章 32: Home in the Forest
As Nia walked through the village, she noticed that the soil wasn't as soft as the ones back where she lived. It was the first time she had been inside a human village. She looked at all of the houses. The farmers working the fields, but even she could tell that the food that was being harvested wasn't plentiful. There were some houses that were left abandoned. Nera held Nia's hand. It was gentle, soft, and warm. The air was cold and the sun was barely up. Just barely dawn.
"Well, this is my home. It's not much, but this is Kyte Village. I'm sure it's a bit underwhelming," Nera said.
"Oh, no. It's quite... strange to me. I have never needed to go far from the forests. I have never even seen a village from faraway."
Nera's eyes looked away and whispered, "You're like me."
"What was that, big sister?"
"Nothing. Let's find your home and see if we can reunite you with the rest of the forest dragons."
As Nia followed Nera as they held hands, she noticed a couple of children looking around the corner of a house.
Nia smiled and waved at them. As she did so, three young children came out of the corner and waved back. Each had a small genuine smile. Nia became joyful at the thought of making new friends.
Nera noticed and smiled to herself, as well.
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There were no dragonslayer in sight, but Nera made sure the Nia's hood didn't come undone. She didn't think that any dragonslayers were still searching for any remaining dragons, but she couldn't take any chances.
In the forest, Nera and Nia reached the river where they she had found Nia washed up.
"Alright, since the river's current goes towards the right, we should head left," Near said aloud still holding onto Nia's hand making sure that she doesn't trip or lose her.
They moved left following the river. "Tell me if you recognize where you are," Nera said. Nia nodded.
While walking, Nia was on high alert. She thought that a dragonslayer could show up at any moment. There was plenty of sunlight, so she didn't think that they could be snuck up on. Nera also held one hand on her sheathed blade, in case of any monsters that may appear.
As they walked alongside the river, Nia recognized where she fell off from. There was a patch of dirt on the other side of the river that looked different from the rest. It felt like Nia had been there before. She let go of Nera's hands.
"Hey! Don't go off alone!" Nera shouted, but Nia didn't listen as she jumped across the river, grew out her wings creating tears through the robes and clothes, and flew to the top of the slope on the other side of the river. She landed gently and immediately got flashbacks to the time when she was being shot at by knights.
"This is where I fell," Nia said to herself. She flew back to Nera and said to her, "That's where I fell."
"Fine. Just don't go off alone. I don't know what's out there," Nera replied.
"I'm sorry, big sister Nera," Nia said apologetically.
Nera smiled. "It's alright. I see that you can just fly across, but I'm going to have to find a way across."
She looked around for anything that could get her around or across the ravine, and as she did, Nia grabbed her hand and flew her to the other side of the river and to the top of the slope, where she fell from before.
Nera suprised said, "I didn't think you'd be strong enough to lift me."
"I didn't know either. So, I tried."
Nia retracted her wings and as she did so, Nera noticed that there were holes on the back of the little dragon's clothes.
"Well, so much for my childhood clothes."
NIa began to worry if her big sister was angry at her, but upon seeing Nera's grin, they both laughed it off.
"Do you know your way back home from here?" Nera asked.
"Yeah. It's just straight ahead from here," Nia replied pointing to the direction in which the forest dragons supposedly were.
Nera nodded and with a serious tone said, "Let me go in front. And when we're near the place, I'm going to check it out first, and you'll wait behind me. Got it?"
Nera worried that something really horrific may have happened to the forest dragons and wanted to protect Nia from seeing anything that she should never see. Nera held her sword's grip tightly with one hand holding Nia's.
The little dragon nodded and Nera smiled. They walked off towards where Nia said the nest of dragons would be with Nera in front and Nia right behind.
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They cautiously walked for some time, but Nia knew they were getting close. As they walked the forest, they both noticed hints of blood and arrows stuck on the trees and dirt. The arrowheads themselves were made of some green metal that neither could recognize. As they got closer and closer, they both heard a small noise and stopped in their tracks.
Nera motioned to the little dragon to not make any sound. They moved quietly closer towards where they were heading. The forest trees blocked out most of the sun from coming through, but there was still plenty of light to see from the cracks between the green leaves.
As they got closer, the sound became more and more apparent.
Nia's ears were far more tuned into the sound. It came from the direction they were coming from. So far, she didn't sense any dragons nearby, even though they were getting close.
As she honed her hearing, she could recognize some of the sounds. It was some kind of roar. As they got closer, she could absolutely tell what it was. A dragon's roar went into her ears.
"That sound..." she said as she let go of Nera's hand and jolted towards the nest.
"Nia! Wait!" Nera yelled and soon ran off after her, but the speed of the little dragon surpassed that of the village girl.
