The War for the Dragon

Breaking Free

Waking up, I realize I'm sore as hell. Katsumi groans as I scoot her over to get off the bed. I lower my sore body down into refreshing hot water after what feels like years of waiting for the water to fill the tub.
I run my fingers through my hair and sigh. I most likely will die a virgin at this point, but at least my right hand isn't. I've got bigger business to attend to anyway. It's past three years already, and the stress of all this training has been getting to me. I drag my hand down my face and stop at my chin. I need to shave again. I need a haircut as well. I don't like long hair as much as I used to. My hair is long enough to put in a bun, and I take advantage of that. I hear my bedroom door open and Katsumi runs to investigate. Her movements seem still and respectful, so it must be Haruka. He opens the bathroom door with his hand at the level of his eyes.
"Is your thingy out? Should I leave?"
"We need to get haircuts, Haruka. I look like a lion. Could you ask Takehiro for permission to go out to the nearest island so that we may get groomed?"
"He may just get one of the servants to do it. Let's just head into the garden and I'll ask him to do it there. It's a nice day."
"Fine, but we must get out at some point, we have one more year left," I say, a little excited.
"I feel your excitement, Aniki. I understand that Kou will be nearing ten at that time. I hope his schooling is going well."
"Hopefully he grows into a fine young man, with a college degree. I know he'll be loved by so many people, that bright light of a smile guarantees it," I say, grinning ear to ear.
I look at Haruka, who is sitting on a stool, facing the wall. I laugh as I get up, with a body that isn't as sore as it once was.
I cover myself up with a towel and pet Katsumi with wet hands. She snorts and shakes her head to get the water off. I begin to notice the gray hairs growing all over her snout and chin. I feel pain in my heart as I remember just how old my girl is. She's eight, and that's old for a dog.
"Aniki, I've come to you because I'm worried for Kanashimi. She's been having these these horrible nightmares. I wouldn't even know without my mate bond. She won't tell me a thing and she's been keeping her distance from me, especially when I eat. She's also sleeping way too much. She's asleep right now, when she's usually the one to get up before all of us. What should I do," Haruka asks me as I get dressed. I look at him, and I know my worry is clear.
"I don't know what it could be. Hold on, isn't she also an angel as much as she is a demon?"
"Yes, she has the blood of both, as her mother before her. From the books I've read, all the lore say that her mother was a very important person to her people, an oracle. I don't really know what that means yet though."
"An oracle? That makes a lot of sense now. While both Angels and demon wield magic, Kanashimi knows only of her weather abilities. Maybe her other powers are beginning to awaken. I'm not sure though. I'm actually guessing this all. You should show your concern to Takehiro, he may know."
"You know how I feel about Takehiro."
"Right, then what should-"
An ear splitting scream ruptures the air and cuts my sentence out of both my thoughts and Haruka's. He automatically gets up and runs. I follow him. He runs to Kanashimi, who is sleeping in his bed. Did he get laid before me?
That's besides the point. Kanashimi is frantic and when she sees Haruka, tears spill from her eyes, looking like two crystal clear waterfalls, and what she does next shatters Haruka.
He is pushed away, as she yells the word 'no,' over and over again. Her body is shaking, but she gets up and runs to the garden, sobbing on the way.
Frantic, I get up and run other as Haruka stays frozen in his place.
In the garden, I see her with her wings out, staring at, observing the force field. Is she looking for flaws?
I see her hold up something that glimmers when the sun hits it. Her wings are both black and scaly. I accidentally made dry leaves rustle as I stepped closer, and she looked at me, the sun shining on her tear stained face.
"I can't let it happen. He can't leave me, Ryuunosuke," she whispers. She takes off to the sky, with sword in hand, pointing it in front of her, as her wings take very powerful strides to lift her higher. By the time I let out my wings, I hear a tremendous shatter, and what seem like pieces of glass fall from the sky, and I have to shield my eyes from the falling blades.
When I look up, she's gone, and an alarm begins to blare. Everyone soon joins me in the garden, including Takehiro.
"You three must go and find her! She could reveal us!" I have never seen Takehiro this way.
"Listen here, I am not your fucking dog! I will go get her because I love her, not to fulfill your damn plans! We are not machines that you can control," Haruka says with venom. He then turns into his wolf and jumps over the shattered force field. I quickly tell Katsumi to stay, as I open my wings and soar to follow him.
💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚
Finally, he stops running and sits, huffing and puffing while dripping wet. He swam an ocean before finally sitting on the shore. He takes a quick rest and then lifts his snout and starts sniffing. I land next to him and hide my wings within me. He looks at me and shakes himself dry. I snort and cover my face. He steps forward a little and nods at me, signaling for me to follow him.
He leads me to the back of some waterfall that was after a beautiful forest. There was a cave with the ceilings rocks dripping with fresh water, and crystals were growing on a wall. On the wall adjacent to it, there was a large bush with thorns, and he looked at me, signaling me that something is past it.
I let out my wings again and surrounded myself with them. I then rammed into the bush, creating a pathway so that we may pass. The thorns do not hurt me, and we get through the obstacle. Past the bush is a pathway made from bricks of dirt, and I'm cautious as I walk more to see a light. I tell Haruka to wait until I inspect what it leads to.
The light leads to what I never expected.
A city made from dirt and bedrock.