Serenade had spent almost a year with the young Cinder Razorclaw. The two had trained together, lived together, and grown together. During the day, they would train and practice their skills, of which, Serenade was becoming quite formidable. The mare was capable of matching blades with Cinder with little to no effort. The two would make a deadly team on the battlefield, a fact that Cinder was certain of.

When nightfall would come, Cinder would briefly go off to meet with her family, before returning to the small cave that she had made a home for Serenade. Her family still were hesitant about letting the unicorn into their lair, but Cinder knew she could win them over in time. She just needed to prove that Serenade was the real deal, and not just some pet project she was occupying her time with. She knew they would see that she herself had grown stronger too just with Serenade’s help. The two of them pushed each other to their limits, something that she knew her parents would appreciate; her brother though, it would take a bit more to convince them.

Ash had never approved of Serenade, from the moment she suggested she be trained. Her parents were against it as well, but Ash stood in her way far more. He clung to tradition and insisted that a pony could never learn their ways and could never be one of them.

Cinder was the free thinker of her family, and she often saw things from a more practical stance. Their bloodline had grown thin, and their clan had dwindled down to just the four of them. If they wished to survive, they needed to imagine others being able to join their ranks. If they didn’t start adapting, they were destined to die out. Ash would be difficult to convince, but Cinder was confident he would eventually come around.

In battle, Cinder was proud to admit that Serenade had picked up combat with ease, and was now even more than a match for herself. Many of their spars ended with Serenade the victor. It was incredible how quickly the student surpassed the master, but unlike her brother, Cinder was not disappointed in herself for not being as talented; if anything she felt greater of herself for being able to foster such talents within her pupil. Serenade could best even the toughest of dragons, and it was all thanks to Cinder helping her hone her abilities.

During the day, the two would train and spar, and at night they would celebrate with drink and eventually retire for the night. They would then awake again at 8 AM sharp to train again. Cinder would occasionally leave Serenade to herself while she attended to tasks that her family asked of her, but she would always come back hours later to see that Serenade had remained studious and continued to practice in her absence.

Cinder hoped for the day that she could bring Serenade to her home and she would be welcomed, but it was not time yet, her family still needed more time to warm up to her. She was chipping away at them, slowly but surely.

After a long day of training, the dragon had retired to the cave that she and Serenade shared. It had been fashioned out with a bit of makeshift furniture such as a bed woven from hay-stuffed blankets and a few fur pelts that Cinder had stitched together. There was a hot pool in the back for bathing, which the two were enjoying.

Cinder poured some water over the mare’s head carefully, rinsing off her long elegant mane. The two had gotten covered in dirt from their long training session, but Serenade rarely complained, though the girl did seem to really enjoy baths and she seemed most calm when in one.

As Serenade relaxed, Cinder ran a claw through the girl’s long mane. “You’re lucky that you have a mane. It’s so pretty…” Serenade smiled, a bit of envy in her voice.

Serenade kept her eyes closed as she relaxed against the dragon who was now gently stroking her mane. “Yeah, but you have to wash it a lot out here…”

“Worth it… I wonder what I’d look like with a mane…” Cinder questioned.

“Ridiculous, probably,” Serenade said.

The dragon chuckled and nodded. “True. I guess you’ve known me like this for so long that I’d look strange any other way, huh?”

“Something like that…” Serenade spoke quietly.

“Maybe when I’m older I can change up my look a little.” Cinder giggled.

Serenade shook her head. “You’ve got a long time then, you’re practically a kid…”

Cinder nudged the girl playfully. “You should talk. You look younger than me. You still haven’t told me how old you are…”

Serenade nodded. “And I have no intention of doing so…”

“What if I guess? If I guess right, you have to tell me, right?” Cinder grinned.

“You would never guess in a million years, plus I’m not going to tell you,” Serenade stated.

“Well, you’re mature but a bit vain… So I’d put you somewhere below 28…” Cinder thought out loud.

“Me? Vain?” Serenade opened an eye to glance at the dragon with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Cinder chuckled and ruffled the girl’s mane. “Sorry, but you sort of are. It’s a good thing though. It’s part of who you are.”

“If I’m vain what does that make you?” Serenade questioned.

Cinder looked up in thought for a moment before answering. “I guess an admirer?”

“You really sound so dumb right now, you know that?” Serenade rolled her eyes.

The dragon laughed. “Yeah, that sounds about right; but I don’t mind sounding dumb around you, I guess. Our bond is unique after all.”

Serenade closed her eyes once more. “If you say so…”

There was a short silence followed by Cinder’s voice getting more serious. “Hey, Serenade?”

The mare didn’t bother opening her eyes as she answered. “Hm?”

The dragon paused and spoke in a deep tone. “What happened to your family?”

The siren’s eyes shot open as she turned around to meet Cinder’s face. The dragon’s expression was stern. She had asked about Serenade’s past before, but never specifically about her family. Each time she brought up the siren’s past, she always gave an aloof response, but Serenade could tell that this time she truly desired an answer.

“Why do you want to know?” Serenade asked.

“We’ve known each other a long time, and my parents are still skeptical about accepting you, I can only imagine someone would put up with all that you’re putting up with because your own family didn’t treat you right…” Cinder explained.

For a youngling, the dragon was quite quick.

Serenade turned away and closed her eyes once more. “My mother is dead…”

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that…” Cinder wrapped her arms around the siren tighter.

“She was murdered…” Serenade added.

“Wow… That’s fucked up…” Cinder frowned.

“By my father…” She added.

“That’s even more fucked up…”

“The truth is, all I have in the world is my sister and myself, and I can’t find her… I got separated from her a while back, and I just can’t track her down… I’ve followed so many leads only to end up wasting my time… Now it’s just me against the world…” Serenade stated.

Cinder gently caressed the mare’s cheek. “You have me now at least…”

Serenade shrugged. “I don’t anticipate you not turning on me one day…”

“I wouldn’t do something like that…” Cinder frowned.

“They all say that. The only one that one can trust is one’s self.” Serenade spoke in a matter-of-a-fact tone.

“Do you really believe that?” Cinder asked.

Serenade nodded. “I do.”

“Then I guess I have to prove you wrong then?” Cinder grinned.

Serenade was confused by her optimism. Nothing really seemed to bring Cinder down, no matter how bleak. Where did her optimism come from? Dragons weren’t exactly known for their friendliness or compassion, Cinder truly was a strange creature, but a naive one. She showed so much care for Serenade, but Serenade knew that if she knew what she truly was, her demeanor toward her would change.

“You shouldn’t waste your time on something like that…” Serenade said.

“So negative…” Cinder sighed before petting the mare’s head.

Serenade shrugged.

“Let’s get some rest, we can work on your optimism later.” Cinder chuckled.

