Shouting, worried voices, and agonizing pain – it all trickled through to Akira as she lay unable to move. Darkness engulfed her from all sides, seeming to wrap her in its depths. There was no light; not even a flicker of it.
Hang in there, Kiddo, a familiar voice begged in her mind. It was foggy, yet Akira heard the panic, and agony, in it. It sounded wrong; she knew that voice was supposed to be filled with laughter.
She was drifting out of consciousness, only to be anchored in the present by a yell. "They're withdrawing!"
There were excited shouts all around.
"Haiden's leaving!"
For Akira, everything went silent. Her mind was heading to a place away from the pain. Then, she was aware of someone shaking her.
"Akira?" Gina's voice was filled with panic. Akira didn't respond. Her body was as heavy as lead, and she felt as though fire was burning in her veins.
"Someone help!" Gina screamed.
"Call the healers!" another voice yelled a few moments later.
"Stay with me, Akira," Gina sobbed. Akira felt her hands touch her arm. They felt surprisingly cooling, yet brought little relief.
There were voices all around, yet they were confusing and blurred together as one. Pain, more excruciating than the first time, washed over Akira.
Kiddo?
Not able to take any more, Akira's mind sent her back to that peaceful place of nothingness.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
You didn't kill her. Fury's eyes were glued on his rider.
Haiden was still in his armor, his sword strapped to his side. He looked in no hurry to remove either. A few feet from him, two riders were working around the black dragon, removing his armor from the battle they had returned from.
They were in a courtyard before Haiden's palace.
Nor did you let me finish the white dragon. The displeasure in Fury's tone was evident to his rider, yet Haiden was unfazed as he walked over to a table which had been set up for him. Though it was filled with a feast fit for an army, there was only one chair at the head.
Ignoring it, Haiden opted for leaning against the table. He reached for a bowl of grapes and plucked one. For a moment he rolled it around in his fingers. Then, he popped it into his mouth. Closing his eyes, he savored the taste.
Your point? he lazily thought in reply to his dragon.
The riders around Fury removed the last pieces of armor. Being done, they hurried from the courtyard.
Fury walked towards his rider, his eyes still on him. We could have ended it.
Haiden snorted. He reached for another grape, yet then he changed his mind and went for a wine goblet instead.
You're putting it off, Fury told him.
I'm having fun. Haiden played with the goblet, making the wine in it swish around. It's my game. When I say enough, it ends, and only then. He took a gulp of the wine.
Fury's tail swished. He was still watching. It's making me restless. The black dragon turned, and paced before Haiden. I won't be happy until the white dragon and rider are gone, he added with a growl.
Haiden paused, the wine goblet at his lips. Slowly, he moved it away. My, my, Fury. Is that bitterness I detect? He raised his eyebrows. "Surely you're not angry that I ordered a retreat?" he spoke aloud.
Fury didn't reply. Instead, he turned his back on his rider, and walked towards the archway leading away from the courtyard.
"You are!" Haiden exclaimed. He put the goblet back down.
Fury stopped walking. He turned his head so that he looked at his rider with one eye.
Chuckling, Haiden plucked another grape, and then walked towards Fury. His sword bounced at his side with every step.
As Haiden approached him, Fury turned around to face him. Without hesitation, Haiden reached out one hand and placed it on his dragon's nose. The two looked each other right in the eyes.
Patience, my dear dragon, Haiden told him. You'll have your chance soon enough. He lifted the grape he was holding in his other hand, so that Fury could see it. I just made things a little bit more interesting. A leering smile crept across his face as he positioned the grape between his thumb and forefinger. After that direct hit, I don't think our dear Rider of Legend will be...seeing things as clearly as she used to. His fingers pressed together, crushing the grape in an instant.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was the cheerful song of a bird that brought Akira back to consciousness. She twitched her fingers, feeling a soft fabric below her as she did so. For a moment, she simply lay there, enjoying the bird's song. Then, everything came rushing back: the battle, the blood, the screaming, the lightning, Redemption's cry of pain, and...falling.
She stiffened, and her fingers curled into fists around the blanket, as she remembered how Haiden had thrown fire at her. The entire incident flashed through her mind. She saw it clearly, feeling the heat and agonizing pain she had suffered when she had gotten hit.
I'm alive? she wondered. He fingers relaxed somewhat at the realization.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm down her racing heart. Slowly, she opened her eyes. To her surprise, darkness greeted her. Akira wrinkled her forehead. Is it night? The bird continued to sing, confirming otherwise.
Slowly, Akira lifted her hands to her eyes, wanting to feel what was covering them and blocking her vision. Confusion filled her as, when her fingers reached her eyes, she felt nothing. Frowning, she felt her lashes. Gently, she took one eye lid and lifted it. There was still nothing, just darkness.
Akira froze. What is this? Her stomach dropped, the answer lingering in the back of her mind, yet not daring to come forward.
Hearing a door open, Akira jerked her head in the direction of the sound. Footsteps approached from her right, and Akira let her arm drop onto her stomach.
"Hello?" she asked, her voice sounded raspy. For the first time, she realized that her throat was dry.