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Nia ran and as she got closer and closer, the roar was far more clear. "A dragon. There are still dragons, there!" Nia happily said to herself as she ran through the forest.
She ran faster and faster into a sprint, pushing branches and dirt behind her. The hood and robes fluttered behind her. As she got through the last branches and bushes, she appeared at an opening where her nest was. Her big smile slowly faded at the sight. The dragon's roar still echoed through the nest.
Nia was facing a giant bug. A bug that was using the sound of dragons as it sat upon the corpse of one. A giant wasp moth with the face of a human as it sucked the remains of a decaying dragon corpse. The land was burned and filled with bodies of both humans and dragons. Rotting and burned cadavers laid on the ground. Small rats and flies picked at the bodies, while the giant wasp moth was sucking out nutrients, while still mimicking a dragon's roar. The wasp moth was black with polka dots. It had the body of a moth, the wings of a wasp, and the staring pale white human face. It's mouth had tubes that connected to the dragon that it was standing on top of.
It made the roar one last time, but as soon as it noticed Nia, the creature stopped eating and giving out the cries.
Nia's eyes looked in horror at the aftermath. She remembered that the knights and dragons fought, but didn't want to believe that they were all dead. She then realized that her senses have not picked up any nearby dragons. There weren't any dragons left alive besides her. She should have known that the roar was too good to be true, and she fell to her knees in defeat.
No tears came, but her eyes looked dead.
"Ahh, a fresh morsel. A child dragon, too. I didn't think that my sounds would attract another dragon. I only hoped that it would keep other mosnters away. When I kill you, does your body revert back to dragon form? I would prefer to have your fresh and chewy meat last longer," the wasp moth said and it began flapping its wings picking up soot and ashes along with it.
Nia didn't listen. "There's nothing left. There's nothing left." She sat with her head down looking at the dirt.
"Either way, I'm sure that you would be tastier than any of the corpses left behind by those dragonslayers. I had to wait around until they all left before I could take satisfy my hunger. But now, I think that fate may be on my side. I was given a buffet and fresh meat to boot." The wasp moth said and as it finished, it charged at the kneeling dragon who had given up hope.
"Not even going to try and run. Too bad since no other dragons are going to come and save you." And as it said that, Nera ran out of the bushes. As the wasp moth charged at Nia, Nera swooped in, took her blade, and cut straight through the wasp moth's head. Nera easily sliced the wasp moth in half. The disgusting bug was split in two. Blue blood splattered all across Nera and Nia.
The little dragon looked up and saw Nera in front of her holding the blade. Life sprung back into Nia's eyes.
"Impossible. How could a blade be so sharp to cut me with ease," one half of the wasp moth said as it choked on it's own blue blood. It threw up large amounts of blood before wriggling around. It's movement slowed to a halt and died with blue bloodshot eyes.
Nera wiped the blood on her skirt and sheathed the red blade. She looked over to Nia and marched quickly over. Her face was serious. Nera quickly grabbed Nia up and walked her out of the clearing.
As they got back into the forests, Nera crossed her arms and looked at Nia. Silence came down upon the forest.
Nia was about to open her mouth, but a hard slap came upon her face.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO OFF ALONE!" Nera shouted, "YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED!"
Nia was shocked and put her hand where the slap occurred. She looked down to the dirt.
Nia quietly said, "Perhaps it would have been better."
Slap. A harder slap came after those words have been muttered.
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT AFTER I RISKED MY OWN LIFE TO SAVE YOURS."
Nia didn't give any response. She only looked down. Nera sighed. She felt sorry that she had to slap the little dragon not once, but twice, though she wouldn't say it. Nera scratched her head wondering what she should do.
She took out a clean cloth from one of her pockets and silently wiped off the blue blood and dirt on Nia's face.
After wiping Nia's face, Nera asked, "Are you hurt anywhere?"
Nia didn't respond, but after a few seconds she shook her head. "Are you hurt?" Nia asked as she looked back up to her.
Nera was glad that the little dragon was ok and said, "No. I'm fine." Nera's face saddened and said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you come back here. I was hoping that there was at least one forest dragon hiding out."
Nia shook her head. "No. I don't sense any other dragons nearby." Nera gave Nia a long hug. For a few seconds, Nia didn't return one, but she slowly did. As she did so, tears started swelling up. She cried onto Nera's dirty clothes. Nera patted her head and said, "At least you're safe, now."
They continued to hug there, and when Nia was done crying, they both walked back towards Kyte Village.
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When they arrived by the riverside, Nera said, "I think it would be a good idea to wash up, here. The river's current isn't too strong, right now." Nia nodded as she grew out her wings and flew Nera to the side of the river.
