Everything was dark, and I couldn't feel anything. I knew I was dead, as I was the one who ran the spear through my own heart.

"Open your eyes, Kaida." I could hear a voice speaking to me as if it was in my head.

I blinked open my eyes, trying to focus. "Where am I?" I asked the voice.

"My lair, for now." It said, The voice sounded like a growl, almost animal-like.

"I don't understand," I said sitting up, holding my head. I was dressed only in a simple white dress, no armor. My feet were bare and my hair was loose, falling in my face. I could smell heating metal and rock, and something else, something sour possibly. And the air was warm to breath.

Finally able to open my eyes fully and lift my head, I found myself face to face with a dragon. I didn't move, I didn't want to give the beast a reason to snap at me.

Except this dragon was no stranger to me, I knew its face, body, even its tail.

"Chua?" I asked the dragon curiously.

"Were you expecting another dragon? Eldrekki perhaps? Hah, she only likes the action." He asked me.

"I wasn't expecting a dragon period, in fact, I expected to be welcomed at Ota's table." I admitted. "My family? Bellator? My friends," I asked worried,

"Alive and well enough." Was all Chua said to me. "You did not have to help the gods. We are not what you think we are, Kaida." He said to me,

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"Fickle, selfish creatures gods are, well most of us are anyways, I'm wonderful. Ota should have killed Amaia when she tried to kill him." He said to me, "Why depend on you to do it for him?" He asked. "So he didn't have to do it, that's why. No matter the species, Kings always have others do their work for them, eh?." Chua laughed, at least I think he laughed. It was a growling huffing sound that sounded like a laugh.

"I don't think that matters anymore. I was tested. And I gave my life in return to give Aadi a second chance. That earns my loved ones peace in theirs. " I said to Chua.

"What if you had a chance to live again?" He asked me, "Would you continue the way you were? Or would you start over again, someone or something new?"

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"You mean, would I go back to being a farm girl with poor magic skills?" I asked Chua.

"Was that all you were?" He asked me. "It's been a while since your triumph over Amaia. You have made a great sacrifice, for that I will grant you a long, happy life of your choice."

"What if I chose to wait?" I asked him.

"I am not great company, Kaida. And you don't want to become like me, a old grumpy dragon who refuses to converse with its own kind. Trust me, you are fated for more than just killing gods."

Astra was milking the cows, Aimee standing behind her complaining about not having the attention of a boy who sold her some bread in the village the other day, Willow in her arms watching the milk in the bucket rising, licking her lips, ready for her own share. The new farm was smaller than their last, and no need for any farm helpers. Bellator had found them months ago in a dryadalis city they were escorted to by a team of elven warriors. The three of them stayed there with Valandria's help until they decided it was time for them to move on. Bellator insisted on joining Astra and Aimee, finding an open field that was perfect for farming, the village welcomed them as newcomer's unaware of who they were. The world was mostly learned through tales, and stories about what happened with the Magus Kai, and how his mission to bring a god here had failed at the hands of a Woman who possessed great power and strength. Sometimes that woman was said to be a goddess herself, or that she was now a goddess. Whatever the stories were didn't matter to any of them. They knew Kaida for who she really was. The world went on the way it was before. A new Magus was elected, or rather a group of Magus were elected, and Astra, Aimee and Bellator were living how they needed to.

"I don't see why he won't talk to me, it's not like I was being pushy!" Aimee said.

"Maybe it was because you frightened him, Aimee. You are very insistent." Astra said, Bellator laughing as he filled the hay in the stall.

"Still upset about that pretty boy in the village not talking to you?" He was poking fun at Aimee.

"Why do you have to call him that? Pretty boy?" She asked in a huff.

"Because he's to pretty to carry a sword, that's why!" Mabe yelled over to Aimee from the hay barrel.

"This is what I saved the world for? Gossip over boys?" I asked, leaning against the barn door. Bellator looked at me in disbelief, Aimee screaming jumping into me almost knocking me to the ground.

"How?" Bellator asked me.

"Everyone has their secrets." I said with a smile.