Days later, a heavy breeze picks up. Starting small, it quickly grows until it is a whipping wind storm that tears up flowers, knocks down tree, and bends the plants left connected to the ground. A beating sound is hear, far at first, growing closer and louder as a tiny dot in the sky begins to get bigger.

It is a dragon! But not just any dragon. It is fire red with burning eyes and a regal aura to it.

The dragon that saved me! My Dragon!

It is not the only creature being admired. She is beautiful, cloaked in a white gown that blows in the wind as her red hair flutters as a flame flutters in a fire. She is ethereal.

He lands with a loud thud that leaves the ground shaking and the trees trembling.

She is crying.

"Why the tears, old friend?" the dragon rumbles in her mind, his voice familiar and distant all at the same time.

"You came b-back for me," she says, her voice barely loud enough for the wind to catch it.

"I always do."

Her mind flashes with memories of a fire-y red-haired man and the sound of his voice. Something clicks.

"Yes, child. You are correct in thinking that I am the man that visits you."

She is breathless. "How?"

We dragons have many secret techniques. Once each year, we can be in a human form. Only true dragons are allowed this privilege.

She hiccups, a sob evident in her voice. "You didn't forget about me."

His eyes soften. "How could I forget a woman cloaked in fire? A Fire Dragon King would remember of all creatures such a sight."

Her mind plays through that fateful day. "It wasn't all a dream?"

"Is this?"

"No..."

Even though she cannot see it, she knows he is smiling. She runs over to him and embraces his leg, shocking him. "Now we can be together forever!"

He sighs. "Let me show you why I must leave. Climb on."

She gives him a look of excitement and does as told, jittery with anticipation. They soar in the sky, her hair and dress whipping in the wind as she looks upon the only place she has called home for the last time.

They arrive at a clearing where five children are standing beside four dragons as two adults chat beside each other. The man has jet black hair and a black and white robe, and the beautiful woman has bright blonde hair and wears a revealing white and red outfit.

The dragon lands and Kiseki dismounts, sad that her flight is over. The dragon looks at the black-haired man and nods, getting a nod in return.

"Kiseki." Her face whips to the dragon, as that is the only time he has addressed her by her name. "It is time. These children can save the world, but only if I leave you. Do you want the world to die just so we can be together?"

Her face is steady with determination. "Yes. I would give up everything for you."

"Then give up your happiness."

Her eyes become misty.

"Find someone to spend your life with."

"It has only been you, always been you. And I know you return my feelings."

His eyes widen and he chuckles, a bittersweet laugh that aches in his heart at his clever, dumb girl. "If that is your decision, I can make our bond eternal."

Fire pours from his mouth and she flinches, memories of a pyre in her childhood playing in her mind. He stops breathing fire and leans down until his nose is inches away from her body.

"Do you trust me?"

With fear in her eyes, she places a hand on his scaly face and whispers, "Always." She closes her eyes and smiles.

His flames start abruptly and consume her.

Her eyes snap open and for a moment she thinks of screaming, but the flames do not burn her. It is beautiful in a way she had never seen beauty before. The fire dances around her and licks at her body, playing with her and comforting her. The different colors flicker beside her, painting a picture like never before.

"Would you, Kiseki Knight, do me, Igneel, King of the Fire Dragons, the honor of being my queen, to rule beside me in justice and cooperation with the humans?"

She is in a trance. "I will."

"Then I mark you my queen, forever and always."

The flames intensify and she is shrouded in heat, not painful, but lovely. As quickly as it started, it ends. Through her dress she can see that a red dragon surrounded by flames is etched on her body, stretching all over her torso as a magical tattoo would.

"Follow your heart and find my castle. There will you live your days as queen, ruling in my place."

He breathes in deeply, memorizing his mate's scent- his mate, the human that he has marked as a queen of dragons. The onlookers are in shock. While the children are impressed by the flames, the two human adults and the other four dragons understand the severity of what the Fire Dragon King just did. It is a rarity for a dragon to mark another as a mate. Too much pain can follow.

Yet Igneel found his mate, in a human of all creatures, and can spend only a few seconds with her. They will never know what life is together.

If dragons could cry, Igneel would. Kiseki stares at him, not understanding what a mate is or how much power she holds over such a fierce dragon. He nudges her with his nose and moves away, ending their farewell.

Igneel casts her one final glance before nodding at the two other human adults, and a process Kiseki never could figure out begins. Her dragon fades from view, and the woman ushers the children through a gate. All but the black-haired man have abandoned her.

"Can you be trusted as a dragon's mate?"

She looks at the man, and he knows that despite her lack of understanding, she is loyal in her love.

"I will wait for him at the castle."

With that, she turns and walks in the direction she feels is right, although the man knows she will die long before she ever reunites with her mate.

A/N: I have not kept up with the Alvarez arc, so I do not know if my whole scene is completely accurate. Please comment below and tell me if I missed something in the canon, but this is an AU so I may not keep things 100% accurate.

One chapter left! Stay tuned!

3 3 3