for cover.

The upper level was reached without incident. Vengeful roars filling the halls had become deafening, nearly drowning out the many pounding footsteps. The open cloudy sky was a welcome sight.

She spread her wings and took to the air, but someone grabbed her from behind. Savage growls filled her ear before fangs sank into her neck. She roared and thrashed to get free, but couldn’t shake off the attacker. They slammed into the mountainside and tumbled. The world dissolved into blurry dark shapes as pain wracked Lyndria’s body. Regaining her senses and twisting her body, she managed to dig her claws into the rock, slowing and eventually stopping her descent. Her attacker wasn’t so lucky and continued tumbling into the darkness.

Lyndria looked up. Shapes poured out of the mountainside, filling the sky above her. She focused her Call more intently this time. The influence of another Matriarch could be overpowered, although difficult and she had never tried it before. But unless something was done to thin their numbers, she wouldn’t survive.

Pain raced through her temple. Her paws burned. Blood ran down her neck. She clenched her jaw against the pain and glared at the dragons in front of her.

Looking at them brought it all back. The day her mother was challenged by Delour and killed. She saw them, standing there, watching with sad expressions. She saw herself standing alone in front of the usurper while they continued to circle them, their wide, panic-stricken gazes begging her to stand down, blaming her as she was bullied and cowed. A burning sensation flared in her chest. Her hiss of pain became an angry growl.

The pain in her head flared into a white-hot agony. Spots danced in her vision. But it didn’t block her vision of them standing over her bleeding and unconscious body after Delour had marked her an outcast.

She kicked off the mountain hard and ascended to meet them head-on. “You ungrateful fucks didn’t do a thing that day, but you dare turn your fangs on me!” She cried. “Come on, then! Let’s see how strong your will really is!”

None of them moved. The roars and threats ceased. They continued to hover in place, blank stares on their faces.

She sensed someone approaching from behind, turning around just in time to see the attacker slam into her. She plummeted but managed to right herself before colliding with the mountain again.

“You must be pretty stupid to think you can just waltz into my home and take over,” the attacker said. “You must not know who lives here.”

A Celestial hovered above Lyndria. Her scales glowed in the moonlight, making her resemble the wraiths described in human stories. At first, panic gripped her at the idea that Tanor was here and their rematch had come sooner than planned. But looking again revealed this dragon wasn’t Tanor. This new dragoness was much smaller and didn’t carry the same threatening air Tanor had.

Lyndria still didn’t relax. This dragoness was no Tanor, but something felt off.

“Before I kill you, you will answer some questions,” the Celestial said.

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Lyndria shot back. “And if you must know, I didn’t come here to take over anything.”

“Says the Matriarch throwing her Call around,” the dragoness said. “If you’re not here to take over then why are you here?”

“I came to visit a friend.”

“Do you always visit your friends in the middle of the night?”

Lyndria grinned. “The kind of visit I had in mind required being alone. I tried to keep it down so I wouldn’t wake anyone.”

The dragoness didn’t appear amused. “I show you mercy and you repay it by lying to my face. Do you not know who you’re talking to? Fine, then, I’ll educate you. I’m Lisma, second-hatched of Tanor’s brood.” An all-knowing, smug grin crossed her face. “Do you get it now? You just made the mistake of picking a fight with the heiress of the most powerful Matriarch in history!”

Lyndria remained straight-faced, but inside she swore. Her mind went back to the conversation with Nayome. A Celestial had approached the clan years ago. Now a Celestial controlled the clan. It was too much of a coincidence to ignore. Tanor had her eye on this place for a while now.

“Fortunately for you, I was also enjoying a ‘visit’ from a friend and I have better things to do than to waste my night on you. But if you apologize…”

“Not happening.”

“Are you sure about that? I’ve never been defeated in battle and an entire clan of dragons awaits my command behind you. This is your last chance. If you beg forgiveness, I’ll let you go.”

“True dragons don’t beg.”

