Chapter 24: Resilience

The days leading up to my next match passed by faster than I could have imagined. Each day had been filled to the brim with training and preparation with Amber and Nova. The sum of our efforts left me feeling more than confident about facing Flickr. I was so confident, in fact, that I wasn't even sure I would need to take off my weights during the fight. I had grown accustomed to the burden, and though I was slower than before, I had developed new techniques that I could rely on instead. All in all, I felt prepared and ready, but my success didn't transfer over to Amber.

She had been progressing smoothly with her hand-to-hand form, but her chakra exercises were going poorly. She was plagued by long bouts of failure, and although she had moments of success, she wasn't able to emulate what I had shown her yet. I tried to spend more time during our morning sessions going over chakra control with her, but it seemed to be just out of reach; as a result, her frustration was growing. Regardless of this, she refused to give up, and I encouraged her to continue practicing as much as she could.

While Amber practiced and cursed, I spent time with Nova. Our first day of training was consumed with learning about the many techniques that Flickr would be using. Once I had been thoroughly lectured, the rest of our time was devoted to bouts between us that Nova still won, but I was beginning to understand her style and patterns more every day. I felt that, given enough time, I would be able to beat her. For now though, I would continue to swallow my pride and learn from my defeats.

Once fatigue set in and we were unable to continue, I made sure Amber was able to make it home; then, Nova and I would visit the spot she had shown me before. It became a recurring habit of ours. We didn't talk much, but I used it as a chance to meditate and empty my mind of anything that might have been plaguing me. I found that the best way to distance myself from all the questions and uncertainty that had been building up inside was to push it away, and before long, I felt my mental space returning to the way it had been before I had ever left my home.

A nagging thought questioned whether this was the right thing to do or not, but I ignored it like I did everything else.

What I did not ignore, however, was Nova's invitation. I wasted no time asking Shimmer, Jolt, and Phyl if they were interested as well, and after confirming that they were, it was decided that the day after my match would be the best time to head over. Everyone was available, and it would give me plenty of time to recover from my fight.

And so, as I sat around in the lunchroom waiting for the match that was rapidly approaching, I twirled a kitchen knife in my hand absentmindedly. My twirling stopped abruptly when Shimmer waltzed into the cafeteria with a searching gaze, and I waved when she found me. With a wide smile, she hurried over to me, snagged a cushion from an empty table, then plopped down eagerly before placing her paws down in front of her.

"Hey bestie! What's up?"

I continued to spin the knife around my hand and shrugged.

"Just taking a moment to relax before my match. You?"

She shrugged in turn and settled down into her seat.

"Nothing much, just looking for you now that I've finally caught a break from classes!"

Shimmer stuck her tongue out in disgust before smiling again.

"Thank the Ancestors for the weekend, right?"

I opened my mouth to answer but Shimmer moved on before I could.

"Anyways, forget about me. Are you ready for tonight?!"

I smiled.

"For once, I am. As long as no surprises come along to change anything, I'm more than ready."

Shimmer slapped a paw against the table heartily.

"Now that's the kind of confidence I didn't expect to see! I figured you were going to wipe the floor with whoever you're fighting next, but I didn't actually expect you to think the same."

She drew her paw back as a few heads turned our way, making me groan inwardly, but she continued without noticing or caring with her eyes fixed on me.

"Has Nova been going easy on you? Is that why you seem so confident and relaxed all of a sudden?"

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"She'd better not be. The last thing you need is false confidence."

I sighed and set the knife down while slouching down to rest my head on my hand.

"She's not, Shimmer. I'm just feeling good about today, alright? Now quiet down; you're bothering people."

Shimmer took a quick glance around with a sheepish smile and lowered her voice.

"Sorry, I'm just excited because the next twenty-four hours are going to be crazy! First, there's your match, then we get to go over to Nova's house! Ancestors, I don't know what kind of dream I'm in, but I don't care because I don't want to wake up!"

I rolled my eyes and flicked one of my fingers, sending a small puff of wind into her face.

"Would you chill? If you're as hyper as you are now, you'll make things awkward, and I need to make a good impression tomorrow."

Shimmer recoiled at the puff of air and stuck her tongue out at me.

"I'm quite likable, hyper or not, thank you very much. If anything, you should be worried about yourself. You're not exactly the most sociable type."

"Yeah, but I know how to be normal, unlike you. If I didn't know better, I'd probably call you a manic goblin or a half-crazed were-dragon."

Shimmer snorted and blew a puff of cool air at me, forcing me to blink and sit back for a moment.

"Hey! No need to be rude, especially when I came over to talk to you about something important."

With a raised brow, I sat up and leaned in while wiping the thin layer of frost off my eyebrows.

"Oh, really? Well, why didn't you say so? What's on your mind?"

Shimmer sat up straight and crossed her forelegs with a scowl.

"Not until you apologize for your rude comment."

I looked at her with an unexpressive gaze and sighed.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Now, apologize."

"Shimmer, c'mon, you know I was joking."

She raised her snout and turned away from the table.

"I guess we could always talk about this later then."

She stood up from her seat, and I let my face drop into my hand.

Why are you so ridiculous?

"Fine. I'm sorry for calling you a goblin and a were-dragon, ok? It wasn't nice."

She glanced at me from the corner of one of her eyes and sat down with a massive grin.

"Wow, you're folding so much faster than you used to! Nova must have really knocked you down a few pegs if you're giving up that easy."

I glared at her until she giggled.

"Ok, ok, sorry. I couldn't resist. Now—"

Shimmer leaned across the table until her breath brushed across my face and she started to whisper.

"—You can't tell my dad about this, ok? I really don't need him worrying about me more than he already does."

I nodded slowly and leaned forward.

"I promise, though I doubt the opportunity would even come up. So, what's this thing that your dad can't know about?"

Shimmer looked around warily, then turned her attention to me.

"Ok… Well, if you remember, I'm a gem hunter and have been doing that as a side job and hobby ever since I was allowed to go out on my own. Now, an important piece of information is that there are… technically three types of gems that exist. Red, green, and blue. Red can heal physical wounds, green can restore your magical energies, and blue… Blue gems are said to have the ability to permanently increase the strength of your magical energies. Rumor has it that one of the reasons that Spyro and Cynder were able to face off against Malefor at such a young age is because they found large caches of blue gems on their journey. Supposedly, they increased their magical strength far beyond where it should have been at their age."

