A great shadow covers the city as the dragon flies above. People scream as the once silent streets are now a sea of noise. Zero stares up at the beast flying above silently as she is bumped around by the waves of people running and screaming. The man raises his hands as he laughs,

“This is it! This is what you all deserve!”, He has a face the picture of pure evil as the moonlight glares off his glasses.

The dragon crashes into buildings with its large wings. Its huge tail slams against the ground as it loses its balance in the sky. It’s completely out of control as Zero watches on helplessly.

“Shit!” She leans forward as 2 blades form in her hands. Two perfect white blades appear through a red mist as she looks towards the cackling man.

Her blue eyes begin to mix with a red as her target reflects in her eyes. She bursts towards him through the crowd darting between people as they flail around. She flies forward slamming her hand into his throat throwing him to the ground. She sticks a blade to his throat as is glasses snap with the force.

The smile doesn’t leave his face.

“Turn him back” Zero’s stare is ice cold as her voice pierces through her helmet.

The man chuckles, “You really think killing me is the best option”

Zero leans in close. He can practically feel her staggered breath on his face as her eyes show her killing intent as they slowly burn a fiery red. Her blade rests on his neck slowly cutting into him.

“Just… One touch… and I could turn him back….”

Zero’s eye twitches from just the sound of his voice. “If you want to see tomorrow, I suggest you do it”

The man smiles as he leans into the blade, “You care for the boy with brown hair? Or maybe it’s the one with green eyes?”

Zero’s eyes widen at the mention of Hiro and Asahi, “What?”

The man leans further forward forcing Zero back slightly, “Y’know I watched where you all went… The inn beside the shoe store…. Room twelve…” His voice grows more sinister as he gets closer to Zero. His smile widens and his eyes scream of desire.

“I could change everything with just a single touch…. Maybe I’d make the brown haired boy a rampant beast with horns… or I’d make him a squealing pig?” He chuckles as he speaks.

Zero’s grip on her swords tightens as her hands shake. Her breathing grows louder and heavier. She pulls it away for just a second before the dragon slams into the building beside her.

Her and the man are thrown into the sea of people. The dragon wriggles around in the smoke blowing it from side to side.

Zero slowly gets up as the dragon tries to pull its head from the debris.

“Kid!” She shouts into the smoke as the great shadow within the smoke stops moving.

“Please listen to m-“ Just as she thinks she is getting through a blast of fire rips though the building completely destroying it. The wings crash against the floor as its head lifts above the smoke. The wings disperse the blackened smoke as it stands among the destruction screaming out. Its roaring causes Zero to wince as it screeches through the streets.

Zero looks around for the man who has disappeared before the dragon slams its head into her throwing her into a nearby statue completely destroying it.

She grunts as she gets up. Blood drips from inside her helmet down onto the cracked cobblestone below her. She stands alone as a red mist begins to form a long katana like sword in her hands.

“I’m sorry…” She lifts up the sword ready to fight as the dragon roars at her. The dust and smoke slowly disperse as the white scratched armour stands alone against the towering dragon.

“What the hell is that?” Asahi jumps up as a rumble shakes the inn.

Hiro falls out of bed as everything shakes. “What’s going on?”

“Just one minute….” Isamu groans as she sleeps.

A golden fiery glow blasts past the window lighting up their room. Asahi quickly looks around. “Where’s the kid?” Isamu and Hiro jump up as they search, “Shit!”

The three run out of the building and their eyes widen as they stare up to see the giant silhouette of a dragon against the moonlight. The glow of its breath lights up the dark scales and piercing blue eyes.

“That… That can’t be” The three watch as it crashes down nearby.

“Shit…” Asahi looks back at Hiro and Isamu as his eyes dart around thinking of a solution.

“You two get out of the city” His voice is panicked.

“What n-“ Hiro tries to protest but is instantly shut down by Asahi, “Not now Hiro… You two are injured”

Hiro smiles as he gives him a thumbs up, “What no I’m fine”. His smile is clearly hiding his pain.

