Dragon-Kin arc

I can't see.

I can't move.

Everything is dark.

Am I......going to lose?

"You are unworthy, Jayden Cortez." Julia said in a deadly tone.

Jayden had no response as he was still out cold. Julia looked disappointed and shut her eyes.

"It's unfortunate. I actually had high expectations for you." Julia said in a sad tone.

With both hands Julia raised up her sword high into the air and pointed it at Jayden's chest.

"Imagine my disappointment." Julia said.

"JAYDEN!" Henro shouted. He grew his wings and flew towards Jayden and Julia but Emilia blocked his path.

"Wait Henro!" Emilia said.

"What do you mean wait!? She's gonna kill him!" Henro shouted.

"If she were serious about killing him she would have done it already. This is Jayden's fight. If we interfere, he'll fail." Emilia explained.

"But!" Henro protested.

"Henro please. Have faith in him." Emilia pleaded. Henro sighed.

"Goddammit." Henro calmed down and didn't move from his spot.

Emilia took a breath and looked back towards Jayden.

Jayden. Don't give in. Emilia thought.

You better not die, asshole. Henro thought.

***

Ziera vs Ryoka

From the cavern came a giant fiery explosion. Ziera flew out of the hole of the cavern and flew into the air. Ryoka, while holding her sheathed sword, maniacally laughs as she pursues Ziera into the air.

Using that bazooka took a lot out of me. I'm only running at 20% capacity now. Ziera thought.

"After all the shit you talked, you're just running away!? AYE PRINCESS!?" Ryoka asked while having a bloodthirsty smile on her face. Ziera turned around and reconfigured her arm into a rocket turret.

"Tsk! In your dreams." Ziera retorted. She shot multiple missiles at Ryoka.

Ryoka sliced all the incoming missiles with her sheathed sword.

"Pathetic! Quit screwing around and show me your real power!" Ryoka yelled out.

Ziera gasped. Then gritted her teeth and transformed her other arm into a rocket turret.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Ziera shouted as she fired multiple missiles at Ryoka.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME!" Ryoka roared as she swung at all of the missiles that came at her.

Ryoka then sped up and flew so fast towards Ziera that even Ziera couldn't react in time. Ryoka swung her scabbard and slashed Ziera with an intense heat slash.

"GAAAAH!" Ziera cried out as she spat out blood. Ryoka then grabbed Ziera by her hair and brought her face close to hers.

"I'm talking about your real power! Quit being such a pansy and show me! Give me a real fight!" Ryoka demanded.

Ryoka punched Ziera hard across the face. She then head butted Ziera and then sent a swift kick into her gut.

"BLEH!" Ziera threw up some blood as she was sent flying downwards crashing through a large rock pillar and plummeting onto the ground.

Ziera sat back up but she stopped when she felt a familiar presence. It was Jayden. His mana was depepleting. She gasped.

JAYDEN! Ziera thought with worry.

"Worried about your boyfriend!? You should worry more about yourself!" Ryoka shouted as she descended from the air towards Ziera.

Ziera quickly reconfigured her arm into an Omni-Blade and clashed with Ryoka's scabbard. Ziera and Ryoka kept clashing with their swords.

Ziera tried her best to keep up but kept getting slashed by Ryoka's blade.

"You think you can beat me in a sword fight? You must be suicidal." Ryoka said.

"You wouldn't be the first to say that." Ziera retorted.

Ziera grabbed onto Ryoka's arm and pulled her forward. Ziera's jet boot ignited and zoomed up kicking Ryoka hard under her chin.

While she was temporarily stunned, Ziera reconfigured her arm into an Omni-Cannon and aimed it at Ryoka's stomach. But Ryoka stabbed Ziera through the arm with her scabbard.

Ryoka punched Ziera hard in the gut, making her vomit out more blood. Then Ryoka grabbed Ziera by the throat, choking her, picked her up and then slammed her hard onto the ground. Ryoka kept her scabbard stabbed through Ziera's right arm to pin it to the ground.

Ziera was lying on her back breathing heavily. Her clothes were torn, she had scrapes on her face, blood leaking from her mouth, right shoulder and right arm had been stabbed and pinned by Ryoka's scabbard. Ryoka then stomped her boot down onto Ziera's stomach.