I looked at Shimmer with disbelief.

Crystals that make you stronger without any downsides? That sounds entirely too good to be true. If it was, I'm sure I would have heard a lot more about them before.

Despite my doubts, there was a sudden nag in the back of my mind. It dawned on me that I was sent on a mission to retrieve a powerful artifact.

We found a black crystal, but could we have been searching for a blue one instead? If that's the case… how much did they know? Was it blue crystals my village was after, or did they think it was the black crystal that would give you power? What if… they knew it could take you to another world, and that it was there that they would find what they were looking for?

I cut my thoughts short. Speculation would achieve nothing. I would have the chance to ask when I made it back home, but I had to admit that the potential of them knowing about the crystal and its possible dangers didn't sit well with me. Turning my attention back to Shimmer, I nodded as she looked on expectantly.

"Ok, interesting… but what does all this have to do with you?"

Shimmer glanced around again before continuing.

"Well… as you can imagine, blue crystals are extremely rare and valuable. Like, they basically don't exist. Finding one is considered a marvel in and of itself, so to use one without first bringing the discovery to light is… frowned upon, to put it lightly. This is… partially because the crystals tend to be small and therefore don't really make you that much stronger, but also because they're supposed to be saved for times of great need. The fact is, you're not supposed to use them, and, well…"

I sighed and shook my head.

"So, what? You found one and used it? And that's why your magic is so potent?"

Shimmer squirmed in her seat, becoming more uncomfortable with every passing second.

"Technically, yes, but…"

Shimmer reached a paw across the table, confusing me. She left it there for a moment and sucked in a deep breath. It lay there until I realized that she wanted me to hold it.

…I'm only doing this because she'd do the same for me.

Feeling uneasy, I placed my hand on her paw, and she managed a small smile that quickly faded.

"When I was younger, I wanted to do more than just get by with the meager scraps that my dad and I were getting by with. So, I took up gem hunting to earn some extra money. I wasn't very aware of the dangers that accompanied gem hunting initially, and my overconfidence caused me to get into a lot of trouble that I could have avoided. I ignored this though, and carried on without worry until the day I decided to explore a cave that I should have never gone into in the first place."

Shimmer closed her eyes and winced. I gave her paw a small squeeze.

"The cave was clearly falling apart, but I didn't care at the time because I was focused on the rumor that caves held hidden caches of gems. Not understanding how dangerous it was, I went inside and began to delve deep into the cave without the proper tools or supplies. It was dark, cold, and slippery, and it wasn't too long before I became hopelessly lost inside of the cave. At the time, I tried to pretend everything was fine, but deep down, I knew I was in trouble."

She grimaced again and frowned.

"Eventually, the reality of the situation set in, and I freaked out. I was terrified, but instead of calming down or doing anything that a sane dragon would do, I ran forwards, desperately searching for the right path. That only made my situation worse, and during my frantic sprint, I fell into a hole, tumbled down into the depths, and broke one of my wings. I was trapped, and to make matters worse, there wasn't any visible light down where I was. I bemoaned the situation, crying and begging my Ancestors for help, but when I didn't get any kind of response… I convinced myself that I would never make it out of there alive."

She paused, closing her eyes for a moment. Her jaw clenched shut tightly, and she shuddered.

"I was distraught. I wailed. I screamed. I begged for salvation, but nothing worked, and the pain in my wing only worsened the longer I was there. I felt lost and started to believe that I would meet an early end inside that cave."

My eyes widened as Shimmer told her story. Sympathy bubbled inside of my chest, and I tried my best to look supportive. When Shimmer paused, she caught my eyes and smiled sadly.

"Sheesh, all it takes is one sob story, and I get this much emotion out of you? I should have started with this when we met."

I resisted the urge to respond snarkily.

"I probably would have ignored you back then, and to be honest, I'm not even sure if I should be doing this. Maybe I'm being dumb, or perhaps you're rubbing off on me too much… but I want to try to be… a better friend."

For a moment, Shimmer's sadness was gone. In its stead, shock was present, but I sighed heavily enough for her to catch herself and lose the expression.

"Three days and you've changed this much. Huh."

I shrugged.

"I've had a lot of time to think."

Shimmer smiled, but surprisingly didn't comment. I could see the happiness sparkle in her eyes, but it was soon joined by sadness.

"So… There, in the dark, curled up in a ball, something… happened. A warm object brushed up against me, and at first, I tried to squirm away. When the sensation continued, I opened my eyes and found myself face to face with a barely visible spirit of another dragon; or at least, I'm pretty sure that's what it was because it was transparent and emitted a faint glow."

I felt my natural skepticism rise at that.

A spirit? I find that hard to believe. When people die… they don't come back. Not to this world, at least.

I made sure to hide my thoughts as she continued.

"I was scared at first, but the spirit prodded me once more before turning and moving down a path I hadn't seen in the dark. Not wanting to be left alone, I stumbled after it as it led me deeper into the cave. We walked for a long time before we made it to a much larger space that was illuminated by a bright blue light. I wasn't sure what was creating the light at first, but after rounding a large rock that protruded from the cave wall, I couldn't believe my eyes. Along the far wall, far larger and more brilliant than I could have ever imagined, was the largest blue crystal I had ever seen. It was easily ten times my size, and it gave off a warmth that drew me closer to it."

Shimmer's body began to relax, and after a curt nod, she took her paw back.

"I spent some time looking over the crystal in amazement. I didn't fully understand how or why it was there, but for the moment, I was filled with joy at my discovery. It was only when the reality of my situation set in again that I fell back into despair."

Shimmer sighed.

"I was exhausted after all I had been through and curled up next to the crystal. It wasn't long before I was out, and during my impromptu nap, I… unintentionally absorbed the entire crystal."

I smirked and shook my head.

"For some reason, that sounds exactly like something you would do. Way to go."

She stuck her tongue out at me.