Asahi turns to Isamu and grabs her arms, “Please… get out”

Isamu grabs Hiro by the arm and drags him with the crowd of people running for the gate. Hiro watches on as Asahi walks against the waves of people towards the swirling smoke in the distance. Isamu has guilt written on her face as she drags Hiro away.

Asahi dashes past people as they run by. The smoke blows away in the distance as his face focuses on the spot. His pace quickens as he leans further forward flying through the crowds.

Isamu drags Hiro along until a man stops them from an alley, “This way… it’s quicker!”

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As a larger crowd gathers around the gate, she weighs up her options before the man reveals himself with a kind smile. The man in the robe walks out, “Let’s go…”, Isamu looks at Hiro as he stares back to where Asahi and Zero are before she groans. “Fine!” The man smiles from the darkness as he slowly places his and on Hiro’s hand, “You’ll be ok now” The darkness hides all of his face apart from his wide smile.

“Thanks…” Hiro looks dejected as the man guides the two into the darkness.

Zero dashes around the dragon as it slams its face into the stone below. Its fire burns hot around them creating a hellish wall around them. The screams begin to fade into the distance as people get out of the city.

Zero skids across the floor as she faces up to the dragon. Flames pour from its mouth as it stares her down. A large broadsword slowly forms in her two hands as she sets herself to fight.

A second of silence falls in the chamber created by smoke and flames.

Zero bursts towards the dragon. Zero releases a flurry of slices with the large sword. The dragon stumbles backward into a building before slamming its tail into the armour of Zero causing her to protect herself with her sword. She parries the tail away as the sword dissipates.

She forms a spear and chucks it into the tail. The dragon writhes in pain as she forms two blades and slashes at his tail. The tail lifts and crashes down around Zero a multitude of times. Zero narrowly dodges each hit slicing at it every time it slams down. The tail smashes against the nearby building picking up rubble and tries to slam it into Zero.

In one quick movement she grabs onto the swinging tail and forms another two small blades. She uses the blades to grab hold of the tail and slowly climb up the dragon’s body. It wriggles its body around trying to shake her off, but she slams her blades between its scales latching on. The dragon screeches in pain as it flies up into the air.

The smoke makes way for the giant wings as it gets higher and higher. The dragon flies amongst the stars screaming out in pain as Zero holds on still slowly climbing up its body.

Zero reaches the dragon’s face as she stares into the deep blue of its eyes. As the moonlight shines down on the two figures Zero slowly raises her dagger. The blue of its eyes loses its edge. They look terrified. Its eyes have pleading despair pained within.

Zero hesitates for just a second as she holds her dagger to its eye. In the moment she stops the dragon pulls in its wings and begins hurtling towards the ground. The giant silhouette falls from the moon back down into the smoke and flames. Zero screams out as she slams her sword into its neck and forces it down faster and faster.

Asahi climbs the smoking rubble as he reaches a spot overlooking the battle. Asahi looks on as Zero is pulled into the air by the beast as his eyes widen.

“Shit!”

Asahi sprints out into the middle of the once beautiful stone of the city now left in a devastated state. He stares up as Zero is pulled up through the smoke high up in the sky eventually disappearing into the swirling darkness.

His emerald eyes dart around looking around for any way he can help. His eyes glow and widen as he stares forward. He jumps backward and as he turns his back the dragon crashes back into the ground behind him. Stone and dust blow from the spot as Asahi looks for a sign of Zero.

From within the dust a glow of red slowly makes itself known. From behind the small slit in her helmet a fierce red peers through. Zero stumbles towards Asahi, her armour in tatters, the smoke behind her begins to swirl around as a large dragon’s mouth begins to burn with flames as it opens wide behind the limping Zero.

A blast slowly forms behind her as Asahi’s eyes glow.

“I don’t know if I can make it!” He burst forward towards her reaching out.

The great fire behind them pulses just inches from Zero’s back as Asahi almost reaches her.

“Stop!”

The place lies silent at the echoing shout from the smoke. Only the spitting of the flames can be heard as they all look over at the figures appearing from within the smoke. The man in the robes walks towards Zero and Asahi with his hand wrapped around Hiro’s neck.