Lisma laughed. “That is very true! Unfortunately, you’re not a true dragon. Believe me, mother would make short work of you.”

I know that. But if she couldn’t make me beg, your chances aren’t much better.

“Well, you have the angry look of a dragon,” Lisma continued. “It’s a shame looks won’t save you here. We’ll see how long you can maintain that look when you realize how out--”

Lyndria rolled her eyes, inhaled, and then launched a fireball at Lisma. The dragoness gave a surprised squeak and took the attack head-on.

“How dare you?!” Lisma cried. “Who do you think you are?!”

“A bitch who is sick of hearing you monologue.”

Lisma’s expression turned livid, but the dragoness quickly calmed down. “I see. You don’t understand how powerful mother really is and by extension, how powerful I really am. But don’t worry. I’ll be sure to teach you.”

I know how powerful your mother is, and compared to her, you’re nothing.

Lisma charged, exhaling ice as she crossed the distance between them. Lyndria made sure to dodge every chunk of ice sent her way. Even a glancing blow would be bad. If her wings were frozen at this height it wouldn’t end well. Trying to get close was suicide, so she bided her time and looked for an opening.

It seemed she had that opening when she dropped to avoid another sweep of Lisma’s ice breath. But it became clear too late that Lisma did that as a feint to close the gap herself. Dodging wasn’t possible, so Lyndria braced for the inevitable collision.

The instant they collided, Lyndria launched a fireball into her attacker’s face. The force of the blow at point-blank nearly knocked them both out of the air.

Lyndria recovered first and dove for the trees. An aerial fight wouldn’t work in her favor.  She needed cover to avoid those nasty ice attacks lest she wound up in the same situation as before.

A heavy thud indicated Lisma had landed as well. “You think hiding will save you?” she cried. “There’s nowhere to hide! Mother continues to spread her influence across the world, and soon everyone will be under her rule! Even now, her wardens are taking over the other clans! You have nowhere to go!”

At that, a thought entered Lyndria’s mind. “And was one of those wardens named Delour?”

“Delour? How do you know that name?”

Lyndria didn’t respond and risk giving away her location. She dug into the dirt as a new fury claimed her. So it was true. Everything made sense now. Delour wasn’t just some wandering dragon taken in, she was an agent sent by Tanor to take over their clan.

“She was mother’s warden and friend,” Lisma said. “She came here and took over this pathetic excuse of a clan only to be killed in her sleep by some upstart named Lyndria,” she spoke the name with such venom even Lyndria shuddered. “Such a powerful dragon only to be killed by a weakling who spits on our laws and doesn’t even have the decency to look her in the eye.”

 “No, you’re wrong. I did look Delour in the eye as I killed her and I enjoyed every fucking second of it.”

“Wait, you’re Lyndria? Even after what you did, you have the audacity to come back here? You really have no respect for our laws or our ways do you?”

Lyndria shrugged and start creeping through the trees towards the sound of Lisma’s voice.

“Delour should have killed you when she had the chance!” Lisma continued. “A disgusting creature like you, a pitiful powerless coward! Your existence is an insult to everything we hold sacred! How is it someone as useless and pathetic as you could awaken your Call?”

Because I wanted to, Lyndria thought. Lisma’s bright scales betrayed her in the darkness. She stood out too much amongst the dead trees and rocks. Her back was turned.

“Well, you won’t beat me! I’ll put you back in your place, traitor! I am of Tanor’s brood! I was chosen to be her vessel and usher in the next age!”

Lyndria tilted her head. She had no clue what was meant by “vessel” but it no longer mattered; she had entered striking range.

In a single leap, she landed on Lisma’s back, clamping her jaws on the back of the Celestial’s neck and dragging her to the ground. She squeezed but there was no taste of blood and her fangs met resistance. The inside of her mouth felt cold.

She realized too late it was the awakening.