"It wasn't on purpose! If I had the choice, I would have told someone else about it. As it was, though, I was tired, and it was warm. It was almost as if the crystal itself soothed me to sleep, but that's besides the point. The important thing is that's why my magic is so strong."

I took a moment to absorb what she had said and whistled.

"I can't believe something like that exists, or that you just so happened to stumble into it."

Shimmer huffed, but that didn't faze me.

"I believe what you're saying, but it is a lot to take in. Anyway… you took a nap and absorbed the crystal. How did you get out?"

She blinked a few times before her eyes lit up.

"Well... I guess the blue crystal acted as a plug that stopped water from entering into the cave. When I absorbed the crystal, it lost its integrity and must have developed cracks. The sound of the crystal beginning to break woke me up, but I only barely managed to realize what was happening when the crystal collapsed and water rushed down to envelop me. In a panic, I wrapped myself in a bubble of ice, hoping it would keep me safe."

"Well? Did it?"

Shimmer rolled her eyes.

"Yes, dummy. Now, my ice bubble kept me safe, but I had no idea where I was going. I was tossed around for a while, but eventually things calmed down and my ice melted away. You can imagine how happy I was to see the sun again, and thankfully I realized I was in a familiar place. I managed to figure out where I was and make my way home after that."

I leaned back and placed my hands behind my head.

"Wow. Well, I believe you, but I won't lie; your story is hard to swallow."

Shimmer dipped her head solemnly.

"I've had a hard time coming to terms with it myself. Especially because I've never been able to find that cave again."

My hands fell to my sides in surprise.

"You're kidding. You didn't go back after finding that treasure?"

Shimmer growled and stomped a paw.

"I went back to where I knew the entrance was, but it was gone. I retraced my steps, checked every spot that I've been to before, and scoured Farleigh for any indication of its existence, but…. nothing. I eventually gave up and figured that it was for the best that the cave was gone and haven't searched for it since."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

Of course the special cave is gone. Why wouldn't it be?

"You're probably right. Sometimes things are better left alone, although I can't help but wonder why or how you managed to stumble across that crystal."

Shimmer shrugged.

"I don't know, and as long as you can keep a secret, neither will my dad. I don't want him to worry about me more than he already does."

I leaned back into my chair.

"I won't tell anyone, but I'm confused as to why you would tell me in the first place. The more people that know, the less of a secret it is, so why not come up with some sort of excuse?"

For a moment, her worry was gone, replaced only by annoyance.

"Why wouldn't I tell you? You're my friend, I trust you, and it just so happens that I don't mind sharing things with you."

She huffed and pointed a claw at me.

"Maybe you'll learn to do the same if I set such a wonderful example."

"Doubt it."

Shimmer made a face akin to an angry goblin and stuck her tongue out at me.

"Someday, I'll get you to change."

I smiled wryly and leaned back in my chair.

"Again, doubt it."

Shimmer grumbled and shook her head before growing serious again.

"Well… that's my secret. Now you and Phyl know about it. I know you've been making new friends, but don't go blabbing to Nova or Amber, ok?"

"I won't."

"Good! Now that the hard stuff is out of the way… I've actually got some good news to tell you! My dad was horrified to hear about what happened on the way here—"

I shifted forward and cocked an eyebrow.

"You talked with Feldspar recently?"

Shimmer rolled her eyes.

"No, dingus, we send each other letters."

I almost smacked my own face.

"Right, right. Of course."

"So, after he found out what happened, he wasn't happy. After talking to some of the folk in town, they decided to send a few people to Warfang to petition for safer roads. Apparently, Leah is going with the group!"

I was fine with what Shimmer was saying up until she mentioned Leah. My breath caught while recalling how I had left.

I just had to sneak away, didn't I?

I resisted the urge to grimace. Our interactions hadn't been the best, and although I had apologized, I knew there were things that hadn't been addressed properly. I feared that our reunion would be anything but joyous and dreaded seeing her again.

I do not want to deal with this. Gods, please don't make me face her.

While I was getting worked up internally, Shimmer nudged me excitedly with her tail.

"Isn't this great?"

No, it isn't.

I was too upset to respond but hid it under a smile. Shimmer took my silence as a notion to continue and nudged me again.

"Speaking of Leah, I totally forgot! I have something for you!"

I watched in horror as Shimmer dug around in the bag slung over her shoulder and fished out a letter. She reached over the table and set it in front of me, and I stared at it in complete loss.

Please don't be from her. Anyone but her.

"…Who's it from…?"

Shimmer nudged it slightly closer.

"It's from Leah. I've been telling my dad what's been going on, and he must've told her you were still in Warfang. He ordered me to give this to you when I had the chance."

I stared numbly at the letter, too afraid to pick it up.

"Kiran, c'mon, open it! I'll read it for you!"

I flicked my eyes to Shimmer, then back to the letter. Warily, I picked it up and slid it into a pocket.

"…I'll have someone help me read it later."

A clearly disappointed Shimmer bemoaned the action.

"Aw, seriously?! I wanted to see what she said!"

I faked a smile and stood up from the table.

"Too bad. Maybe I'll fill you in after I've had the chance to hear what it says."

Shimmer groaned and stood up while blowing out a small puff of ice.

"You're so lame…"

"Naturally."

A disgruntled Shimmer threw her head back in mock disgust, and I responded with a chuckle. Once she had recovered from her antics, she strode up to me as we left the lunchroom.

"You know, you should probably learn how to read at some point. If you'd like, I could teach you."

I shrugged as we entered the lobby and stopped by Jolt's desk. I was surprised to see that he wasn't there.

"I don't see why. If I'm gone soon then it would be a waste of time."

"Oooookay, but what if you're still here for a while? Then what?"

I felt annoyed that she would ask that. I didn't want to consider the possibility.

"If I'm still here after I talk with the council, then fine. You can teach me. Until then, don't bother."

Shimmer pumped a paw in victory then slapped me on the back with her tail.

"You got it!"

I jerked forward, frowning, and rubbed where she had slapped me.

"Careful with your tail!"

She fell back slightly with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, sorry."

I sighed and let it go.

"It's fine."