Serenade nodded and leaned back into the dragon and closed her eyes. Cinder wrapped her powerful arms around her and held her close. She was warm, and somehow despite being covered in scales, Serenade felt comfortable in her embrace. Serenade wondered if this was the norm for mortals. Their lives were so carefree that they can feel at ease every night, not worried about having to defend themselves from those who would wish to remove their existence from the world.

While Serenade would only rely on herself, she could at least admit that with Cinder around, she didn’t have to fear being attacked in her sleep. Cinder didn’t know what she was, so she would fight for her. Serenade could at the very least rely on Cinder in a pinch if she was pushed to it.

She calmed herself and before she knew it, Serenade had slipped into a slumber.

Serenade’s eyes opened slowly as she woke up. Looking behind her, Cinder was fast asleep. The dragon clearly was exhausted after a long day of training, but Serenade found herself somewhat restless. Carefully, she slipped out of Cinder’s grasp and left the dragon in the bed as she wandered out of the cave and into the open.

The siren had wandered maybe a good eight minutes away from the cave and stopped at a nearby oasis. Leaning down she splashed her face with water and felt the soothing coolness of the water relax her. She let out a sigh of delight and ran a hoof through her luscious mane.

The mare’s ear twitched as a deep voice echoed behind her. “Someone’s getting comfortable…”

Standing up straight, she didn’t even bother to turn and face him. “Hello, Ash.”

“Skip the pleasantries, we need to talk.” Ash crossed his muscular arms.

Serenade grinned as she turned around. “You want to talk to me? That’s unprecedented.”

“Shut it, I need you to listen very carefully to what I’m going to say,” Ash demanded.

Serenade chuckled. “You don’t seem to grasp the concept of what a ‘talk’ is.”

Ash ignored her attempt at a joke. “My sister is infatuated with you. She’s naive and has always been a rebellious child in our family. She doesn’t understand consequences as well as the rest of us.”

“What does your sister's naivety have to do with me?” Serenade raised a brow.

“She wishes to marry you,” Ash said plainly.

Serenade blinked. She knew that Cinder had feelings for her, but she never imagined they were anything beyond an appreciation for her beauty, nothing deeper than surface value.

“I won’t allow it,” Ash added.

Serenade tilted her head. “Oh?”

“You may have passed the trials, and you may be a formidable warrior for a meat creature, but you’re still a meat creature. Allowing my sister to mate with someone like you would be a disgrace to our entire clan. It’s unbecoming of a dragon to mate with a meat creature…” He spoke.

“You use terms like ‘meat creature’ so openly; it’s ironic to me. Your kind who would be treated with racism anywhere you went outside of Dragon Scar, and yet you behave exactly like those you despise…” Serenade grinned.

Ash grunted. “Don’t compare us to those worthless ponies. We’re not like you. We have grown hardened by the world we live in, we endure pain and hardship, something that someone like you couldn’t possibly understand…”

Serenade laughed. “Oh, you don’t even know… I have been through so much that you can’t possibly imagine. Regardless… Your sister’s desire to be betrothed to me is… irrelevant…”

Ash raised a confused brow, but his arms remained crossed. “What do you mean?”

“She’s nothing to me. I merely wished to get stronger, and she assisted me in that. If you want me to leave, I can do so right now, it’s no problem for me…” Serenade shrugged.

Ash’s anger grew, his voice becoming sterner. “You used my sister? How dare you! She stuck her neck out for you, she showed you our ways, and protected you…”

“Hey, you’re the one who wants me to go away, I don’t see why you’re upset, you’re getting what you wanted.” She grinned.

“Yes, but to think you would use my sister’s affection toward you for your own gain… You disgusting piece of maggot shit…” Ash growled.

“Who cares? She’s just a dumb kid anyway.” Serenade shrugged.

Ash placed his claw upon the hilt of his sword and growled. “Bite your tongue, before you make me do something we both don’t want…”

“What? You want to fight me, Ash?” She asked.

“I will kill you…” Ash growled.

“You can’t. Someone like you never could… I am far stronger than you could imagine, I am far more powerful than you’ll ever be, Ash…” Serenade taunted.

“Your arrogance will be your undoing…” Ash drew his sword and took a battle stance. Serenade was all too familiar with it, she magicked a set of sickles into existence and levitated them around her.

“If you really wish to die, I can fulfill that wish for you…” Serenade spoke.

Ash wasted no more time with banter, he darted toward her and performed an upward slash, which Serenade deflected with a sickle before swiping at him with her other one. Ash moved his head backward, narrowly saving his neck from being cut open. He swiped his free claw and grabbed the sickle from her magical grip and leaped backward.

Once he had put some distance between them, he hurled the sickle at her, only for Serenade to jump up and catch it in her mouth. She tossed it back into the air and grabbed it in her hoof as the other one levitated.

He knew her weapons would be challenging to defeat, they were intended to clip the wings of dragons so she could bring them down to the ground. Ash could fly, but he knew that was exactly what Serenade wanted. In the air, he had a far more difficult time defending.

The dragon kicked up sand into the air and used the brief distraction to breathe fire in her direction.

Serenade was quick though, she conjured up a wall of water to protect her from the fire.

Ash knew that ponies had access to magic, which gave them quite an edge in battle, however, he also knew that continued use of magic would drain the body. They couldn’t just keep throwing magic around to win a fight or they’d tired out. On top of that, dragon’s bodies were fairly resistant to magic thanks to their thick scales, it would take a lot more than magic to beat him.

When the fire hit the water, steam was formed and Ash used this steam to push forward and attempt to take Serenade by surprise. Unfortunately, though, she was far from surprised, as she had anticipated this move and held her two sickles in front of her to block his sword.

The dragon pulled free and growled angrily. “You may have learned a few moves from my sister, but you’re still nothing, you worthless pony…”

Serenade chuckled and stepped backward. “I suppose now would be a good time to reveal one of my trump cards…”

Ash raised a brow in confusion as she spoke, but watched as her body began to slowly levitate off of the ground. The amulet around her neck began to glow, and before his eyes, he watched the pony transform into something else. A large tail replaced the lower half of her body, her mouth became a gaping maw, and she could now float in thin air; there was no mistaking it.

“A siren? Foul beast! I should have known! You used your vixen powers to seduce my sister!” Ash cursed.

She laughed. “Actually, I didn’t need to. She was gullible enough to help me without them.”

“Your kind are nothing more than parasites that should be purged from the world. A disease that needs to be wiped out!” Ash growled.

“I’d love to see you try…” Serenade cooed.

“With pleasure!” Ash growled as he leaped into the air, his mighty wings flapping as he prepared his blade. He wanted to keep the fight on the ground, but it appeared as though he had no choice.

Closing the distance between the two, Ash swung his blade, only for it to be blocked by Serenade’s sickle. She laughed as he repeatedly sliced at her, only for her to continually block his advances. Ash was strong, but it was slowly becoming evident that Serenade was far faster than him.