Lisma slipped free and drove her head into Lyndria’s snout. Spots danced in Lyndria’s vision. Her mouth filled with blood. She reeled from the blow, disoriented. It was too dark and the spots in her sight hadn’t faded yet.

Another cold blow struck in the side of the face. She staggered but remained standing. Two more blows, however, knocked her to the ground. Lisma descended on top of her. Pain flared in Lyndria’s wings and she realized Lisma had slashed them. There was no time to focus on that as the dragoness used her ice breath to pin Lyndria’s neck to the ground.

“This is what happens when you face a dragon in a real fight,” Lisma said, pinning Lyndria’s paws as well. “You don’t deserve the honor of being killed by me, but at least I’ll avenge Delour.”

Lyndria thrashed and squirmed, but she couldn’t break free. She couldn’t bend her neck at the right angle to use her jaws or flames, her wings were pinned beneath her body, and her tail slapped uselessly against Lisma’s backside.

“Now the real question is how to kill you? I want you to die slow and painful. Oh, I know! I’m going to make your death as slow and agonizing as possible.” She leaned closer and whispered. “And I’ll be sure to look you in the eye while I do it. But first, I’m going to make you take back that line about being a true dragon.”

NO! If nothing else, I will not die to anyone who dares try to avenge that bitch!

“Hold her down!” Lisma cried.

Multiple weights pressed against her limbs, restricting her movement even further. It was like that day again. They held her down while Delour branded her. She thrashed harder but couldn’t gain an inch.

Lisma reared up and held out her forepaws. They glistened in the moonlight. At that distance, Lyndria could see a layer of ice coating them.

“Here’s a lesson for you,” Lisma said haughtily. “True dragons can access their latent powers and abilities. This is mine. Mother calls it diamond scale. We freeze our scales, covering them in ice and increasing our defenses. But when extended to our claws, it allows for offense. Like this.” She raked her hardened claws down Lyndria’s front.

Lyndria roared in pain. She expelled flames and twisted her head this way and that, hoping to startle one of the dragons holding her down. She just needed one of them to falter and she would be able to fight back.

But none of them budged. The best she managed was setting something on fire. The blaze lit up the area. It painted harsh shadows on Lisma’s face, making more sinister than ever.

“True dragons don’t beg, but when I get through with you, you will beg,” Lisma said. “You’ll beg me to stop, you’ll beg for forgiveness, and you’ll beg me to put you out of your misery.” She slammed her frozen paw against the wound. A stabbing pain flooded Lyndria’s chest.

“Did you know our freezing power extends to everything we touch?” Lisma asked gleefully. “I could freeze your blood if I wanted or even your heart. But that would be too quick for you. No, don’t worry. Your torture will be nice and slow.”

She stepped off Lyndria’s body but didn’t go far before she brought her tail down with immense force on Lyndria’s stomach.

Lyndria threw up. She quickly turned her head to keep from drowning in her vomit. She didn’t get a chance to recover before Lisma brought her tail down on Lyndria’s chest, forcing out what air remained in her lungs. As she struggled for breath, the dragoness struck her again.

“Hardening our bodies also makes for good clubs!” Lisma said in between blows. “I’m going beat you into the dirt and break every bone in your body. Then I’m going to cut off your scales. Slowly. If you’re still alive by then I’ll freeze your mouth and watch you suffocate. Of course, if you want to beg forgiveness, I’ll break your neck and end your pitiful life now!”

Lyndria wasn’t paying attention. Her mind was focused on staying conscious and regaining as much oxygen as possible before the next blow came. No part of her was safe from the attack but each strike hurt just as much. She tried to focus her Call and order the dragons to let her go, but there was never an opening. She turned her thoughts inwards, focusing on her rage, her anger, trying to best ignore the pain. No matter what, she would not break. This wouldn’t be the end of her. She wouldn’t’ crack. True dragons didn’t beg. Delour couldn’t break her. Tanor couldn’t break her. This war couldn’t break her.