I stood up and stretched, then realized that it was time for me to go. The match would begin soon, and I had to prepare.

"I've got to go, but I'll make sure to give you a wave when I see you. Try not to get too rowdy this time, alright?"

Shimmer grinned.

"You know that's not happening."

She bumped up against me and pushed me away from the desk with a wing.

"Get going, and good luck! We're all rooting for you!"

I flashed her a quick thumbs up, then headed to Amera's office.

To my surprise, Amera was not there. Worried that I would be late, I made the decision to change and head down to my assigned arena, passing by a few that already had ongoing matches. Once I was down in the competitor waiting room, I saw armor was already set out for me. I chose the exact same pieces as last time, preferring maneuverability over defense. Once that was done, I peered around the room, found a chair and sat down while I waited for things to begin.

I didn't have to wait long.

A very pissed off Amera stormed into the room and smashed apart a wooden shelf with her tail. Snarling, she whirled around and searched the room until she spotted me. I shot to my feet and stood still as she approached. With a heavy and serious tone, she beckoned me forward whilst scowling.

"I want nothing more than to say that I have your fight under control, but I don't. Something slipped by at the last second, and things were changed before I had the chance to stop it. Ancestors, I barely managed to find this out myself, and trust me when I say that heads will roll for this. I am beyond pissed off!"

Confused, I crossed my arms.

"…what's going on?"

Amera's scowl deepened.

"The rules were changed. Instead of fighting one-on-one, you're now supposed to fight Flickr and another dragon, Glacier. Alone."

Amera flicked her tail through the room and another shelf exploded in a shower of splinters. I felt my stomach twist with rage, and I clenched my fists.

They don't understand how badly I need this.

"So… what? Some idiots dictate the terms, and I'm supposed to go along with it?"

Amera shook her head fervently.

"Absolutely not. I won't stand for this deliberate manipulation, so I'm canceling the match."

"Wait, what?!"

"If the dragons involved in changing things aren't willing to go through me first, then screw them. I refuse to play political games and put you into an unfavorable position. I made a promise to handle things better for you, and I intend to keep it. Consequences be damned."

Rage flooded through me.

You can't do this, Amera.

I clenched my teeth and shook my head.

"You can't cancel it. I'm going to fight them."

A haughty snort was her reply, and she leveled her head to mine.

"Don't be stupid. There's no reason to do this."

I crossed my arms.

"Actually, there is."

"Oh? Do enlighten me, and keep in mind that this reason better be a good one."

She lifted her head to tower over me, but that wasn't going to make me back down.

"…Backing out would make me look weak and mess with my reputation. I can't afford that. Not now."

Amera was astonished by my answer and scoffed.

"So that's what this is about? Your clout?! Kiran, you can't expect me to—"

I cut her off with a yell.

"It's not about that!"

She stared down at me with burning rage, and I expected to be burnt to a crisp in that moment. When I realized that I was thankfully still alive, I continued.

"…This has everything to do with my upcoming meeting with the council. If I back out of this, I'm weak. If I lose this fight, I'm weak. Either way, I'm expected to lose in some way and therefore seem insignificant. I can't let that happen. I need to fight, win, and thrive because everything I care about depends on my success here."

I took a deep breath.

"I don't care if you don't want me to fight. I'm going to do so anyway, and I'm going to win."

Amera glared with an ire that dwindled as the seconds ticked by. Her scowl faded, and eventually, a long sigh found its way out of her maw.

"Ancestors, I can't believe I'm doing this…"

Hope lit up inside of my chest.

"Fine. You want this? Claim it. You managed to kick Onyx's tail, so I suppose you deserve the benefit of the doubt, even if I think you're being moronic. Brave and determined, maybe, but moronic."

I almost smiled out of relief, but the reality of the situation prevented me from doing so.

"You won't be sorry."

Amera stared at me for a long beat, then glanced toward the door.

"I should hope. You're not the only one with a reputation to keep."

She moved past me and looked out toward the arena.

"You've covered fire, I hope, but what about ice? Do you know what you're getting into?"

I grinned.

"Whatever I'm going to face can't possibly match up to Shimmer. I have two opponents, but they're going to regret setting foot in the arena."

Amera hummed and clicked her tongue.

"When did you get so vindictive?"

I gave her an unamused frown. She raised a brow and shrugged.

"Just don't go overboard. Glacier was selected at the last minute, meaning he's not involved in the dodgy rules. I doubt Flickr is either, but I bet that the two of them have had no time to practice together. I don't think they know each other well, so their teamwork may be nonexistent. Use that to your advantage if you can."

I nodded and stepped up to the door.

"Ok, I will."

Amera grunted and opened the door for me. I thanked her and walked forward to take in my surroundings. The arena ahead was similar in size and shape to the previous one, but the layout was different. Instead of empty space, there were columns of stone roughly twice my size that were placed randomly throughout. Additionally, some of these columns were connected by crumbling walls of brick that I could use for cover.

That's a welcome change. Amera, if you picked this arena, you're awesome.

The second obvious difference was the size of the crowd. There were two or three times more spectators than before, including a few apes that I vaguely recognized. A few jeers and cheers rang out, but I ignored them as I scanned the crowd for familiar faces. It didn't take long for me to spot my friends clumped together. Amber was sitting a comfortable distance away from everyone else but seemed excited nonetheless. I gave a wave and all of them waved in return with varying degrees of excitement. I smiled to myself, glad to have their support, and turned to look at my opponents.

Flickr was short, thin, and curvy, with an orange underbelly and dark red scales. She had a somewhat triangular head, with short, spiky horns that appeared razor sharp. Soft, red frills fell in line with the spikes on her spine, ending near the base of her neck, and they formed what looked like a messy mane of hair that was swept to one side. On her tail was a single spike, shaped similarly to a spearhead. Her eyes locked onto me for a brief moment before she turned to Glacier and whispered something to him.

Glacier was the opposite of Flickr. He was tall and stocky, with a head that was more akin to a brick than anything else. His scales were light blue, almost to the point that they were white, and his horns and underbelly were a faded gray. His two horns, one on each side of his head, were set in a spiral. His tail ended with a small, spiked ball and twitched every so often. He wasn't looking at me because his attention was on Flickr. When Flickr whispered into his ear, he dropped his head with a groan and smacked his tail into the dirt.