The siren landed on the ground and returned to her normal form, flicking her mane with her hoof as she taunted him. “Is that all? Perhaps you really are a drugun…”

Ash hissed in anger at the insult. “Don’t you dare refer to me as such!”

She only laughed as he charged her, slicing again, but she was too quick. With ease, Serenade got out of the way.

Ash grunted and held his sword in front of his face. He breathed a blue flame from his mouth, and ran it along the entire katana, setting the blade ablaze. With his sword now on fire, he flicked and brandished it once more, ready to continue their fight.

His weapon clashed with Serenade’s sickles a few more times, each with more anger and fury than the last. His annoyance with the siren only grew the longer the fight lasted.

Serenade could sense his anger, she could see him getting sloppy. She would stay on the defensive long enough for him to slip up.

After a few more attacks, she saw her opening. Her specially forged sickles were sharp enough to slice through a dragon’s thick hide, and with a single cut, she jumped over Ash.

Ash looked at his claw and watched as his fingers fell off, oozing blood from the stumps. His sword fell to the ground right in front of him as he stared at his claw. He was mesmerized, and Serenade took advantage of it. With a follow-up attack, Serenade stuck her other sickle right into his back. She jumped on him and gripped it in her jaw, pulling it downward, creating a large gash in his back.

He growled in pain as he fell to the ground, face in the dirt. Chuckling, Serenade casually trotted past him and picked up his sword in her hoof. She examined it and smiled. “How fitting… Live by the sword, die by the sword… Your own sword at that…”

“Foul beast… Even if I die here… I vow my spirit will find you… It will destroy you…” Ash grumbled.

“Dala va, ovanna nu kischa kavvann…” Serenade whispered.

“Our clan creator’s words… They are foul coming from your mouth…” Ash said quietly.

“Then how about some words of my own to send you off?” Serenade leaned down to his ear and spoke. “Have fun in hell…”

With those words, she lifted the katana and gripped it in her mouth. The siren jumped in the air and came down with the blade down, severing the dragon in half. His weapon was indeed quite sharp. She laughed and tossed the sword aside, she had no use for sure a weapon after all.

The dragon ceased moving only eight seconds after he was halved. He lay there as Serenade looked down at him. She laughed to herself as she looked down at the pathetic creature. It was amazing that he was considered such a formidable warrior by Dragon Scar standards, and yet he was taken down so easily by Serenade. She knew his parents would be far more difficult, she would need the element of surprise.

Shimmer leaned back in her computer chair grabbing a nearby joint. She took a long draw of the self-rolled joint and closed her eyes as she exhaled. The girl removed her glasses and set them on her desk as she reclined her chair slightly. The sensation flooded her body slowly, she had taken a few inhales of it prior, but the effects were now starting to set in.

“Mmmm, I really gotta thank Closer for that batch, good shit…” She smiled to herself.

The young teen leaned forward and through blurred vision, she swore she could see someone sitting on a desk nearby. Shimmer blinked, rubbed her eyes, and then placed her glasses back upon her face.

Sitting across from her was a fairly petite girl, short in stature, probably around the same age as herself. She was adorned in a pure white dress which didn’t seem to match her aesthetic at all. Upon her face sat a pair of slim glasses that protected her stoic magenta eyes.

The girl’s hair was an absolute mess, but it suited her; lavender purple locks with red tips, decorated with a skull hair clip to keep the unruly mane out of her face.

Shimmer took another puff and yawned as she adjusted in her seat. “Am I tripping?”

The girl in the other chair tilted her head. “I suppose that is possible. Given your current state, anything I say to assert my existence here could be interpreted as you being high, so I guess it makes it moot to try and convince you otherwise…”

Shimmer nodded. “So, what’s up?”

The girl ran a hand through her messy hair. “I was wondering when we’d get a chance to meet, Shimmer.”

“Shimmer?” Shimmer squinted in confusion.

“Sorry, I know someone else named Sunset…” The other girl said.

“Fair enough, so who are you?” Shimmer asked.

“Horizon. That’s my name.”

“Horizon… Okay, how did you get in here?” Shimmer asked.

Horizon tapped her chin in thought. “How…? Hmmm, that is a good question. I suppose my abilities only allow me to be at certain places at certain times, but my experiences are not linear. The me existing in the perceived present won’t understand these experiences until a later time until we meet…”

“Huh?” Shimmer blinked.

“I guess that was a lot to explain all at once. All you need to understand is that I am here to meet you.”

“Me? Why?” Shimmer yawned.

“Evidently it’s imperative to a catalyst event that will occur at another point in time,” Horizon explained.

“Couldn’t you have chosen a better time?” Shimmer laughed.

Horizon scratched her head. “I am not in complete control of my powers in these cases. Light is all about perception, thus I can see things in other times, and other places, but when they become known to the original me isn’t always clear. I guess you could imagine my existence as several puzzle pieces, but they haven’t all come together yet. So there are many of me existing at different points in time, but at one point they will come together and their experiences will become shared experiences when that happens, but until then they exist in a singular state.”

Shimmer tilted her head, but despite her impaired state, her genius was able to catch on to what Horizon was saying. “Fascinating… So you’re suggesting that you exist in memory fragments?”

Horizon adjusted her glasses. “I suppose such a thing would be accurate to state. Regardless, it’s not entirely that simple, but that is the best way to put it…”

“Fair enough, so why did you want to meet me?” Shimmer leaned in, taking another drag.

Horizon hopped down from where she was sitting, putting her pygmy height on full display. “I suppose I wanted to know what you were like. I never had the ability to prior…”

“Well, what do you want to know?” Shimmer questioned.

Horizon placed a finger on her chin and looked up in thought. There really was only one question she was curious about. “If you could change your past would you?”

Shimmer blinked and looked down at the floor. She took another drag and composed herself as she looked back up at Horizon. “There are things I regret, sure. I wish I could undo whatever happened to my parents, but at the same time… I don’t think I have the right to change the past, no one does. While I would love to undo bad things that have happened to me, those things have affected the experiences of others… We have no right to rob them of their experiences even if it means our own experiences are negative…”

Horizon blinked in surprise. “That’s quite noble and wise of you. I shall make a mental note of it.”

Shimmer chuckled. “You’re quite the calculative girl, aren’t you?”

“I have been told that numerous times. I suppose my grasp on emotion is… limited to say the least…” Horizon said.

Shimmer gave the young teen a smile. “We all have weaknesses.”

“Yes, that is certainly true… Anyway, my time here is brief and it’s coming to an end…” Horizon explained.

“It was nice meeting you, Horizon.” Shimmer grinned.

“The sentiment is shared.” Horizon nodded.