"I'm going to need the clothes. Better wash up everything, before we head back. We wouldn't want to be coming home smelling like the inside of a bug," Nera said jokingly trying to lighten the mood. Nia gave a small laugh. The little dragon will remember what she saw, but she didn't want to hurt her new big sister. Nera looked up at the sky. She estimated that it would still take two hours before sunset.
Nera took off Nia's clothes and began washing them. "Nia, could you quickly wash yourself in the river."
Nia gave a big grin and transformed into her dragon form. In dragon form, she was only slightly larger than Nera. She looked in astonishment at the light green dragon as it walked into the river and washed itself.
After Nera washed Nia's clothes and placed them on a branch to dry, she took off her own clothes to wash. Nia continued to relax in the water after her body has been cleaned.
As Nera washed her clothes, Nia said, "Big sister Nera, the water is nice and warm. You should come into the water."
"Oh, I'm not a very good swimmer." Nera said as she raised her hand to decline the offer.
A fish started swimming by the dragon and as it jumped into the air, Nia grabbed it with her mouth and ate it.
"My goodness. You could have at least cooked it first," Nera said in surprise. Nia grinned and splashed around the waters. Nera was glad that she could take the dragon's mind off of what happened. When she hung up her clothes on the branch, she put her sheath on the ground next to the same tree.
"Nia, I'll go in the water for a little bit to wash myself up," Nera said as she got into the water. Nia's eyes sparkled.
"Really!? Yay! Big sister Nera's coming in the water with me!" the dragon yelled.
Nera walked halfway into the warer and said, "Just please don't splash on me" and as soon as she said that, Nia doused water onto Nera immediately. Nia covered her mouth while Nia's hair covered her face. A silence overcame them, but was broken as Nera began to laugh. And as she laughed, Nia laughed as well. Nera started splashing water on the dragon and Nia lightly splashed back in retaliation. The fish underneath paddled themselves away from what they thought was a storm.
They both laughed and played in the water until the sen began to set.
"Alright. I think we've had some funfor today. Let's head back to the village. I'm sure that the clothes are dry enough, now," Nera said as she walked out of the river.
"Aww. So soon, big sister Nera?," Nia complained.
Nera turned around and replied, "We can come back tomorrow, if you'd like. Maybe even play with the other kids."
Nia's eyes lit up and her tail wagged like a dog. "Ok. Oh, I'm already so excited for tomorrow."
Nera smiled and walked back up to land where she put the clothes to dry. As Nera wasn't facing the little dragon, Nia's face turned to sorrow over what she saw. She looked up to the sky as she didn't want to worry her big sister. She looked back down and walked to shore. As she walked, her body shifted and by the time she got to land, she was in human form.
As Nera walked towards the hanging clothes, a man appeared out of the shadows of the forest. She stopped in her tracks and turned to Nia and shouted, "Stay right where you are, Nia!"
Nia froze in place. And in the moment, she saw the man appear out of the forest. However, she recognized the man.
An armored knight pointing a crossbow at the little dragon.
"I'll be damned. I didn't expect to see two lovely ladies out tonight," he said while still aiming the crossbow, "Well, one lady and a dragon, anyways. Mr. CBK might actually give me some praise after bringing you."
Nia's eyes widened. She recognized that voice. There was only one dragonslayer that referred to the demon as Mr. CBK and it was that dragonslayer who distracted the demon and shot arrows at her.
Nera slowly went for her blade, but the dragonslayer noticed and took a small dagger out and pointed it in front of her. "I wouldn't do that. Don't worry, I'm only here for the dragon," he said with a sinister grin.
Upon seeing Nera being threatened with the knife, Nia started to remember what happened to all of her friends. She couldn't let that happen, again.
The dragonslayer continued to gloat, "I personally wanted to come back and find that little dragon's body and make a sword out of her scales... but dragons are definitely harder to kill."
"I remember you. You were there. You shot through my leg. Do all of you dragonslayers enjoy killing or is it just you?" Nia asked with a slight hint of green in her eyes.
Nera looked at Nia worryingly. She didn't want to provoke the knight. Nera looked at her sword, but if she made one wrong move, she would be on the wrong end of the blade.
The dragonslayer pointed his dagger to Nera's neck while still aiming the crossbow at the little dragon. He wanted to make sure that he could get an instant kill, so that he didn't need to actually fight. He wasn't confident that he would be able to make the shot.
"Why don't you come closer and find out? These days, it's quite busy for us dragonslayers. We're actively looking for dragons, now, instead of waiting for a request."
While the dragonslayer was talking, Nia noticed behind the dragonslayer more men. She began to worry that there would be too many of them to handle, now. She only thought that she had to find a way to deal with one knight, but a squad of them would prove too difficult.