"Ancestors, I know, Flickr. You don't have to tell me this again."

Flickr kept her eyes locked onto Glacier.

"Yes, I do. Stick to my plan and don't forget what will happen to you if we lose."

Glacier rolled his eyes and growled.

"Yeah, I'm well aware, but that's not a deal breaker for me. I never really wanted to get involved in the arena anyway."

Flickr smacked a paw against her face.

"Just don't leave all the fighting to me, ok?"

Glacier scoffed.

"Hey, you actually want to be here! I'm not particularly thrilled about this; I was there when Onyx was turned into a living punching bag!"

Flickr raised a brow while keeping a blank expression on her face.

"Seriously? You're afraid of him after he picked on Onyx? C'mon, Glacier, everyone knows that was a fluke. You're worried about nothing."

"No, I'm not!"

"You're such a hatchling. Grow a pair and step up for once in your life."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

The two glared at each other until Glacier broke eye contact and looked elsewhere. Flickr sighed and shook her head, and I chose this moment to join in on their conversation.

I bet that if I can agitate them, they'll be easier to fight.

"Wow, way to let her walk all over you. I was hoping you wouldn't be a pushover, but… sheesh."

Flickr shot me a nasty frown and Glacier's eye began to twitch.

"She's not. And I'm no pushover, jerkwad."

I grinned wickedly.

"Yeah, sure. Onyx said something similar before I kicked his ass."

Glacier gritted his teeth and opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by Flickr's tail.

"Glacier, he's just trying to get under your scales. Why don't you take after your name and your heritage and keep a cool head, idiot."

Glacier grumbled angrily, and I let my grin widen.

"Wow, she's got you trained well."

Glacier pushed against Flickr's tail.

"Say that again, you piece of—"

"SAVE IT FOR THE MATCH, HATCHLINGS!"

A familiar ice dragon slammed her tail down between us, drawing our attention to her. My mouth almost dropped open when I realized who she was.

I could have sworn Icey was mute.

"I can't believe I was chosen to oversee this match… Ancestors…"

Icey snorted and shook her head.

"Regardless, now that your opponent is here, we can begin."

Icey sent a nasty stare toward all of us, then continued. Her voice was firm but held a grace to it that reminded me of a noble back home.

"You're all aware of the rules, I hope. Understand that if there's any semblance of breaking them, I will suspend the match. I won't tolerate any unsportsmanlike conduct and there will be proper punishment for any infractions. I need not remind you that Onyx's cheating earned him an early retirement."

We all nodded.

"Then, if there are no protests, we may begin. Kiran, Flickr, and Glacier, are you ready?"

Flickr nodded curtly, with sharp eyes fixed on me. Glacier was soon to follow, though he held a fury in his gaze that was hard to miss. I was the last to agree, and Icey snorted at us.

"Then please take ten paces back. Once you're all in position, we may begin."

As we moved into place, the crowd settled down and silence overtook the arena. I could hear the soft crunch of dirt underneath my boots. Using this quiet to calm myself, I turned to face my opponents. They stood roughly twenty feet away, crouched and ready to spring into action. I crouched as well and quickly formed a rough plan based on the information I had.

No messing around. No mercy. Prove to them that you're a threat to be taken seriously.

I took a deep breath.

Treat this like a real fight and treat them like a real enemy. Destroy them. Make them regret making me a target for their games.

Seeing that we were ready, Icey raised her head.

"On my signal."

All of us tensed as she sucked in a deep breath and shot a ball of snow into the air. It soared for a moment before exploding, showering the arena in small, glistening snowflakes. I dashed forward, Flickr took to the air immediately, and Glacier fired a shard of ice directly toward me. It was easy enough to dodge, but several similar shards were soon to follow. I weaved under and around them while moving forward, but a torrent of flame from above forced me to stop and dive behind the nearest pillar. The flames followed me, and as they crashed into the column, I could smell the heat charring the stone. Realizing I would soon be in trouble, I kept the pillar between myself and Flickr while moving away. Glacier must have been waiting for me because a ball of ice was already being hurled my way. Hastily, I spun, let my back fall to the ground, and weaved through hand signs.

Wind Style: Wind Cyclone!

As the ball of ice sailed over my chest, I released the jutsu. A churning tunnel of air spawned, sucked the ice inside, then shot it out in a new direction. It flew toward Flickr, forcing her to dive out of the way. She cursed and cut off her stream of flames, buying me time and giving me room to move. I continued my fall, rolled backwards, pushed off the ground with my hands, and landed on my feet without missing a beat. I turned to Glacier who was already preparing his next attack, but even from this distance, I could see the worry clear on his face.

With a grim grin, I ran toward him. His response was to scramble back, jump into the air, and fire icicles as fast as he could. The poorly aimed attacks were easy to dodge, and I grabbed a shard out of the air as it skimmed by my head. With this in hand, I jumped onto a nearby pillar and used it to vault into the air toward Glacier. He fired another ice ball, but I used an air step to adjust my positioning and smashed through it with a well-placed punch. With my momentum, I flipped so that my feet faced Glacier and continued forward until I collided with his chest in mid-air. He grunted and reared back to bite at me, but before he could, I stuck my feet to his scales, grabbed onto one of his horns, and used the leverage to swing around to his back. He jerked wildly and desperately to get me off, but I held on. With a swift motion, I jammed the icicle down between his wings, sinking it deep into the joint between them. Glacier screamed in agony and both of his wings collapsed in on themselves.

With nothing holding him in the air, he fell like a rock. I jumped away as he plummeted to the ground, toward another pillar. I realized too late that I didn't know where Flickr was, and as I fell, I spotted her in the corner of my eye. Bracing myself for the attack, I raised my left arm and curled into a ball. Flickr spun in a corkscrew directly toward me, and her horns crashed into my bracer, rocking my entire body. The flames surrounding her spread out as we collided and burned the skin on my arms and back. I gasped as I took the full brunt of her attack and felt helpless as I was launched to the ground. I barely missed a column on my way down, and when I landed, I felt something snap. A white-hot pain raced up my arm, momentarily stunning me, and I tumbled in a stupor before I gained control and rolled to my feet. Dazed, I took stock of myself and grimaced. What I saw was bad. My left forearm was clearly broken, burns covered me in various places, and the pain was making moving difficult.