Within the blink of an eye, the girl was gone, leaving nothing but a gentle cool breeze where she once stood. Shimmer leaned back in her chair and took a few more puffs. “Man, I am seriously tripping…”

Cinder’s eyes opened gently and her arms subconsciously squeezed, only to realize that the mare that had rested between her arms was no longer there. Her eyes opened more and she looked down to see that Serenade had vanished. The dragon cleared her throat and called out to the mare. “Serenade?”

There was no response.

Climbing out of the bed, Cinder stretched and yawned. She surmised that Serenade had likely grown a little restless or thirsty and exited the cave. She decided to go looking for the pony and exited the cave herself. She called out to the pony.

“Serenade? Where are you?” Cinder called.

Still no answer.

Wandering a few more steps out, the dragon sniffed the air and noted a familiar smell. It was copper-like, and she recognized it right away: it was blood, not far from her current location.

Could Serenade be in trouble? Cinder wondered. She needed to follow the smell, and she knew that. The dragon drew her blade and followed the scent. After a good few minutes of walking and Cinder came to a sight that caused her to drop her sword onto the ground.

Rushing forward, she darted toward something that she was hoping she was not seeing correctly. On the ground, she saw a dark-colored dragon severed in half, a dragon she recognized and hoped she was mistaken. Getting down on her knees, Cinder flipped his torso over and she then knew she was not mistaken, it was her brother, Ash.

“No… It’s not possible… How…?” She spoke quietly.

Cinder held him close and hugged his halved body as tears ran down her cheeks. “Who could best the blade of Dragon Scar…? How?”

The dragon gently placed his torso back onto the ground and wiped her tears away. “I’m sorry, brother… I will find who did this, I won’t let them get away with it… You will be avenged…”

Nearby, Cinder saw his sword sitting there in the dust, and on the lower half of his body, the sheath that held it was still intact. She walked over to the sheath and snapped it off of his belt, attached it to the other side of her own, and then retrieved his weapon. She held the blade next to his head and then held it upward. “I will carry your sword into battle, and it will slay your enemies, brother… You live on through me…”

She could hardly believe what had happened, but her training as a warrior allowed her to control her emotions. The sadness that overwhelmed her had quickly been converted into anger and fury that she would use in battle. She needed to keep a head on her shoulders if she wished to avenge him.

The dragon took a deep breath before she growled and sniffed the air once more. She couldn’t smell a trail, but her mind instantly turned toward her parents. She needed to report her brother’s death to them right away. Making haste, she began to sprint toward the cave that they called home.

Cinder made it home to her family’s cave in record time, only to find a more horrible sight. Inside the cave was illuminated by mighty flames, and there as the source of the fire, were her parents, dead, slain. Standing in front of the flames, watching them burn was the mare she had grown to trust, Serenade.

“Serenade… What happened?” Cinder asked in disbelief.

Serenade turned her head over her shoulder and looked at Cinder, her face blank. “You should thank me, Cinder… Loved ones, family ties, possessions… They all just hold you back, in the end, it’s better to just burn it all…”

“You… No… Please tell me you didn’t…” Cinder stuttered.

Serenade turned around and faced Cinder. “I did what I had to do…”

“I trusted you… I treated you like one of our own…” Cinder was fighting tears.

“You were naive, perhaps now you can see that…” Serenade grinned.

Cinder felt salty tears run down her face as she stood there, anger coursing through her. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Indignant, the dragon gripped the hilt of her sword.

Serenade instantly took notice of Cinder readying herself to draw her weapon; a smirk stuck on the siren’s face. “Oh? You want to kill me, do you, Cinder? I thought you loved me?” She taunted.

“To think I would have mated with you… I asked my family for their blessing toward us… I thought you were different from the others of your kind…” Cinder growled, gripping her sword tighter.

Serenade nodded. “I definitely am different from them, that’s for sure… What will you do now?”

“Like all mates… Only in death will we part…” Cinder drew her sword, and then reached into the other sheath she now possessed and drew her brother’s blade as well. She stood there with both long blades ready to fight.

“You want to join your family then? I suppose that’s understandable…” Serenade chuckled.

Cinder shook her head as she stood defiant. “No, I’m going to kill you. And then when I am done, your bones will be used to forge a new weapon that will be held as a reminder to all who would dare betray our clan…”

Serenade stepped forward with a laugh. “Cinder, have you forgotten? You have no clan anymore. It’s gone, all wiped out. You’re all that’s left.”

“So long as I breathe, the clan lives on…” Cinder hissed.

“Well, that won’t be very long then… Are you absolutely certain you wish to fight me? You know that I am better than you… You can’t beat me. Even with your fancy sword work; I have magic, something you don’t. I have every advantage over you.” Serenade reminded.

“Magic or not, I don’t care. You die today, Serenade Dazzle…” Cinder threatened.

Serenade conjured her sickles into existence via her magic and took a battle stance. “Then let me teach you a lesson you won’t forget…”

Cinder had sparred with Serenade many times, and she knew that the girl had a lot of energy, tiring her out wouldn’t work. She would have to be very tactical in her strikes. The one advantage she had though, was Serenade had never seen her fight with two swords before, she could use that to her advantage. The dragon dug her left foot into the ground before charging, blades drawn.

Quickly, Serenade sidestepped and blocked one blade with her sickles, and managed to get out of the way of the other one.

The dragon didn’t let up, beginning a series of swipes at the mare; Serenade countered by blocking with her sickles over and over, but it was clear that Cinder was fighting with far more passion than she had ever seen before. Serenade grinned and tossed one of her sickles past Cinder, and used her magic to recall it. As it came flying back Cinder held her sword to block her backside, knocking it away before it came back to Serenade. It was clear she wouldn’t be blinded by her anger like her brother Ash, and thus wouldn’t fall for cheap tricks.

Serenade decided it was time to get onto the offense, and began slashing at Cinder as hard as she could, each of her strikes being blocked, but started to push Cinder back just a little bit. The sounds of metal clashing together was all that the two of them could hear. Their weapons danced with each other for several minutes.

Cinder saw an opening and instead of trying to slash Serenade, she kicked her. The surprise attack connected and sent Serenade back a few feet with a grunt. In a match of pure muscle, there was no way she could beat Cinder, and that was obvious.

Composing herself, Serenade swung back into action, her sickles flying at Cinder, who kept blocking each one. In terms of technique, they were evenly matched. Cinder trained Serenade, after all, so she was privy to every single move she could throw at her. Serenade knew then that there was only one way to win, she would need to pull out some tricks that Cinder had never seen before: magic.

Cinder’s body was naturally more resistant to magic than a pony’s due to her scales, but she wouldn’t be expecting attacks that were not designed to kill her. With enough potency, a magical attack could still very much stun her, so long as Serenade focused her energy. That was the key to winning this fight.

Serenade began to focus her power all while continuing to block more and more strikes from Cinder. She would need a good eight minutes or so for her plan to work, she would just need to hold Cinder off for that long.

