It was dark, pitch black, but I could still hear the sounds of people talking and the sound of a piece of metal being hammered right in front of me, clanging with every hit I made till I paused to feel the long pipe. I heard the door open behind me and turned to face her, still only seeing darkness.

"Teardrop, we need to talk." A new yet somehow familiar voice said softly as she ran her hands along my arm, I could hear as the hammer fell out of my hands as she guided me to a chair, I couldn't control the words coming out of my mouth. "We've discussed this, this is the only way-" Wow, I sounded older, like years older.

"But what if they're sentient!" Her voice argued.

"So what if they are?" my voice shot back, but took a deep breath before speaking again. "I of all people know that, but doesn't that just make them even more evil, they exterminated us, they are choosing to kill an entire race of people who can think, feel, have families, children, and instead exchanging them for food, do you know how messed up that is?"

Her voice was silent but as my hands went to her face, I instinctively used my thumb to wipe away a tear before running my hand through her long hair.

"I just want to keep us safe, and I know that if we stay here, we will die, do you understand?"

"I do... it's just... it feels so wrong... I can't-"

"And you don't have to, I'll do all the work, you won't be the one pulling the trigger."

"But I am... if I let you do this... so many will die."

"If I don't, we'll all die."

"There has to be another way-"

"The dragons have practically already made the perfect home with Jade Mountain, if we can drive them off then we will have an advantage even the invincible lord never had, we can outlast anyone else, slowly building our forces, slowly expanding till our legion influence is equal to the power of the dragons, I want our children to look up without having to fear being prayed upon by a sky demon." I said as I felt a grin on my face only to falter as I heard her start to sob. "Hey... are you okay?" I asked as I got up and put her in the seat I was just in, still seeing nothing but darkness. I pulled back a bit only to feel one of her hands grab my own and quickly pull me in as she wrapped arms around me as she sobbed into my shoulder.

"Y-you're a good person..." She sobbed as we held each other while bawling her eyes out into my shoulder. I didn't dare move, only to let her lean against me more as I moved my hand to massage the back of her neck.

"It's okay, as long as I'm here, I'll protect you." I felt myself say.

"I-I'm sorry... I-I'm so sorry..." She continued to sob.

"Don't, you've done nothing wrong, it's good you can feel for everyone, even the sky demons... it just makes you more empathetic and better than the rest of us." I assured her but she only sobbed more.

"W-why did you have to be so good to me? W-why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do..."

"B-but you're certain you have to do this?"

"When our guard is down, I think we'll both agree."

"T-that violence breeds violence."

"But it has to be this way."

I let out a small yelp as I suddenly feel her lips against mine but I don't pull away until she finally stops and moves away. "Wish we could've done that longer." I chuckle as I rub the back of my neck awkwardly, I could feel my cheeks blushing like crazy.

She sadly giggles a bit before planting her lips on my head one last time. "I love you, you know that... right my love?"

"Yes-"

"I'll always love you, remember that, okay? No matter what." She said before pressing her forehead against mine and letting a few tears go down her face. "No matter... what... I'll love you... I will always remember our dreams..."

"You speak as if you're gonna leave..." I laughed nervously, I could feel my heart in pain.

"I... I have to go..." she said as she pulled away from my arms.

"W-wait... will you be back in time for dinner, I'm making your favorite, I-" the door closes and I sigh before looking down. "... I can't wait to see you when you get back..." I finish to myself in a whisper, deep down, I knew this was the last time something like that would happen with us, I feel a tear running down my eye, but quickly wipe it away. "No, it'll be fine." I lie to myself before picking up the hammer and continuing to hammer the pipe, everything still in darkness till the hammer's clangs starts to fade, until the only thing heard is my breathing, then the smell of food flooded in.

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It was still dark but I could hear the crackle of the fireplace as I managed to feel myself seated at a table, a plate of steaming food just in front of me. I didn't dare touch it, just waiting for her to return, but I knew she wouldn't, I just playing with the steel fork in my hand.

I looked left as I heard some shouting from the distance. I quickly got up from the table and felt myself open the door in darkness as my head faced the source of the nearest footsteps and shouting. "What's going on?" I asked.

"A Suntail's been spotted in the camp!"

"How's that possible, where is it?"

"It's heading to the pit, I think it's going to-"

Both of us were cut off as a massive explosion rang out, I could feel myself go cold before I could take control of my legs and move towards the source.

"Get the walkers out of here, we have to protect the powder supply!"

Suddenly growling was heard right in front of me and my body froze, it was right in front of me, every breath washing over my face and clothes, causing a warm breeze every so often, but I still couldn't see anything.