I let my guard down and now I'm in trouble. Damnit, I can't afford to lose this!

I tightened the straps down on my left bracer, hoping that it would hold my arm in place. As the agony in my arm grew, my right shoulder also began to burn, and I felt a strange pressure inside of my head. I gritted my teeth, not knowing what to make of the sudden feeling, but eventually stopped resisting. A warmth filled my head, and I fell into a daze as my mind decided I was now fighting for my life. Like walking along a well-worn path, I shut out everything aside from my enemy and snarled. They were threats that I had to eliminate, monsters that put me and my home at risk, and I would do everything in my power to destroy them. Adrenaline surged through my body, and as the pain faded, I took a cautious step forward.

I can still move. That's what matters.

Snapping my head up, I locked eyes on my opponents. Flickr had decided not to chase me and was pulling the icicle out of Glacier's back, though that did little to alleviate his wailing. Once it was removed, she tried to get him moving again, but he refused and curled into himself with a whimper. From my position, it looked like one or more of his legs had broken, and a glimmer of white stood out against the red that was now covering his scales.

"C'mon, Glacier, you're supposed to be helping me! Get off your tail and move!"

"M-my wings… I can't move my wings!"

Flickr cursed and left him alone.

"Damnit, I didn't think you'd be this useless..."

With a sudden shift in focus, Flickr was once again moving toward me. She took to the air and began to fire small balls of flame that forced me to move. My arm jostled around as I dodged her attacks, and the lances of discomfort forced a snarl out of me.

I need to get her out of the air.

I weaved in and out of columns as I managed my pain and formulated a strategy. I doubted that I would be able to take her out while she could fly, which meant that I would have to take out her wings. The only problem was that her lofty position above made that difficult.

I can't reach her, but if I can goad her into using a larger attack… Yeah, that might work. At the very least, I don't think she'll expect it.

With a plan in mind, I continued our game of cat and mouse, making sure to not place myself in a vulnerable position. When the first opportunity presented itself, however, I threw an insult at Flickr with a mocking grin.

"You know, I was expecting more from someone like you. Is this all you have? I thought you were a fire dragon!"

She launched another fire orb at me.

"I am!"

I hopped onto the nearest pillar to avoid her attack and waved my good arm in a broad gesture toward the arena.

"Seriously?! You could have fooled me! I've seen candles more intimidating than you! Where's the passion!? The energy!? At this point, all I can see is a joke!"

Flickr snarled and angled around in a large arc, circling me like a hawk.

"You want to see some fire? Fine! I'll give you something to play with!"

I took a deep breath as Flickr drew back her head. A massive orb developed in front of her maw and grew as she fed flames into it. Soon, I couldn't see much of her as the ball of flame obscured her from view, and it wasn't long before it was hard to see because of how bright the room had become. I stood in place, waiting, and when the ball of flame finally launched from her mouth, it tore through the air like a kunai. As it neared, I forced my right hand into my left and flashed through several hand signs.

Wind Style: Great Gale!

A powerful cone of wind pushed forward and slammed into the fire, feeding it and making it grow. As the two attacks mixed, the force of the gale threw the fire back at Flickr and left her with nowhere to flee. I lost sight of her as the fire grew, and I jumped off my column to duck behind it as the temperature in the arena rose by several degrees. I heard a deafening boom, followed by a scream, then waited a few seconds as the temperature slowly dropped again. Looking around the pillar, I saw a sizzling and very burnt dragon struggling to stay aloft. Small patches of flame still burned away at her scales, and I readied myself as she flew directly toward me with murder in her eyes.

"How dare you?!"

Another stream of fire erupted forth, and it bathed the column I was taking shelter behind.

"Use my flames like that!"

I dashed away when the flames stopped. A second later, Flickr blew through the column with a flaming spin and flew back into the air, flying just above me. Before she could get too far, I spun and released another jutsu.

Wind Style: Bullet Rain!

Several small bullets of air flew from my mouth and toward Flickr. They passed on either side of her and blew through her wings, tearing the delicate membranes apart. She roared as blood sprayed her scales and scrambled to keep aloft with frantic flaps of her wings. Her efforts were in vain, however, and soon she dropped to the ground where hot beads of blood fell into the dirt. She whirled to face me and roared, then charged with flames licking at her lips. I vaulted back on my right hand when she was a few feet away and swung a leg up, clipping her chin and ending her forward momentum. As she stumbled on her paws, I finished my one-handed cartwheel then sprung into action by slipping right up to her. She tried to back up and keep me at bay with a spout of flame, but I ducked underneath it and swung myself onto her back by grabbing her neck. Before she could shake me off, I twisted myself so that my head faced her tail, then crossed my legs around her neck, just underneath her jaw. I squeezed and pulled, forcing her head up and cutting off her air supply. To reinforce my position, I lodged my armpits around her wing joints and held on for dear life.

I knew I could end this now, but that would only happen if I was able to hold on.

Flickr squirmed and flailed desperately in my choke hold, gagging helplessly the entire time. After a few seconds, she managed to flip onto her back and attempted to use her weight to crush me beneath her. The small spikes along her spine dug into my back, my face was smashed into the ground repeatedly, and I swore I heard something else snap inside of me, but I refused to let go. I couldn't buckle under the pain now.

I won't let them win! I'll die before I let that happen!

I could feel Flickr grow weaker with every moment that passed by. Eventually, she fell to her side and one of her eyes managed to look back far enough to meet mine. Fear was clear in hers, and as I stared back with malice, I saw something inside of her break. A paw reached out and tapped the ground, signaling her surrender. I held on for a few moments longer, not wanting to let go, but eventually relented with a snarl. Flickr gasped for air while I got to my feet, and I had to resist the urge to make sure she wasn't a threat again.

The only thing that stopped me was the knowledge of another dragon.