Asahi and Zero look on in horror as the man laughs, “I told you didn’t I?”

Zero’s breathing becomes heavier as she looks over. Her broken helmet exposes her eye clear as day as it shakes in terror. The dangerous glowing red is replaced with a sparkling blue.

“W-wait…. Wait we can…” Zero’s words are staggered and shaking as she tries to walk forward falling over in the process.

Asahi looks around for any way to get to him as his mouth hangs open.

Isamu crawls out from the rubble bleeding from the head as she cries. “Please! Save him!”

The man’s eyes glow as he tightens his grip on Hiro’s neck. “If I want, he could be just like him in a split second…”

The dragon stares over in anger but unable to move practically shaking with fear.

“You chosen are all the same…” Zero’s eye remains stuck on Hiro’s unconscious beaten face as the man continues.

“You do whatever is the best to get you more power in your family…” He smiles as he leans down towards Hiro. “Y’know, I feel bad for him… I was once friends with a powered one too” His voice and expression change from demeaning to angered.

“We were best friends… and then he found out that my family had run from our duties” he looks up to the sky, “And the next day they were gone… all for some respect in his stupid family!” the man screams out as the smoke rises high above.

“And you’re all the same… you’d give anything for more fame and power… so I’ll give you a chance to prove me wrong”

He raises his hand as multiple figures begin to emerge from the smoke. Disgusting mutilated creatures begin to crawl, scrape and stumble their way to the stone. Awful, failed creations surround everyone.

“The rest of the missing kids…” Asahi bites his lip in anger as he looks away.

They writhe in pain. The torture in their eyes is clear to see.

“Oh, you don’t want to look!?” He screams through gritted teeth, “You bastards created this! Your systems of families… it’s all wrong.” He points towards Asahi and Zero as they stare back, “You are a stain on this world…”

As a creature holds onto Asahi’s leg he begins to breath heavily. Zero stands up as she looks at the man

“I’ll give you a proposal… If you kill me… you can get your friend back” The man closes his eyes as he laughs, “But I know what you bastards really want… I’ll kill this boy if you choose to return all these kids to their or-“His eyes shoot open as he feels a pressure on his neck.

“Is this the floor?” His face slams against the cracked cobblestone below him as he stares at it confused. “Wh-what…”

Zero stands holding Hiro behind him. He watches as his own body slumps to the floor away from him. “H….”

Asahi’s eyes stop glowing as he stares on. The man is killed by one slice to the neck by Zero. She stands tall holding Hiro in her arms.

Isamu lies unconscious beside her as Zero looks back at Asahi. Zero looks at Asahi with no regret in her eyes as he looks around at the creatures around him. Zero passes out with Hiro safely in her arms.

The smoke settles as the sun shines above. The true destruction is present in the glow of the sun. Burned buildings, destroyed paths, obliterated statues. Everything the city was known for was gone in the space of a night. The people mourned those who they had lost and what they had lost. The silence of the place was haunting.

Hiro and Isamu lay sleeping in the back of the carriage sitting at the edge of the city. Asahi leans against the sign “Niranai” as he looks up towards the sky. Zero slowly limps past him stained in blood.

“It’s done?” Asahi doesn’t look at her as he asks.

“Yeah” Her voice is as shattered and cracked as her armour as she pulls herself into the carriage.

Asahi looks back at the city with sullen eyes, “I’m sorry… I truly am” he walks towards the carriage with his head hanging low.

“Back to the capital… thanks” Asahi looks across to see Zero passed out on the seat across from him with her head leaning against Hiro’s shoulder. His eyes slowly move towards a sleeping Hiro, “I’m sorry… I wanted to save you… but…”

The carriage slowly rolls along the path.

The lake lies still as the back entrance gate is locked forever. Graves line the shore as the wind slowly blows. Within the deeper forest lies a dragon. It lies unmoving in the clearing as the last of the leaves blow past.

A tear rolls from its scales and drips onto the red soaked ground. A large sword dissipates into a red mist. A small basket with three chocolates inside sits by the dragon as the clearing lays silent. The sun slowly hits the scales as it lays to rest.