When their blades locked again, Cinder growled at the siren. “I trusted you… I convinced my family to allow me to train you… And you repay me with this? Why?”

Breaking the block that the two were in, Serenade chuckled. “Your kind are so foolish, you know that? Believing there is good in everyone, believing you can somehow change a creature from its upbringing… I haven’t trusted anyone for a long time, and I wasn’t going to start with you…”

“Then I think you’re the real fool here…” Cinder spoke.

“You’re still young, Cinder… A child even. I have been alive for hundreds of years though, and thus I’m hundreds of years wiser…” Serenade said.

Cinder’s brow rose. “How is that possible? You look far too young to be that old…”

Serenade smirked. “I’m a siren, Cinder.”

Cinder froze for a moment before grunting. “So you were lying to me from the start… You weren’t even honest about what you were…”

Serenade shrugged. “What do you expect? My kind has been persecuted for centuries. If I had told you the truth, you’d have been no different. So don’t try to act all high and mighty.”

Cinder shook her head in denial. “You don’t know that…”

“I’ve been around long enough to know these things… The moment your family saw I was a siren, they would have tried to kill me on the spot and assumed that I had enchanted you…” Serenade explained.

Cinder blinked as she realized the gravity of this information. Was it possible that her feelings for Serenade were all false? That the siren had manipulated her feelings. “So that’s how… You used me…”

Serenade laughed and shook her head. “No. It wasn’t necessary for me to use my powers on you. You aided me willingly, so you can take that for what it’s worth…”

Cinder looked down in defeat. “So my own foolishness is what lead me to be tricked by you…”

“That’s correct. There is no need to waste power on one so stupid that they’ll give you what you want without thinking about it.” Serenade smirked.

Cinder shook her head and readied her swords once more. “If you’re hoping to make me angry so that I’ll be an easier fight, you’re wasting your time. Unlike my brother, I have a far better handle on my emotions in battle…”

Serenade laughed as her horn began to spark. “No, I just needed to buy some time.”

“Time?” Cinder blinked.

“For this.”

Cinder didn’t even have enough time to react before a large beam of magical energy surged from Serenade’s horn and hit Cinder’s body. The amount of magic was extremely potent to the point where even her thick scales couldn’t block all of it. She groaned in agony as her body stiffened up and she found herself unable to move for a brief few seconds.

Struggling, she forced her body to lift her sword and block a sickle strike from Serenade. Her movements were slowed, and of course, made it impossible to block another magical attack that stunned her once more.

This time, however, she could not move fast enough to block another assault. One of Serenade’s sharp sickles sliced through her, and she could feel her flesh cut. Grunting in pain, she looked at her right arm as it fell to the ground, blood gushing from where it was.

She gripped the new wound, dropping her other blade onto the ground. She squeezed hard to try and stop the bleeding. Falling to the ground, Cinder groaned in pain as she squeezed harder to keep her blood in.

Serenade chuckled as she walked over to the dragon and leaned down to get a better look at her face. “Well, looks like you lost, Cinder…”

Cinder spit in the siren’s direction, but couldn’t even land a loogie on the mare’s hoof.

“I’m not even going to waste my time finishing you off, just lay there and bleed out; it’ll give you time to think about where you went wrong…” Serenade laughed as she stepped away from the dragon.

Rolling over to get a better look as Serenade began to walk away, Cinder struggled to keep her sight on the siren.

“Farewell, Cinder Razorclaw…” Serenade spoke as she took her leave.

“Fuck…” Cinder growled.

She forced herself to her feet, and quickly retrieved her two swords, placing both in their sheaths.

The dragon forced one foot in front of the other as she began to head in Serenade’s direction, determined not to lose her, but luck wasn’t on her side. A sandstorm had just begun, making Serenade vanish from sight. Grunting, the dragon kept her wound gripped as she pursued the siren.

She couldn’t tell how long she had been walking, maybe miles, but finally, the pain was too much. Once more, she collapsed.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she squinted from the sand flying in her direction. “I’m sorry… I wasn’t strong enough… I couldn’t avenge you all…”

Closing her eyes, Cinder waited for death.

Opening her eyes, Cinder’s vision was blurry for a few moments, but after a short period, the world around her began to become clearer. She could see walls, a window, and a chair in the corner. She had somehow found her way into someone’s home.

The dragon grumbled as she glanced around the room, wondering how she got there. A deep masculine voice caught her attention from the corner of the room. She turned and saw an old stallion sitting there, his attention focused on a gemstone he was chiseling away at, attempting to make it a perfect sphere.

“So, you’re finally awake? I suppose you’re surprised that you’re not dead, aren’t you?” He asked.

Cinder’s voice was weak as she replied, turning her head in his direction. “Where am I?”

“You’re safe,” he said, not taking his focus off of his work.

“I examined your memories while you were out, I apologize for the intrusion, but it was for the pursuit of knowing how to help you… When we discovered you, you were on the brink of death, but it seems that dying is not part of the universe’s plan for you just yet. Had we arrived moments later, you may have succumbed to your injuries…” The stallion spoke.

Cinder recalled passing out during a sandstorm, but nothing after. “How long have I been out?”

“Eight weeks.”

“Fuck…” Cinder cursed.

“Your family is no more, your lover betrayed you, and then you were left for dead… I suppose one could call that a terrible outcome… However, it seems as though luck has shined upon you in the end, your life was spared, and with it a second chance… What will you do now, I wonder…” The old stallion pondered aloud.

Cinder leaned back into her pillow and thought about it. There really was only one option in her mind. She had to right what had been wronged. There was no questioning it.

“I have to avenge my family…” She spoke quietly.

“It is said that those who seek revenge should dig two graves… Are you okay with such an outcome?” The stallion asked.

“Yes. Avenging them is all that matters…” Cinder replied as she looked at him.

“Your resolve is impeccable.” The stallion finished his work and turned to face her. His eyes were old and lacked luster, and his face was quite haggard. She wondered how old he truly was.

“My clan is gone, I have no other choice…” Cinder frowned.

“That is where you’re mistaken… So long as you draw breath, your clan lives on. Carry their teachings with you, and sprinkle them unto those you meet. In such a way, your clan’s legacy becomes the legacy of the world…” He stated.

Cinder smiled at the wise words. “Your words are quite wise… Thank you, I think I needed to hear that. Our ways are far from dead, I can still spread them…”

“Indeed. I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of giving you back something that you had lost…” The stallion pointed toward her right arm.

Cinder looked down and could see that where her lost arm was, a new metallic one stood in its place. Willfully, she moved it and examined it. A large gemstone was in the palm, that shined brilliantly. She was curious as to how she could make it move. “What the…? How?”

“A little invention of mine… Hopefully, it will serve you well…” He smiled.

“How is such a thing even possible?” Cinder questioned.