"So... this is the part where you kill me?" I asked in a broken form of draconic.

There was silence but only for a moment before she spoke, growling, barely audible, "I'm sorry..."

My heart ran cold, I knew who it was. "No, i-it c-can't be..." I mutter and take a few steps before feeling myself fall on my back and panting as I feel a claw go under my chin, but the blunt end instead of the sharp part. I raised my head to look into her eyes, eyes I was still not able to see in the pitch darkness. "W-why?" I asked as I felt my words and lips tremble. "W-we could have lived happily... W-we can still live happily, I-I know we can... all we have to do-"

"No..." She growled, but it was anything but harsh, she sounded as sad as me, maybe even sadder. "N-no... It was fun... being human... being with you..." I translated to myself internally before she went down and nuzzled me.

"D-don't go... p-please? D-don't leave me... p-please?"

"I-I..." She took a deep breath. "I have to... because you're a good person... and I'm a good dragon..." Then I was suddenly sent backwards, tumbling on the ground by a large gust of wind as I heard the flapping of massive wings getting further and further away. She was gone, she had left me, and now I was alone again.

"M'lord, are you alright?" I heard someone ask before feeling myself left back up.

"Does it look fine!?" I snapped back, which was ironic since I still couldn't see shit. "Report!"

"M'lord, the pit has been completely destroyed, along with the powder inside."

"Three Moons dammit! The walkers? Do we still have the walkers?"

"Two were damaged in the explosion but they're not beyond being fixed, our artificers are already working on it."

"Alright, just give me a moment."

"Yes M'lord."

"Right, it's now more essential than ever that we start the plan as soon as the walkers are repaired, the sooner the better, the less they can retaliate when she gets to them."

"When who gets to them, M'lord?"

I took a deep and sharp breath at the implications of this. If the one I loved was one of them, what about the others, what about Lumber, the one who seemed so on point with serving me?

"All I can say is trust no one, Sunny is a traitor... but even so, no one fires on her, understand?"

"Yes M'lord." Good, without question, I'll have to flush out the sky demons as we go.

"Go, tend to the wounded, that's our priority now."

When the time comes, when I have the shot, would I take it? Would I kill her? Could I kill her?

***

I woke up coughing, my vision returned to me again, alone in the cage. Who was Lumber what were walkers, what was in the pit, and who was Sunny..? I quickly calmed myself with a few long breaths and looked around. I'm not gonna lie to myself again, it isn't in my head, something is seriously wrong with me, hopefully I'm not like Scarlet.

It had been around a month now, at least it felt like it. There had been a human here as well, but she wouldn't speak to me, the last thing I heard from her was that I looked like the other one, whatever that meant.

I turned my head back down as I heard Scarlet weeping from the crate she was contained to. The Scarlet I knew was long since gone, the queen had fallen and feel deeper than the hole itself, I didn't know what Burn did to her, I didn't want to, but I could always hear Scarlet weep and cry when near me, and I could hear her screams when she wasn't.

And me? They gave me kibble, damn kibble, I had been reduced to a pet so that Burn could look at me, she'd occasionally show up and take a good luck at me before just smirking and moving on, I didn't know what she wanted, but I don't think she did either. Which means I still have some time. I held a shattered piece of one of the "Teardrop Jewels," I had named myself, "Bob."

"Think we'll escape today Bob?" I asked the jewel.

"..." There was no response, there usually never was.

"I didn't think so either, Bob." I sighed to myself.

I was alone, the only dragon willing to look at me was Burn or that other sand dragon, hold on a minute, that one showed interest in the other human. And I can't really talk without the gem, so maybe it's time I learn how, how to speak draconic, I wonder how this dragon's gonna react.

***

"My name is River." I said in draconic, after straining my voice for over two hours by now.

"Your name is Teardrop." He responded flatly, he didn't seem to mind me too much like the other one, and he was excited about a talking scavenger.

"It really isn't." I then broke into coughs as my voice finally had enough of me growling and hissing.

"Good progress though, despite not being physically great at speaking dragon, you're doing a good job so far, now the jewel please." He said as he held his hand out expectantly.

I nodded and handed it to him, but his eyes widened as he saw the Teardrop engraving.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

Not wanting to speak again and hurt my throat even further, I simply pointed at the crate where Scarlet was weeping.

"I see." He said before going to turn away.

"Wait... know... jewel?" I strained my voice.

He paused for a few moments, his tail occasionally flicking from side to side as the scales on his face scrunched up as he thought about how to answer. "It's a long story, We can talk about them tomorrow as we work on your draconic."

"Thank you." I said before he promptly left, leaving me alone again.

Soon I'll have answers, or at least a way to find them.