Glacier hadn't technically surrendered yet, and I had to make sure he was finished. I searched the arena floor until I spotted a blood trail that led from his original spot on the ground to where he was. He was sitting next to a pillar, cradling a leg and crying, but still in the fight. With the intent to finish him, I began a slow, agonizing walk, hiding my pain as blood dribbled down from the many wounds covering my body. As I approached him, he lifted his head, gasped, and did his best to crawl away.

"N-no! Don't come near me, you freak!"

I didn't stop. He threw more ice at me, but I easily cut through it with a wind blade and strode up to him. His eyes went wide, and he cried out as I kicked his head and sent him reeling. He stumbled and fell over like a bag of bricks, but he was still able to move. He tried to squirm away from me, but I put an end to that by jumping onto his chest and bearing down on him with a fist.

I'd make sure he wouldn't be a danger to me again.

I punched him over and over, ignoring the blood that was steadily bathing my hand and his face, until something jostled me. I ignored it, focusing instead on making sure Glacier would surrender, when something knocked me away from him. I tensed and flew into a defensive stance, only stopping when I saw Icey hovering angrily between us. Glacier coughed, gagged, and sputtered behind her while another dragon rushed up to him and started tending to him with healing crystals. Icey roared at me with contempt, snapping me out of my mental lock.

"The match is over, Kiran! Flickr and Glacier have both yielded!"

I stared back at her with quickly dissolving shock.

It's… over?

Silence reigned. I felt my entire body relax, and as the adrenaline faded, pain washed over me. I lifted a hand to wipe sweat away, but I only ended up smearing warm blood on my face. I froze at the sight of my hand and started to panic.

No, not here. I can't do this here!

I gritted my teeth and braved a look at the crowd instead. As soon as my eyes met them, the entire arena erupted. Shouts of anger and disbelief were there, but it was accompanied by just as many cheers. For a moment, I forgot about my condition and stood in bewilderment.

…they're cheering?

It was impossible for me to hear what Icey said next due to the sound. I stood stoically and watched as more dragons began to gather around Glacier. Flickr soon joined them, and I tensed as part of the crowd swooned forward and threatened to wash over the walls. Seeing that things could become dicey at any moment, I decided it would be best to leave. Holding my arm gingerly, I retreated to my door, ignoring the venomous glare Flickr and various dragons were sending my way.

Once I was out of sight of the crowd, I collapsed. Amera's tail caught me before I hit the ground, but the pressure it put on my chest wasn't pleasant.

"Well, you managed to pull it off. I'd say that this is surprising, but it's not."

Amera whistled and lightened her grip when I wheezed in response.

"You look like crap."

"…I feel like crap."

She helped me to a chair, and I fell into it with a groan. Moments later, a few healing crystals were tossed into my lap.

"Heal up. Once you're not falling apart, you should go find your friends and head out for the day."

"What? Why?"

"Seriously? Did you not see the crowd? You put on quite the show tonight and there are a lot of angry people. It would be wise to let heads cool for a bit."

I took the bracer off my left arm and winced. Amera saw my arm and swooped in to take a look.

"Ouch. When did that happen?"

"Right after Flickr rammed into me."

"Mm."

Before I could protest, Amera gingerly took my broken arm and pressed the end of her tail against it. After a few moments of prodding that made me uncomfortable, she pressed a healing crystal up against my arm.

"Luckily, it's in the proper position to heal. Go ahead and absorb the energy from the crystal."

I did so silently. I relaxed as the soothing energy washed over me and my wounds healed. As my arm mended back together, I moved on to the next crystal while Amera gave me a level stare and snorted.

"Your lack of restraint tonight is something that we'll have to address. I saw how merciless you were towards Glacier, and although I enjoy a beatdown, that won't do in the long run."

I did what I had to do, even if…

I glanced at my bloody hands.

"…I won. Isn't that what matters?"

"Normally, I would say yes, but you have a unique case, don't you? By treating Glacier so viciously, you acted and appeared… well, bloodthirsty is an apt description. How do you think others will react when that's the impression you give?"

I scowled.

I'm only doing what I have to do. I'm not… I'm not bloodthirsty. I'm not a monster. I'm just trying to go home. Why doesn't anyone understand that…?

"…I see what you're trying to say. I'll… keep that in mind from now on."

"Good. Now finish up and go. I'll head out now to make sure there won't be anyone to bother you when you leave."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

Amera hovered for another minute before leaving. I sat and let the crystals do their job for a few minutes before exhausting the supply. I hadn't healed everything, but the major burns were gone, and my arm felt good as new. Grateful and feeling better, I took off my armor and left the room.

I felt tense when I finally walked up to my friends. I had taken a quick shower and changed, but blood from the match was still caked into my hair, and I couldn't shake the anxiety that lurked in the background, waiting to strike.

Shimmer abruptly yelling in delight snapped me out of my reverie.

"Kiran!"

Heads turned my way, and I was suddenly wrapped in a whirlwind of attention that I didn't want. Shimmer skipped forward, throwing out questions and comments that seemed to grow in intensity every second. Everyone else stood close by and huddled around expectantly. With all the pressure, my head started to throb, and Shimmer's voice began to grind against my ears until it became unintelligible. I was about to snap when Nova's voice rang through the static and pulled me back to reality.

"Hey! Give him some room, Shimmer! You're suffocating the poor guy!"

Shimmer, to her credit, listened and scrambled back. I nodded thankfully and avoided making eye contact with anyone.

"…Sorry, but I'd like to go home and clean up. I'm a bit too tired to talk right now."

"What?! C'mon Kiran, I just want to talk about how insane that fight was!"

Phyl, who had made it a point to avoid looking at my head, sighed. He then wrapped his tail around Shimmer's shoulders and pulled her back.

"Shimmer, you can always talk to him tomorrow. He needs rest, and besides, I'm… not nearly as enthused about all of this as you are. It's too much for me."

Shimmer pouted and turned to nuzzle Phyl's chin.

"Ugh, you're such a softie. And I mean that in an endearing way."

Phyl nuzzled her back and smiled.

"I know."

Amber gagged in mock disgust and Nova watched politely until they broke apart. I ran a hand through my hair and took a step forward.