“A little magic, and a bit of understanding of the body… That claw is connected to your nerve endings, so your mind can move it with ease. In time, you’ll grow accustomed to it, and I’m sure it’ll be a more than formidable replacement.” The stallion explained.

Cinder opened and closed her claw, amazed at the marvel before her. “This is incredible… I have never heard of ponies building such a thing…”

“An outcast like myself has much in the way of spare time…” The stallion stated.

“Who would outcast such a genius?” Cinder raised a brow.

“What you call genius, others call madness. I dared to imagine, and as a result, I was shunned. It has aided me though, I have more time out here to imagine greater things…” He replied.

“Why are you helping me?” Cinder questioned.

“You mean what do I want in return, yes?” He responded.

Cinder nodded.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Why? It isn’t normal in Dragon Scar for many to help others without the desire of repayment…” Cinder blinked.

“I wouldn’t leave a child to the elements. As for repayment… I am old, there is little in the way of desire that would appease an old stallion like myself, hell I doubt someone as old as myself will even live long enough to see repayment. I can give now without care…” He responded.

“Wise words, once again… I could learn a lot from your wisdom…” Cinder smiled at him.

“Perhaps you can…” The old stallion said.

Cinder blinked.

“While you can’t learn magic yourself… You can learn how to counter it. An old unicorn like myself knows a trick or two that could aid you in your quest if you’d be interested in learning that is…” He spoke.

Cinder sat up in her bed and leaned in with interest. “That would be great!”

He smiled at the dragon and nodded. “Then you may call me, Sensei. We’ll start as soon as you’ve had a bit more rest and been fed properly.”

“Sounds good.” Cinder smiled brightly.

“Is she finally up?” Another voice came from outside the room.

Cinder’s attention turned toward the door to see a red dragon standing there, he was a bit taller than her, which suggested he was older than her. He smiled and his pearly white fangs were shown to her.

“Oh, Cinder this is my other student, Fang.” Sensei gestured toward the dragon.

Fang bowed gently before stepping into the room. “Cinder is it? We had thought you were gonna be a goner. Glad to see you’re still with us.”

“Sorry to worry you… You guys really did come at the right moment for sure…” Cinder admitted.

“Fang is the one who carried you,” Sensei explained.

Cinder blushed and smiled at him. “Thank you, I’m in your debt.”

“No sweat, you’re not heavy at all. I can tell you have a pretty strict training regime.” Fang winked.

“Something like that.” Cinder laughed.

The dragon placed his claws on his hips and nodded. “Well, starting tomorrow we’re students together, so you better rest up. I don’t intend to take it easy on you just because you’re young.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Cinder nodded.

After a few months of training with Fang and Sensei, Cinder could easily see her teacher’s brilliance. He had adopted ways of manipulating magic that no other had. He truly was a visionary, far ahead of his time, that was certain. The stallion could have changed the world with the knowledge he possessed.

Fang had proven to be an admirable sparring partner, though he lacked her training, he made up for it with ingenuity. He was able to think quickly and adapt on the battlefield, something she truly admired.

The two had just finished a spar before Sensei told them to take a rest. “There is no sense in pushing your bodies to failure, after all.” He would always say.

Sitting down on an old log that had probably fallen decades ago, Fang took a seat next to Cinder. He nudged her shoulder playfully. “You’re as fierce as ever. A dragon like you could be the queen of Dragon Scar one day. Hell, I’d be worried about anyone who got in your path.”

“One needn’t fight when words can quell a situation. Just because someone gets in my way doesn’t mean that death is warranted after all…” Cinder explained.

“Strong and wise. It’s strange that someone with your upbringing is so compassionate…” Fang spoke.

Cinder frowned as she remembered the words of her brother. “Yes, well… My family refused to adapt our ways to the modern world, and now they’re gone… I think I only survived because I was able to imagine…”

Fang grinned. “Then you and Sensei are very alike.”

“I think so too,” Cinder replied.

“You’re an excellent fighter, I know you’re going to take down that siren that killed your family.” Fang’s voice was comforting.

Cinder smiled lightly. “Thank you… You’re very sweet, Fang. I’m glad we met.”

“Me too,” Fang spoke softly.

The dragon leaned in to kiss her, but when Cinder saw him approaching, she turned her head, a blush on her face. He blinked and leaned back. “Sorry… Was that too forward?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s fine… You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“There’s someone else then?” He smirked.

He took rejection surprisingly well.

“Not entirely… You see… That siren that killed my family, I had asked my family for their blessing for her to become my mate…” Cinder frowned.

“Jeez, and I thought that I was bad with women…” Fang blinked.

“After that… Well, I guess I just can’t let myself get distracted. I need all my focus to be on avenging my family, and stopping her from harming anyone else…” Cinder spoke.

Fang nodded with a smile on his face. “That’s admirable. I can respect that.”

“In another life, another time… I would have loved to be with you…” Cinder smiled at him.

He winked. “Don’t sweat it. We’ll cut up that siren of yours and think about the future afterward, right?”

“Thank you for understanding,” Cinder said.

He nudged her on the shoulder once more. “We’re partners.”

“Yeah, we definitely are.” She nudged him back.

“So you better keep up your training, last thing I need is to carry you over my shoulder again.” He chuckled.

“Maybe next time it’ll be me carrying you.” Cinder laughed.

“You wish.”

Two years had passed since Cinder had been taken in by Sensei, and in that short time, she had proven herself an amazing student. Fang was impressed by how quickly she picked up on any technique shown to her. He knew that she would one day be able to fulfill her goal and end Serenade.

However, after two years, the health of Sensei had declined steadily until his crippling old age finally caught up with him.

Cinder and Fang sat in front of the recently dug grave that they had buried their master in only moments ago. Cinder stared at the simple headstone they had fashioned and remained silent as Fang rubbed her back affectionately. “He lived a good life, Cinder…”

Cinder nodded. “I know, it’s just… We knew so little about him, it feels wrong that so many didn’t know him, he was a great stallion…”

“We carry his teachings with us,” Fang reminded her.

Cinder looked up at him with a smile and nodded. “That’s true… He taught us that too.”

Fang grinned back at her. “He couldn’t have asked for a better student, that’s for sure.”

“You’re a great student as well,” Cinder reminded him.

Fang laughed and shook his head. “Not as good as you. There is no end to how impressive you are it seems.”

“I just know how to apply my teachings, that’s all…” Cinder rubbed her neck.

Fang shook his head once more. “No, you were like Sensei. You can imagine. You’re able to take what you learn and use it in a new way, that’s what made Sensei great, and it’s what makes you great too, Cinder. His teachings won’t ever be forgotten so long as someone like you holds them.”

Blinking, Cinder contemplated it. While it was true, her open-mindedness did aid in her ability to adapt, it was that same open-mindedness that allowed Serenade into her life in the first place.

However, she recalled the wise words of her mentor ringing in her head.

One must not let one mistake ruin their faith in their ability.