Finally, the assault ended. Lyndria lay there, unable to move, gasping for breath. Everything hurt. She couldn’t even tell if anything had been broken. Even if the dragons holding her down let her up, she doubted having the strength to move.

“You’re tough, I’ll give you that,” Lisma said, breathing heavily and her voice laced with displeasure. “But I grow tired of your stubbornness. I’m beginning to see why Delour didn’t kill you when she had the chance.”

Lyndria angled her head as best she could in Lisma’s direction and glared at her.

The dragoness frowned. “I’m also growing tired of that look. A lowly dragon like you doesn’t get to look at me that way.”

You sound like her. That stuck-up bitch thought she was above everyone, too.

Hearing the Celestial complain reminded her too much of Delour. It made her angry. That was good. As her temper rose, the pain faded.

“I almost feel tempted to let you live,” Lisma said. “If you were one of my sisters, you would be so much more. Instead you were born from a lesser dragon—"

That did it. Hearing her mother insulted that way was the final push. Lyndria wasn’t sure what drove her to do it. She couldn’t recall a single thought or memory that spurred her next action, but she opened her mouth and roared. It was unlike anything she had ever produced. Lisma reeled and staggered away. The dragons holding her limbs released her. Lyndria took advantage of the opening to claw at the ice covering her neck. Her throat was sore inside and out, but she was free and that was all that mattered.

She stood and faced Lisma again. The Celestial bled from the ears as she vomited on the ground. The other dragons lay on the ground around her. Everything clicked at once. It was her awakening. A special sonic attack that disoriented and stunned creatures. She couldn’t recall when or how she had learned it, but she knew what it was and that it could be pushed further with practice. That could come later. Her throat felt as if it had been ripped out and she felt lightheaded. This fight had to end now.

She staggered towards her quarry. Lisma was still distracted and disoriented as she kept stumbling into the pools of vomit. Lyndria tried to grab her head, but Lisma struggled and they both fell to the dirt.

“This…isn’t f-fair,” Lisma said before another dry retch claimed her. “I’m…I’m…the vessel…I was…ch-chosen…But I, I can’t even beat…this traitor.”

Lyndria couldn’t respond if she wanted to. She was tired of talking anyway, tired of hearing Lisma’s voice, and tired of all the talk about being elite and one of Tanor’s brood.

She didn’t have the strength to use her fangs, so she just pressed her weight on Lisma’s neck. It wouldn’t matter if the dragoness hardened her scales or not.

The Celestial realized too late what was happening. Her eyes bulged with rage then fear as she tried to claw at Lyndria’s legs, her jar weakly snapping at the air. Strangled gasps and light scraping of the dirt were the only things breaking the silence.

Lyndria stared into her eyes. It felt strange for she felt no rage, no joy, no sadness. She didn’t even Lisma’s claws against her legs and sides.

Eventually, Lisma stopped struggling. Her gasps of breath no longer broke the veil of silence hanging over them. Her eyes stared lifelessly at the night sky.

Lyndria turned away from the body and staggered back towards the mountain for she still felt weak from her awakening. It would take time before her body was used to it and even more time before she could use it accurately around allies.

Clearing the trees, she found herself in front of the entire clan. Many of them stared in disbelief to see her, others wore looks of contempt. She growled at the sight of them. If it didn’t hurt so much to speak, she would have told them off then and there.

The dragons bowed in unison.

Heat spread through her limbs. She glared murderously at them. The nerve of these dragons! They hated her, shunned her, cursed her and now they acknowledge her? She took in the faces of those she once knew, the ones she once called friend. She recalled how easily they turned on her, not even daring to help or support her in secret. At the front of those thoughts were their words, how they called her names, cursed her existence, called her traitor.

“What is wrong with you?” she wanted to ask them. “Don’t any of you have a backbone? A brain? Are you this easily manipulated?”