"Akira?" She knew this voice.
"Gina?" Relief flooded through her. She's okay. Then another thought hit her. Did we win?
She heard Gina's footsteps grow louder, confirming that she was continuing to approach her. "Haiden pulled back just before our reinforcements came," Gina revealed. "The sun has risen three times since the battle," she added softly.
"Three times?" As she asked, Akira felt a weight settling to her right. It made her realize that Gina must have sat down.
"Uh huh. It was about time you woke up, sleepy head," Gina attempted to joke. However, Akira could hear from her voice that it was forced.
Something's wrong. The answer was nagging at the back of her head, yet Akira refused to think of it. She would not. "Redemption and Destiny?" she asked, fearing the worst for her dragons. She didn't want to search for either of their minds, scared that she would find nothing.
"They're fine," Gina assured. "The healers fixed them up like they did you. Seth's fine too. He got out with barely a scratch...." She trailed off and Akira could hear the tears in her voice. "Drake...his dragon fell on him. They're not sure if he'll be able to walk again." She sniffed.
"I'm sorry," Akira whispered. She had had a feeling all along that, Gina, had undisclosed feelings for the boy, despite the fact that the two always fought.
"I'm sure he'll be fine," Gina attempted bravely. "He has to be," she added with vigor in her voice.
There was a moment's silence. Akira was the one to finally break it. "Gina, how am I here?" She paused. "When...when I fell off the roof, I thought I was dead."
"So did I," Gina whispered. She cleared her throat. It did little to hide the fact that she was trying to hold back tears. "Redemption caught you. The healers got to work as soon as they could. You were a mess." Gina paused, and Akira could imagine her shaking her head. "The healers have always found burns easier to treat. Your armor also did a pretty good job protecting you, but you weren't wearing your helmet so..." She trailed off before resuming, "The healers really did a good job; it's hard to see that you were even injured."
She's hiding something. Akira could tell by the tone of her friend's voice that there was something she wasn't saying. "But what?" she asked, her tone clipped. She could already guess what it was, yet she would not believe it until someone told her directly.
Gina remained silent.
"I have a right to know," Akira whispered.
She felt Gina take hold of her hand. "The flames...they hit you straight on."
Akira's fingers tightened around Gina's hand.
"If you had been wearing your helmet things might have been different..." Gina sniffed again, confirming that she was in tears. "Akira, the thing with healers is that...they can only do so much. There are some things that are beyond even them."
Akira's hand squeezed Gina's, so tightly that her knuckles were white. She knew what was coming.
"Your eyes were open when you were hit," Gina paused to take a shuddering breath. "There's a good chance you'll never regain your sight."
Even though she had been expecting it, those words made Akira feel as though someone had punched her in the gut. She felt like she was going to be sick. Her hand was squeezing Gina's so tightly that it had to be painful for the other girl, yet Gina did not utter a sound.
"I'm blind?" Akira asked. Her voice broke. Saying it made it all the more real.
"I'm so sorry." Gina threw her arms around Akira and drew her into a hug, crying all the while. Akira, however, remained seated, frozen to the spot. Gina was weeping for her, and yet Akira's own tears would not fall.
Blind? The word echoed in her head. It came with the realization that from now on she would be helpless, not able to do anything without having someone to show her the way. Everything she had done, everything she had worked for, it was all gone in an instant. The last image, burned into her mind, would be Haiden, a smile on his face as he held out a hand and threw a ball of fire at her.
As Gina continued to sob, Akira shook her head. It's over. She realized. There's no way I can continued as the Rider of Legend now. The realization of what being blind meant hit her, and Akira felt tears beginning to prick at the back of her eyes.
"I want to see Ree and Destiny," she whispered as she fought the dam that threatened to burst.
Gina pulled back from the hug. Her silence was enough to make Akira know that she was surprised. Akira swung her legs out from underneath the blanket.
"You shouldn't get up yet!" Gina protested in alarm.
Akira ignored her. She felt around for the ground with her feet. Upon finding it, she planted both feet and slowly stood up. She swayed uncertainly. Had Gina not grabbed her arm in time, she would have stumbled and fallen.
"You can't...!"
"Gina, please," Akira whispered. "I need to talk to my dragons...in person."
Gina didn't reply.
"Can you help me get to the roof?" Akira asked softly as she felt the true helplessness of her situation hit her. She had no idea where the door, or anything else in the room, was.
"The roof's too dangerous," Gina argued. "The courtyard would be..."
"I want to be somewhere away from anyone..." Akira trailed off, not finishing. She just needed to be alone with her dragons right now.
She felt Gina take a firm hold of her arm. "I understand," she told her softly.
With Gina leading the way, the two made their way from the room slowly. It was slow going, as Gina had to guide Akira's every step. Despite Gina's help, Akira stumbled along. Once, Gina just managed to stop her from walking into the wall when rounding a corner.
They met no one along the way to the lift. The silence made it seem almost as though the Academy was abandoned.
"We're mourning," Gina told Akira quietly. "A lot of riders were lost...others are still being treated."