“Thank you, Fang. That means a lot coming from you.” She grinned.

“We still have each other, and that’s what’s important. Sensei’s time is over, it’s the past… But the two of us… Well, that’s the future.” He nodded.

Standing up straight, she placed a claw around his shoulder and nodded with him. “And what a future it’ll be.”

“Look out world, the dynamic duo is coming.” Fang laughed.

Serenade sat quietly in her cell, her mind racing with a good eight thoughts or so, but almost all of them were about what she would do when she finally got out of this cage. She couldn’t stand being cooped up like this. As a demon as powerful as herself, she didn’t need sleep, she had all the time in the world to sit alone with her thoughts; it’s not as if the guards were ever going to offer conversation anyway. A part of her believed they wouldn’t provide stimulating conversation anyway.

She had been stewing with her thoughts for eight months now, and she still didn’t understand how Glitch defeated her. A mere unicorn, a mortal, and yet he was able to dethrone her, the future demon lord. To lose to someone like that, filled Serenade with a bitterness she had never once felt before, a hatred consumed her that was far greater than any other hatred she had ever had.

That bastard Glitch had destroyed her beauty to boot, leaving scars on her body that would never heal. He had even managed to convince her own kind to betray her; truly a silver-tongued devil he was.

Her thoughts were interrupted though and the two guards keeping watch over her cleared their throats. She looked in their direction to see that standing before the magically sealed cell was Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, and one of the many items of Serenade’s ire.

Serenade said nothing, but the guard spoke. “The Princess wishes to speak with you, we will be waiting just outside the door to this room, so don’t get any ideas.”

The two guards left the two mares alone and closed the door behind them. Now it was just Twilight Sparkle, and Serenade Dazzle who was locked behind a cell.

The young princess sat down on the floor, an odd action for one of such a title, but she was looking rather disheveled these days. Her mane was a mess, but there was still an air of diligence and attention to detail about her.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Princess?” Serenade had a sarcastic tone about her words.

“Serenade, I came to talk with you…” Twilight began.

Serenade scoffed. “Why would I want to talk with you?”

“Doesn’t seem like you have much better to do, does it?” Twilight raised a brow.

Laughing, Serenade shook her head. “Ripping my own hair out would be a more productive use of my time.”

“Nonetheless, I want to talk. If you don’t, then just listen…” Twilight said.

Serenade rolled her eyes and sat there looking away from Twilight purposefully. Twilight assumed that was the best she was going to get out of the siren, so she just continued.

“You killed a lot of innocent creatures, Serenade. You tortured and enslaved others, and there were many that wanted you dead for it… But Glitch chose to let you live and I have honored their choice,” Twilight spoke.

“So you and he both have bad judgment then.” Serenade sneered.

“I want to understand you, Serenade, because I want to help you…” Twilight said.

The siren’s ear twitched hearing those words. “Help me? What could you possibly do to help me? And why?”

“Maybe there is a way to use your abilities for good… To help undo at least a fraction of the damage you’ve done…” Twilight said.

This mare has clearly lost her fucking mind. Serenade thought to herself.

“Why the hell would I do that?”

“If we can find a way to use your powers for good, maybe with enough time we can put you in a less restrictive prison? Maybe move you to a general one, where you’ll have a bit more room to stretch out, a library to spend your time in, others to talk to… Maybe one day when you’ve proven yourself we can even talk about putting you in minimum security, it would be a vast improvement to this place that’s for sure… You could at least have some quality of life…” Twilight spoke.

Serenade laughed at the ridiculous offer. “You are dumber than you look, you know that? Do you really think I would do any of that?”

“The remainder of your life doesn’t need to be completely pointless and lived out in this cell, you can still do something with it.” Twilight lectured.

“Oh, go fuck yourself with your fake benevolence. Thinking I would actually do anything for you, and for what? To just get put in a slightly bigger cage? You’re delusional if you thought there was even a chance of that happening…” Serenade hissed.

Twilight leaned in and spoke softer. “Serenade, do you really not understand that what you did was wrong? You can’t kill innocent creatures…”

Serenade blinked. She felt a fury build up in her as she approached the bars. Her tone became very tense as she spoke.

“Tell that to your kind who murdered my mother for no reason… Or the thousands of other sirens who were killed back then by you barbarians…” Serenade hissed.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “It was wrong for them to do that too.”

“Too little, too late, Princess.”

“Ponies have evolved since then, we have learned morality now…” Twilight debated.

Serenade laughed. “Where was your morality when they killed so many of my kind? Where was it when everywhere I have gone my entire life, your kind either tries to kill me or throw me in some kind of prison? Do you think locking someone up in a box until the day they die is better than killing them? Don’t make me laugh, your kind has no morality.”

“Things have changed since the past…” Twilight reminded.

Serenade shook her head. “No, they’re still doing it.” The siren approached the bars and spoke in a hushed tone. “I have been to the underworld itself, and there are far more of your kind there than mine…”

“Serenade, I’m trying to pass laws that would end the bigotry toward sirens…” Twilight said.

“Which you’d never have done had I not shown up,” Serenade reminded.

“So what? You just want the world to be Hell for everyone then?” Twilight asked.

Serenade smirked as she spoke calmly. “Oh, Princess… You don’t have a clue, do you? We’re all already in Hell. The world is Hell. The only difference is some are observing it from the Thrones at the top… And others are observing it from the brimstone mines at the bottom…”

Twilight fell silent.

“Now get the fuck out of my face, Twilight Sparkle.” Serenade growled.

Standing up, Twilight nodded. “Fine, but I just hope you know that you’re wasting any chance at a good life you have here… I wanted to help you, Serenade, but it seems you’ve decided you’re beyond help.”

“I would sooner live in misery before accepting your help…” Serenade spoke.

“So be it. Enjoy the hell you envision us all in…” Twilight sighed.

Serenade grinned as the mare started to walk off, she spoke solemnly. “Those on the throne will never know the suffering of the slaves in the quarry…”

Fang and Cinder had tracked down an impressive prey. A silver-needle stomping boar; a unique specimen native only to Dragon Scar; the hide of which was exceptionally useful for crafting armor. However, just as the creature had valuable assets, it also had a fair share of defense mechanics at its disposal to ward off any would-be hunters.

Staying low, Cinder glanced at the creature from behind a large boulder; Fang got a look from the other side.

“Yeah that one should be big enough, still a youngling, but grown enough to where we could make an impressive sheath for your sword.” Cinder explained to Fang.

The other dragon nodded in agreement, “Yeah, that one should be the perfect size, now we just gotta not startle it too much…”

The two kept low and came out from both sides of the rock, circling the creature. It quickly turned to escape, but Cinder was on one side of it, and Fang on the other. The only other direction was the mouth of a nearby cave. “Gotcha…” Cinder smirked.