They didn’t speak, didn’t raise their heads. And she knew why. They were waiting. Waiting for her orders. Just like always. Puppets of whoever stoop at the top of the pile. Keeping their heads down and shuffling along because it was simpler, easier. They didn’t care about her, they didn’t care about Lisma, they didn’t care about Delour, they didn’t care about her mother. This was the family she had been raised in. These were the dragons she had once loved and believed loved her. Full of selfish ingrates who didn’t care for anyone or anything but following the rules.

That did it. All of her emotions rose at once and burst through the surface. It hurt to use her Call, but she didn’t care. The rage at the idea that these wastes of scales were willing to follow her overwrote any pain. The edge of her vision turned dark as she focused as hard as she could on the dragons in front of her.

Kill them.

****

Daybreak had come. The blood-soaked ground glittered in the sun’s rays piercing the few remaining clouds. The smell of death hung heavy in the air. Every dragon from her clan lay dead at her feet.

But she felt nothing. Not the breeze bending the tree branches, not the blood pooled around her paws, and not even a shred of emotion. It was supposed to be a victory. She was supposed to feel joy or relief to finally get vengeance.

Instead, all she could do was wonder if her mother would approve. To have seen the clan reduced to such a state. To see how they ended up.

Soft footsteps approaching broke the pregnant silence. She didn’t budge from that spot or turn to the interloper.

“So the disciple has finally gotten her revenge,” Nayome said. “It seems she chose destruction instead of control. Interesting. Not that this blames her. Puppets with no loyalty make poor for support.”

Lyndria said nothing. There was nothing left to say now.

“There’s just one more dragon left.”

Lyndria shifted her gaze.

“It’s all right. This one was prepared for a long time and has fulfilled her purpose. The clan’s memories have been passed on, and the disciple has risen to a new power. There is nothing more to learn. This one just has one favor to ask if she will indulge her.”

“What?” her voice sounded coarse and heavy.

“Stop the blue Matriarch. Like these dragons she cares nothing for the concerns of others. She only wishes to rule for herself. This world will not survive her reign.”

Lyndria doubted she had a say anymore. Once Tanor learned her daughter had been killed, any chance of living in peace would shatter. Not that it mattered since she planned to go after Tanor anyway. But she still nodded to Nayome and acknowledged the request.

Nayome smiled and lay on the ground. “Thank you.”

Lyndria made her death quick and painless.

She continued to stand there and watch Nayome’s body. It didn’t feel real. Of all the dragons she had killed, Nayome was the only one she regretted. The Oracle deserved better than lying in the dirt, a shade of her former self. The idea of leaving Nayome amongst the others was sickening, but there was no time and she lacked the strength to give the former Oracle a proper sending. Such a thing usually required multiple dragons to generate the necessary heat for the funeral pyre.

Just like everything else, she was forced to accept her powerlessness and move on. It had become a tiresome lesson.

As she turned to walk away, she saw Silias sitting amongst the trees.

“I wanted to help you, but the Matriarch Nayome, ordered me not to,” he said. “I see what she meant. You truly do find new heights when pushed to your limit.”

Lyndria said nothing and continued past him. Even if her throat didn’t feel like mush, she wasn’t in the mood to talk.

“Wait. I can tell she means something to you. We should send her properly before we go,” he said before starting to dig. “My kind preferred to bury their dead,” he explained to her confused expression. “As you can guess, we lack the means to burn them.”

Lyndria nodded slowly and approached to help, but Silias stood in her way. “You’re injured. Take the time to rest. We’ll be leaving once I finished.”

She lacked the energy to argue and once she sat down, it became clear how exhausted she was. Still, she sat there and remained awake through the entire procedure. Seeing the pile of corpses behind Silias seemed unreal. The sounds of their slaughter still rang in her ears.

She insisted on helping Silias move the body into the grave although she lacked the energy to refill the hole.

Once Nayome’s grave had been filled, Silias said a few words she didn’t hear and turned to her. “I’m sorry, but there’s not enough time for all of them,” he said.

“Don’t worry about it. They died a long time ago.”