"GAH!" Ziera cried out in pain. Ryoka had a bitter look on her face and pressed her boot down harder on her stomach.

"Is that all? Don't tell me you're done already. Ignis just barely tasted your flesh ya know?" Ryoka asked.

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Ziera winced as she looked up at Ryoka with one eye.

I can't get her off! Ziera thought.

Ryoka with her slit pupils glared down at Ziera. Needless to say she wasn't happy. She was furious.

"Is this all you have to offer? Are you seriously not gonna use your real power to fight back?" Ryoka asked.

"Like I said. I don't know what you're talking about." Ziera said.

"•Sigh•. What a waste of my time. Maybe I'll just cut my losses...and kill you?" Ryoka asked in a threatening tone. A chill went down Ziera's spine.

Is she serious?! Ziera asked herself.

"But you said-." Ziera tried to speak.

"I know what I said. Yeah it's against the rules and there will be a penalty. But guess what? I don't care. I thought you were a warrior but no. You're just the thing I hate the most in this world." Ryoka bitterly said.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Ziera questioned.

"A waste. There are those in this world who strive to be the best. To become stronger, faster, smarter and greater than anyone else. No matter what challenges they may face, or what sacrifices they have to make, they won't give up until they accomplish their dreams. I'm the same. My dream is to become queen of my homeland. No matter who gets in my way, I'll cut them all down to make my dreams a reality." Ryoka explained.

"So you're fine with spilling blood if it means you'll be queen?" Ziera asked.

"Yep. Just like you are fine with spilling blood to kill your daddy right?" Ryoka asked.

Ziera gritted her teeth and glared up at Ryoka.

"I came here wanting to fight you because I thought you were like me. A former princess who walks the path of bloodshed in pursuit of fixing her nation. But no. You aren't trying to stop your sister from slaughtering people on the battlefield. Or working to undo the unjust laws your brother has implemented. You just want revenge on your daddy." Ryoka said mockingly.

"You don't know anything about me!" Ziera shouted in protest.

"I know enough. Be straight with me here for a second. You don't really give a shit about your empire now do you?" Ryoka asked.

"That's not true." Ziera gritted as she kept trying to get free.

"And you don't really care about your citizens either right?" Ryoka continued on.

"Shut up!" Ziera demanded.

"You don't give a damn about your friends, family or even your own life! All you care about is finding a place to die!" Ryoka mocked.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Ziera demanded but Ryoka began stomping her boot down onto her stomach over and over again. Ryoka grunted with each stomp.

"MAKE ME! Go ahead! Just what are you gonna do if I don't!? Kill me!? No! You'll just run away like you always. It's easy to be painted as the villain when you won't even try to fight back! Admit it! You want to be seen as the monster! Because that's how people see you right!? That's what you choose to believe right!? Is that what you're afraid of admitting!? That no one hates you more than you hate yourself!?" Ryoka shouted.

You're wrong! You're so wrong! It's not true! It's not true! It's not-

"It's true." A voice said in Ziera's mind.

Ziera gasped.

Ziera POV

18 Years Ago

I remember it like it was yesterday. The day I was born.

When I opened my eyes for the first time, I didn't cry like a normal infant would. I didn't make a single sound. Because he did not allow it.

"Child."

I looked up and saw the person who held me in their arms. A tall and muscular machine coded in black armor, with red veins around his body, a black cape and horns on the sides of his head. I looked into his crimson red eyes and saw him. My father, Zenal.

"Ziera. Your name is Ziera. You are my daughter and I am your father. From this point forward, you will only do what is required of you and nothing more. You exist to obey me." Zenal said.

I may have been only an infant at the time, but I understood my father's command clearly. I was designed that way. To be his perfect daughter. His perfect weapon.

13 Years Ago

My first kill. They say you always remember your first. For me, it was when I was five years old.

On my 5th birthday, my father had taken me to the execution grounds. There I would carry out my first task to test my loyalty to him.

Two guards had approached us with a young man, no older than 28, before me and my father. The man was battered and bruised. The guards shoved him to the ground before us and placed him on his knees with his hands handcuffed behind him.