The hog squealed loudly, and an ear-piercing screech caused Cinder and Fang to both cover their ears. “Fuck!” Fang hissed.

A loud booming could be heard then, and the ground below them began to shake. “What the hell is that!?” Fang knelt down to keep his balance. As Cinder did the same, her eyes lit up as she saw a massive hog come out into the open.

“I think it’s mom…” Cinder said.

The two of them looked up at the insanely large boar in front of them. It stood at least eight times taller than both of them combined. “Uh… Got any ideas on how to take something like that down?” Fang asked.

Cinder shook her head. “Her hide is too thick, ever my swords would take far too long to cut through it…”

Standing on its hind legs, Cinder blinked as she watched its front hooves come down. Its stomp was enough to shake the earth and knocked both Fang and Cinder off balance. With another pound onto the ground, it sent the two of them tumbling backward into the cave behind them.

Cinder grunted and growled as she rolled downward, the cave was quite a steep drop, and Cinder felt herself falling for a good few seconds before hitting the ground, hearing an earthquake before she passed out.

After some time had passed, Cinder opened her eyes and groaned. She could feel her right wing was in pain. Looking at it, it was in rough shape. “Damn it…” She cursed.

After coming to, she blinked as she recalled what had happened. “Fang!? Fang!?”

She could hear groaning from another side of the cave. “Yeah, I’m here…”

“Oh thank the gods… You’re alive. Where are you?” She called out.

“Uh… I think I’m behind some big boulder. Must have been knocked down here after the earthquake or something… Can you fly?” He spoke.

Cinder approached the side of the cave where his voice echoed from and placed her claws atop the boulder blocking her from seeing Fang. Its size was massive, but the dragon tried to push it anyway, but with no luck, the rock wouldn’t move with her current strength. “No, I think my wing is broken…”

She could hear Fang sigh. “Well, my wing is pinned under this rock, so I don’t think either of us is going anywhere… Can you climb out and get help?”

Cinder approached the cave wall and ran a claw across it. The wall chipped off with ease. “Nah, the walls look like they’re lined with clay. Nothing to get a grip on…”

“Well, then we aren’t going anywhere… It’s too bad we’re not the type of dragons that eat gemstones, otherwise, we could chew our way through this boulder… Can your claw break it by chance?” Fang asked.

Cinder frowned. “No… It’s nowhere near powerful enough yet to do something like that… The rock is pretty solid too, so it’d take quite a while to break through it…”

“Let’s just rest for a bit then while we think, alright?” Fang suggested.

“Yeah, okay…” Cinder nodded as she sat on the ground.

She let out a sigh before laying on her back. “We can’t ever catch a break, can we?”

Fang laughed. “Nah, that’s not us. We were born to push through hardships, that’s what made us this strong in the first place.”

“Yeah, but it’d be nice if we didn’t have to all the time…” Cinder yawned.

“Part of the fun, Cinder.”

“How are we gonna get out of this one?” Cinder asked.

“Dunno…” Fang yawned.

Closing her eyes, Cinder allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

The dragon found herself waking up when a drop of water hit her face between her eyes. Grumbling, she looked around her and noticed her whole body was wet, and the ground around her had a layer of water covering it.

Standing up, the dragon saw the water pouring in from the top of the cave. “Hey, Fang, wake up!”

Fang’s voice echoed from behind the boulder. “Who ordered the waterbed?” He laughed.

“This is serious, Fang. The cave is flooding.”

Fang sighed. “Well, we have another problem… I can see a crack here leaking, so I think we’re going to have a lot more water soon…”

“Fuck! We have to get you out of there, hang on!” Cinder shouted.

She began to push at the boulder with no luck. The giant rock didn’t move even an inch, so Cinder began to punch it with her metal arm, but she only managed to chip a few pieces off of it.

“Fuck!” Cinder hissed as she kept punching.

“Cinder, stop!” Fang called out to her.

“I’m going to get you out of there!” Cinder replied, bashing the rock as hard as she could, managing to break a few chips off of it, but nothing significant.

“Cinder! LISTEN TO ME!” Fang yelled.

The female dragon stopped what she was doing and listened.

“Cinder, this thing isn’t going to move. You’re not going to have time to get it out of the way,” Fang explained. “When this wall breaks, and the cave fills up… I want you to swim to the surface and get out of here…”

“No way! We don’t leave our own behind, that’s not an option.” Cinder shook her head.

“Cinder, if you don’t, we’re both going to die. I’m older, so I’m expecting you to listen to me here… The only option now is for you to leave me here…” Fang said.

“But…” Cinder’s voice was pained.

“That’s an order Cinder.”

Tears began to stain the dragon’s eyes as she nodded, resting her head on the boulder as the water came up to her stomach now. She could hear running water all around her as the cave filled.

“I’m sorry, Fang… I wasn’t strong enough to save you… My whole life… I have never been strong enough to protect those important to me…” Cinder spoke softly.

There was silence for a moment followed by Cinder seeing a claw reach out from a small opening under the boulder. She reached under the water and grabbed it. Fang squeezed her claw back.

“There’s no need to be sorry. You will get stronger, I know it. There’s nothing more you can learn from me anyway…” Fang spoke.

Cinder let tears run down her cheeks, squeezing his claw tightly.

“It was an honor to fight beside you, Cinder Razorclaw…” Fang said.

Cinder nodded, releasing his claw. “I’ll miss you…”

“I’ll always be with you, Cinder.”

Cinder didn’t get a chance to reply as a loud crack and splash echoed in the cave. Before she knew it, the water level began to rise faster and faster. The dragon quickly began to swing her claws and feet to swim upward with the water. In a matter of seconds, the cave had elevated her a good eight feet off of the ground and within a minute, she could see the surface.

Swimming as hard as she could, eventually, the dragon managed to make it to the surface, crawling out of the cave mouth, coughing and hacking as she did. She dragged herself into the open as the rain poured down on her. It seldom rained in Dragon Scar, but when it did, flooding was common.

Once she had caught her breath, she looked back at the cave with saddened eyes. “I’m sorry, Fang… I really am… One day I’ll be strong enough to protect those close to me, I promise…”

Cinder decided to sit there in the rain for a while as she composed herself. She had no idea what to do next.

Heeeeeey, back from the long break, and bringing you the end of Part II of Act VII. That's right! We are entering the final part of the story. Act VII Part III is indeed the last part of Act 7 and the end of the story. The only thing that I have planned after that is indeed the epilogue. I hope to have it all finished sometime early next year. I want to thank everyone who has actually read through this thing! And especially my readers from day 1! Wow, it's been over 5 years already! This project has taken a lot longer than I anticipated haha.

Anyhoo, sorry for the long delay. I actually have had a lot going on. I recently came back from almost a month in Malaysia where I was meeting my future In-laws. I have to go back in February because I'm getting remarried next year. I intend to finish the story though, what is started must be completed!

Thank you all for your patience!