As she looked closer, that wasn't the case.
The dragonslayer continued to talk not noticing the people behind him, "It's fortunate that dragons parts are quite hefty and pay the den good money. However, I do wonder how much a live baby dragon would make on the black market. I'm sure I could find some buyer."
As he finished that sentence, he was struck by a giant rock held by one of the villagers. The small group of villagers and the three young children right behind them. The dragonslayer fell to the ground firing his crossbow, but the arrow only struck the water behind Nia.
"Oww. My head," the dragonslayer complained and looked back at the group of villagers. Each held a rock or a tool and started beating the dragonslayer to near death.
Nera ran over to Nia and covered her eyes. As the dragonslayer screamed and begged for his life, Nera guided Nia to the dry clothes all while trying to close Nia's eyes. She quickly put the clothes on Nia and herself.
Nia could still hear the screams of the dragonslayer as he was being beaten by rocks and tools.
Nera kicked the crossbow and dagger towards the river and grabbed her sword.
As Nera held her sword in plain view with Nia turned away from the gruesome scene, the other villagers backed off. Although Nera doubted that Nia would be affected by seeing the downed dragonslayer considering what the little dragon experienced before, she didn't want the little girl to see any more bloodshed.
"How did you all know where we were?" Nera asked to the other villagers.
One of them responded, "The kids here said that they saw a dragonslayer sneaking around the forest, so we came to look for you."
"Thank you, little ones," Nera said as she looked towards the three small children with a pleasant smile. They nervously said, "You're welcome" one by one.
Nera's smile vanished and told the villagers, "Take Nia back to Kyte village. I'll deal with this knight."
"Are you sure?" one of the villagers said, but after looking into Nera's cold eyes, he understood. Nera pushed Nia with the other three children.
"Big sister Nera..." Nia said as the other villager turned her away from the messed up dragonslayer.
Nera smiled and said, "Go, Nia. I'll be right behind you."
Nia moved the villager's hands out of the way and took a look at Nera's smile. Nia nodded and ran back to the village with the rest of the villagers.
As Nera couldn't see Nia anymore, her smile faded and she looked down at the dragonslayer in disgust.
The knight was coughing out blood with his face completely bashed inwards. His arms and legs were already twisted in places they should never twist.
His eyes were still working, and he still breathed out of his mouth, but only barely.
Nera took her sword and pointed it down at the dragonslayer's eye.
"Did Akai send you?" Nera asked.
"No," the dragonslayer coughed out, "I came here to prove myself to him."
Nera's face twisted in anger. Night fell upon the forest.
"You think killing a child would get Akai's respect? Do you really think that's the kind of dragon he is!?" Nera yelled.
The dragonslayer coughed, "Dragon? What are you talking about?"
Nera took her sword and gouged out the dragonslayer's eye. He made a barely audible scream.
"Of course you don't know." Nera looked away and took her sword out of the eyes. She held the sword above the other eye. She has never hurt another person like this before. Never took pleasure in it. But she didn't think of this man as a person.
"Your men slaughtered innocent forest dragons who never once bothered any village. I don't care that you threatened me, but aiming a crossbow at Nia - a small dragon - is unacceptable! I know Akai wouldn't do anything like that" she said.
There was a couple of seconds of just barely audible gargling.
"You don't know Mr. CBK very well, do you?" the dragonslayer replied.
"Is that what you call him? You gave him a stupid pet name? I've hunted monsters who came near my village before. They were only animals. For all the monsters I've heard about from Akai or killed myself, I don't think any of them can compare to the likes of you. You're worse than any monster."
The dragonslayer started to tear up from the other eye. "Please, just let me go. I'll never come back."
"As if you could walk. You died a long time ago. I just wanted you to feel the same fear that she felt."
The dragonslayer began to cry, but his cries were hollow and his tears would hurt.
"I don't think that you can feel the same fear she felt because I'm not her. But if I did, I know that I would want to kill you myself. I won't let her do that. She's a good girl. She doesn't need that on her shoulders, as well."
She sighed. "Even so, you're still worse than any human. I hope Akai has a good reason for having things that are worse than monsters."
Nera took her blade and held it inside the dragonslayers mouth. She took both hands and pushed downwards. Blood spurted up like a fountain. She pushed with ease as the blade hit the dirt below hit. The dragonslayers stopped moving at all. Not even a twitch.
She took her blade out of his mouth. "I'm going to have to wash this ten times over before giving it back to Akai. I do hope Akai knows what he is doing. I know that he has a good heart."
Nera dragged the body and let it flow down the river. As she did she took her blade and washed it ten times over.
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