"We'll talk later, when I'm rested."

Shimmer sighed and hopped forward to give me a quick hug. My nerves almost broke when she did.

"Alright, get some rest then! Just know I'm going to talk your ear off when I get the chance!"

Shimmer broke the hug and gave me a wide grin. I half returned it, too unsettled to do more. Nova stepped up to me next, but instead of a hug, she analyzed me with cool eyes.

"You look a bit worse for wear. Want me to walk with you to make sure you get home alright?"

Seriously? I don't need your help.

I saw Amber scowl in the background. I groaned internally, not wanting to deal with any issues between them. Hoping to put any potential problems to bed, I pivoted on my own thoughts and relented with a shrug.

"…Sure. I guess."

Nova smiled softly and stepped aside. Amber dropped her scowl and smiled.

"You did great."

I gave her a short, curt nod.

"Yeah. Something like that."

She frowned, and her eyes locked onto mine, hard and questioning. A silent conversation occurred between us, and I sighed in softly.

"I'm fine. Really."

It took a few seconds of meeting her gaze for her to back down. She crossed her arms and huffed.

"Right. You'd better be."

"I know."

I waited a few seconds, and when no one else had anything to say, I waved and started walking away.

"Have a good night."

Nova followed after me. I tried to relax, but once we were a few minutes into our walk, my anxiety became too much to bear.

"Did you really want to keep an eye on me, or are you here for something else?"

Her eyes panned over to me. Cool. Calm. Genuine. I looked away as my chest tightened.

"I was being honest, but I'll also admit that something seems… off. I may not know you well, but something… changed during your match. I don't know what it is, and I'm not going to pester you, but I wanted to see if everything was alright."

"…"

I felt like I was bursting at the seams. Something was wrong, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. Nova waited politely, but when it became clear I wasn't going to talk, she fixed her gaze on the path ahead.

That did little to alleviate my panic.

It wasn't long before the hall came into view, though it felt miles away. My feet seemed heavy, my breath hitched in my throat, my arms felt numb, and my eyes were misty. I realized Nova's eyes were on me, and I couldn't hold things in anymore.

I can't be here. I can't do this.

Without warning, I broke into a dead run and a singular focus filled my brain.

Run. Run! RUN!

I wasn't sure if Nova followed me or not. As I ran, open air turned into wooden walls. I turned a corner, slipped past a few apes, ran down a hall and burst into my room. I haphazardly slammed the door and fell to my knees, crying and gasping for air. I lifted a hand to wipe my face, but the sight of it sent shockwaves through my body, and I fell back against a wall. Feeling utterly broken, I buried my face into my knees and wrapped my arms over my head.

Gods, what's wrong with me…?

I shrank inwards when something touched me. It disappeared for a moment before returning, more widespread. I wanted to escape, but it firmly held on as sobs wracked my body. Eventually, I found myself giving in and pressed against something hard. It wasn't comfortable, but the touch alleviated some of the stress that was beginning to seep out of my body.

I remained in this position until my last cry fizzled out, leaving me exhausted. With swollen eyes, I lifted my head. When I saw Nova sitting with me, wing draped over my back, I looked on with horror. She silently brought her wing back and let me move away. I sat away from her, looking at my hands in shame, without a clue as to what I should say. Unfortunately, words spilled out before I could stop myself.

"Please, please don't tell anyone."

She responded with a solemn nod.

"I wasn't going to."

Once again, words that I didn't want to speak poured forth.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to be weak, but… I can't come to terms with what I've done."

Nova tilted her head slightly.

"What you've done…?"

I slowly lifted a hand, staring regretfully at it while guilt washed over me.

"I'm… a protector. Someone who keeps others safe. Or at least, I'm supposed to be."

I clenched my fist and placed it against my forehead. My next words were barely a whisper.

"...I failed, Nova. I'll never be able to forget what I've done, and it haunts me."

Nova slid forward, and her paw pressed down on my hand until it was in my lap. I avoided looking at her, afraid of the judgment I would receive.

"I'm… sorry. I don't know if there's much I can say that will help, but… I'm here to listen."

She moved until she sat back against the wall next to me. I mulled over her offer as she continued.

"...I think your body is reacting physically to your stress. My mom has carried a lot of guilt and remorse over the years, and I think that if you talk with her, she can help you come to terms with whatever you're bearing alone."

I managed a slight nod. I wanted to reach out but wasn't sure if I would. My heart pounded in my chest, and I decided that I would figure it out later.

Tomorrow… tomorrow, I'll decide.

"Nova."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. And… thank you."

She smiled, though it was laced with worry.

"You're welcome."

She paused, then took her paw back.

"I don't like what happened today. Can you be honest with me from now on? I want to help, but I can only do that if you're meeting me half-way."

"…yeah. I… think I can."

I wiped my face with my arm then leaned over until my shoulder bumped her side. She made a slight push back, and we sat together until I felt I wouldn't be able to stay awake any longer. Not wanting to embarrass myself further, I got up and made a small wave at the door.

"…I think I should get some sleep. See you tomorrow?"

Nova got up and gave me a hug.

"Mhm. Bright and early."

I half-smiled, and she bumped me with her tail before leaving by diving into the shadows. I did a double take, but once she was gone, I laid down on my bed and reflected on everything as I drifted off to sleep.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Once again, thank you to Author-san 9001 for being a great Beta Reader! One quick note, one of my sisters made a drawing of Onyx, Nova and Shimmer. I've posted them to my profile if you want to check them out!

Author-san 9001: Glad you enjoyed everything that was going on! I'm trying to stuff a lot of things in as I go along so hopefully I don't miss anything important. And yes, there are some characters popping up soon that some might be excited about, but I couldn't guess who they are. ;)

The Silent Insomniac: I will be spending a lot of time writing the next chapter, as I know it's important for my story and for the readers. I'm excited to get it done as well, it's been a long time coming!

Amber and Nova, I wonder how things will pan out between them? I suppose time will tell.

I'm glad you're enjoying the story and don't worry, I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon. I actually have 3-4 parts planned and this is just part 1, so buckle in and get ready for the ride.