With Pride, End It

Once Xelfia was in this form she had lost all ability to speak using her voice. A deep growl left her throat as she realized the state she was in currently. This was by no means a choice she had willingly made, The Golden Dragon in front of her had managed to drag it out. Xelfia's claws scraped the ground as she felt the raw strength of a beast travel through her. "Why now?" Moving on all fours Xelfia bashed into her opponent with her entire body. Latching on any way she could, she opened her jaw to reveal a large set of jagged teeth. Biting into the Dragon's flesh she attached herself to the Golden Dragon. In a daze the Golden Dragon let its guard down as it studied the girl's new form.

"Insufferable...Little Girl."

In its confusion, anger emerged as well as memories from a time long ago. "Ah, that's right. I wanted to see my husband again." The Astral Zone kept losing its grip on its body, letting her free. It was a bit of a double edged sword because it also meant she was getting closer to death. The Astral Zone here had tried to take over its body and keep it alive as a new core by force. When it saw a Dragon's body that was weakened it took its chance to dig into her soul and eat away at it. She had fought against it for years and eventually she started to lose. In her weakened state she couldn't take on all that energy forever. "I was so close to making it back home." It seemed like she was destined to never return though.

*Grawhhhh*

Grabbing at the four legged creature attached to her the Dragon tried to force its body off. "I want to see my Grandfather again...Azurin." Using all the strength it had it couldn't get rid of Xelfia. She was locked to her like a parasite draining all of her strength. Fire left her mouth as she burned the both of them, with her memories finally coming back the Dragon felt the cruelty of the world. Before she wasn't scared of death, with her memories reforming that fear came as well. "Even if it Kills me." Burning Xelfia's body it finally managed to rip her mouth off of her along with her claws. Throwing her aside the Golden Dragon took some distance for the first time since the fight started. Studying the girl's form she tried to figure out what she really was.

"Are you a half breed?"

*Grawwwhhh*

Xelfia's golden eyes flashed in anger as she heard the Golden dragon insulting her. "This dragon seems to be talking more normally." Feeling frustrated that she couldn't vocally communicate with it, Xelfia remembered something. "Oh right." It had been years since she had talked with another Astral Beast but she could talk with them as long as they possessed intelligence. Blood seeped from her jaw as she looked into the Golden Dragon's soul. Something poked at the golden Dragon's soul that the Golden Dragon almost failed to notice. Letting it in, it didn't seem hostile and seemed to be coming from the girl in front of her.

"I'm no half breed you stupid Dragon."

"Then what are you? From your form you're a very young Dragon Species."

As they talked the Golden Dragon slammed its paw into the ground kicking up dirt and pushing it straight at Xelfia with its wings. Getting a face full of dirt pellets Xelfia coughed a bit as her vision cleared up. "Behind me!" Turning around as quickly as she could in this form she saw the Golden Dragon's claw grab onto her body. Lifting Xelfia up into the air the Golden dragon crushed Xelfia's body with its hand as it took a closer look at the girl's Scales. "So pretty.." They were incredibly sharp scales that layered her skin in varying shades of red that reflected the light hitting them. With small swirl patterns on them they were a perfect set of scales, they were similar to her husband's in ways. Barely breathing, Xelfia struggled to escape from its clutches as a question leaked out of her.

"Why...why did you abandon all of those Dragons down in the ruins."

Pausing the Dragon felt its heart waver.

"I don't know what you're talking about girl."

"Liar, You left your husband to die all alone along with Azurin. You're just a runaway with no heart...I don't see a prideful Dragon in front of me. Only a disgrace."

The girl's words stung deep as her grip slipped allowing Xelfia to escape before she was crushed. Dropping to the ground, Xelfia threw her whole body at the Dragon's legs in an attempt to knock it over. Knocking the Golden Dragon over Xelfia felt it barely fight back as she dug her claws into its stomachs. Keeping her grip there she heard the Dragon move its body. The Golden Dragon felt its heart beat rapidly as it stood back up. Roaring in anger, the Dragon had no idea what she was talking about. "I didn't abandon them. I left because of they told me to!" With a low cry it felt a tear come out of its empty eye socket while it tore Xelfia off its body.

"Everyone lived down there in peace, why would they ever tell you to leave? Azurin even told me to end your life himself! Don't make excuses for your faults."

"...No one lived down there in peace. That was a false sense of security that we were all forced to accept. Humans and Demons alike hated us Dragons and forced us into hiding. Our leader was a coward who built a wall to trap us in, not them out! The only thing we did down there was suffer as we watched our kind die out one by one. That kind of life was a form of hell I don't want to ever experience again. My Husband thought the same, except...he couldn't leave."

Pain filled the Dragon's voice as those times came flooding back to her like a nightmare. Those were times she didn't mind forgetting. Starving underground as she watched her family die around her one by one. "We were in a cage." No one wanted to even try to have kids or continue bloodlines anymore. Everyone in there had lost their will to live. "It was a curse placed on all of us." Their Leader made it sound like he was protecting us but he wasn't. He was a coward who was afraid of the world. "Me and my Husband thought differently though." With the help of her Grandfather Azurin she was eventually able to escape all by herself.

"Then why did you come back here...or turn into what you currently are now."

Xelfia's rugged voice leaked out as she did her best to regain her energy.

"Azurin helped me escape after a long time of trying to convince him. I set out of that cage with a goal in mind and when I finished it I returned...to meet the end of my life with the one I loved, my Husband. The Lord Of Cinders. I was attacked on my way back though and severely injured which led to this Astral Zone trying to take advantage of me and corrupt my body. I've...been here for almost thirty years now girl..all alone and dying."

"Then..then why would Azurin want me to attack you?"

"..To end my suffering...My Grandfather was probably tired of seeing me in pain and unable to leave himself, asked you, a Familiar One, to do it in his place. So Come girl..Enough talk. Fight me like a True Dragon, With Pride and Honour until one of us dies."