"Father. Who is he?" I asked.

"Tell me Ziera. What is the Mage Foundation?" Zenal asked. I nodded.

"An international organization that was founded 2,000 years ago and is currently being run by the great wizard, Merlin. It was created for the research and development of the essence of mana and magical development to strengthen Midgard's militia. As well as spreading their culture and policies on magecraft." I answered.

"And what is the foundation to us?" Zenal asked.

"Our enemy." I answered.

"Correct. Take this young man for example. He is a spy for the foundation. He infiltrated our country and even took the bionic surgery needed to join our military. All for the purpose of infiltrating our ranks and collecting data." Zenal explained.

Really? He actually risked his life to fight against us? A mere human? What drove this man to do something so foolish? I thought.

"Ziera." Zenal said as he looked towards me. I stood in attention and met his eyes.

"Yes father?" I asked.

"I want you to execute him." Zenal ordered.

I shook a bit not trying to show too much emotion.

"But sister is supposed to-."

"Zariah has performed hundreds of executions for me in the past. Ziren as well. And now it's your turn. This will prove your loyalty to me. To your family." Zenal said.

I looked at the man. He was shaking. No. He wasn't just shaking. He was crying. Through my scanner I even saw his heart racing. He was afraid. At the time I knew that I would have to kill whoever stood in my father's way as proof of my loyalty. And yet I froze.

"But father I...

"Have you forgotten what I told you when you were born?" Zenal asked.

"I only do what is required of me. I am your daughter and exist only to obey you." I repeated.

"Then proceed." Zenal ordered. I hesitated back then. I never knew what it was like to kill someone. To shoot them down watch them take their last breath. But I also knew that I had no choice. I was made to obey.

"Yes father." I looked back at the boy and reconfigured my arm into a rifle.

I walked up to the man and pointed the gun at his face. He looked at me with such fear. But there was more to it than that. Tears began to fall from his face. He was crying but surprisingly, he was smiling too.

"You're so young. You're just about his age aren't you, princess?" He asked sincerely.

What? Just what is he talking about? I thought.

The man closed his eyes and looked at the ground crying even harder now.

"Please. Please forgive me!" He said.

He's begging for his life now? Can't he see how pointless that is? You should have thought of that before you decided to go against us. You should have known your pla-

"Please forgive me, Carla. And my dear boy!" He begged.

I froze.

He...he has a family. A son too? I...I...

"Ziera." I snapped back to reality when I heard my father's emotionless voice. It sent a chill down my spine. "End him." He ordered. At that moment, my eyes turned bright green.

"Please forgive me-****."

BANG

I shot him in the face and his corpse fell right in front of me. His blood got on my face but I didn't care. I just stood there and stared at his corpse. Realizing what I had done. Zenal placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Very good. I am proud of you Ziera. You really are my daughter." Zenal said.

I was happy that I had gotten Zenal's approval. But one thing echoed through my mind at the time. That man's son. I didn't hear his son's name. Or more like I blocked it out. I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to care. I just wanted him dead. Because....because......because....

"That's what I was born to do."

"That's what you were born to do."

I wasn't afraid of people calling me a monster. I was afraid of the fact that....

.........they were right.

Present

Before Ryoka had slammed Ziera with her boot again, Ziera's eyes glowed emerald green and caught Ryoka's boot.

"What!?" Ryoka questioned.

Wait! This mana! It's from before! Ryoka thought.

Ziera screamed and pushed Ryoka back. She then sprinted up and punched Ryoka hard in the face, sending her flying back through three rock pillars.

Ryoka pushed the rubble off her and stood up noticed something. Ziera didn't just leave a bruise on her cheek, Ryoka touched her lip and realized she was bleeding.

Ryoka grinned wickedly and licked her lips.

"Alright then. Does this mean you're finally getting serious!? HUH!? PRINCESS!?" Ryoka roared.

Ziera stood up and huffed. Green mana was flowing around her body and her green eyes were glowing bright. She wasn't just angry. She was furious and completely out of control. Only one thing went through her mind at that moment.

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ziera roared.

Death.