It felt like forever until they finally reached the ladder going to the roof. Akira went up first. She felt the rungs of the ladder with her hands and feet to figure out where to place them. As she climbed up, she realized that the last time she had come up here, she had been able to see where she was going.
"Careful," Gina warned as she followed behind. She was ready to catch Akira incase she slipped and fell.
As she placed her feet firmly on the roof's surface, Akira felt the heat of the sun upon her face. It confirmed her earlier thought, that is was the middle of the day.
"Can we go to the edge?" she asked softly as Gina joined her.
"Akira, I really don't think that that's such a goo–"
"Please?"
Gina gave in with a sigh. She took a firm hold of Akira's arm and lead her some way.
"The edge is three big steps in front us," Gina told her as she brought her to a stop. "I'm not taking you any closer than that."
"Thank you." Akira forced a smile. It was taking all her effort to keep her emotions from spilling over. Yet, she did not want to break in front of Gina. She didn't want the other girl to have to worry.
Carefully, she sat down where she stood. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them. "I know you want to check on Drake. It's okay. Just leave me. I'll be fine here," she told Gina softly.
"You're not...suicidal, are you?" Gina asked. There was doubt in her voice. Akira could just imagine her friend standing with her arms crossed across her chest, her eyebrows raised.
"No," Akira replied. However, the thought flashed through her mind. Is there a point in living if I can't do anything? It would be so easy to just walk over the edge.
Oh no you don't, she heard Redemption's firm voice in her mind.
"My other half is on his way," Akira told Gina. "I'll be fine," she added with a sigh.
There was a moment's silence. Then Akira heard Gina walk off. "If you need anything give me a shout," she called, her voice sounding further away. Akira lifted one hand in acknowledgement, and then, Gina was gone.
Resting her head on her knees, Akira waited. It wasn't long before there was the sound of wings. She felt a shadow fall over her, blocking the heat of the sun. Akira didn't speak; she didn't say a word as she felt a two large presences settle, one to her right and one to her left. She leaned to the right, resting her head against the scaly skin that met her cheek.
That was when she let the dam burst. She let all the grief she had bottled up until then, out, sobs racking her body.
Her two dragons sat faithfully with her, neither saying a word as Akira wept against Redemption's shoulders. Though both dragons could feel Akira's grief, both knew what was wrong, and, yet this was not the time for words.
The three of them sat like this, for a long time after Akira's tears had dried out. Redemption laid his head on his rider's lap, and she fondled it, feeling some comfort in doing so. She tried not to think of the fact that her life with her dragons could well be over. Instead, she tried to live in the moment where it was just her, Destiny, and Redemption. Just like old times.
Redemption raised his head slightly. Akira heard footsteps seconds later. Automatically, she turned her head to see who was coming. When blackness greeted her, she turned back again. There was no point in looking.
It's Seth, Destiny told her softly. The footsteps paused some distance away.
"Gina said I would find you here." Seth's voice was soft.
For a moment, Akira didn't reply. She continued to stare ahead. "What does it look like?" she suddenly asked.
She heard Seth approach cautiously. He paused behind her, standing between her two dragons. "White puffy clouds, just like usual." His voice sounded husky, revealing to Akira that he was trying to keep his emotions in check.
Still staring ahead, Akira imagined the clouds that would be spread out before her. She tried to picture how the sun would be reflecting off them, making them look a dazzling white. How the blue sky around would make her feel free. However, all she could see was Haiden's leering face.
"It's funny how you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone," she said quietly.
"Akira..." Seth began, yet he trailed off, seeming unsure what to say.
Suddenly, Akira felt him grab her from behind. He pulled her to her feet and turned her around to face him. "Nothing's changed," he whispered. His fingers gently touched her cheeks. A moment later, his lips met hers. He kissed her deeply before pulling away. Akira stood, shocked. Yet then, a feeling of warmth spread through her.
Oh boy, she heard Redemption think.
"You are Akira, rider of the Dragon of Legend, never forget that," Seth whispered in her ear as he hugged her tightly.
Stunned, Akira could only nod in reply.
"Now, I came to see if you wanted to eat something," Seth said as he pulled away from the hug.
Akira shook her head, panicking at the thought of going to the mess hall and facing the other riders. She couldn't, not after what had happened, not yet.
"You've got face them sooner or later," Seth told her softly.
"I couldn't beat him. I wasn't even a match against him." Akira turned her head away.
"Hey." Seth took hold of her chin and turned her head so that she was facing him. "You're alive. That's got to count for something, doesn't it?"
Akira's bottom lip quivered. She felt the tears coming back.
Seth, who realized this, grabbed her hand. "Come." He began to pull her along.
"Seth!" Akira protested. She reached out with her free hand as if to try and feel where they were going. "Where are you taking me?"
"To get some food. It'll make you feel better," Seth replied firmly.
Ree, Destiny? Akira pleaded for help.
He's got a point, Destiny replied.
Neither dragon moved to stop Seth as he pulled Akira along, and Akira realized it was useless to protest. She stopped protesting, and let Seth lead her, relying on him completely to show her the way.