Who Would Have Thought I'd See you Again.

Seeing Xelfia acting so sheepishly, Xina couldn't help the bittersweet taste that ran down her throat. She was struggling in her mind to figure out how to spend these last few minutes with the girl who had defeated her. She had thought she had already made the most difficult choice in her life. Now it looks like she was wrong about that. Moving her hand around Xelfia's side she paused as she brought it back. Fixing her eyes to the dark sky, Xina watched it travel across the sky. Wiggling and infecting Xelfia's body, Xina wasn't happy to see it happening. This was a change that Xelfia did need to know.

"So about all this energy Xelfia and your connection. While it can be nice to have, I should warn you that you're no longer a pure blooded Astral Beast anymore. You are becoming part demonic"

With a bit of pain Xina pushed that through gritted teeth.

"I don't really care about that, I don't even know what kind of Astral Beast I was to begin with. I was born alone in this world, with nothing but myself to live. I've been called many things by humans and even other Beasts. So what's the big deal if I have something else inside of me? At the very least I know it's a piece of Xilo and that just makes me happy. I don't have any pride in being a "pure beast" like you probably do. I'm just some overgrown lizard."

"You're n-.."

Holding her tongue Xina took a deep breath.

"As long as you're alright with that, you will face problems in the future because of it, like all demonic beasts do. Hopefully when you face those you remember what you said. There isn't any turning back."

"I will, don't worry."

Looking up at the sky, Xelfia felt comforted in knowing that it was Xilo who was causing this.

"I was wondering ever since you told me a bit about your story before. Azurin told me you were a Spirit Dragon and that your power would be decaying over time. When we were fighting, you weren't like a Spirit at all, why is that?"

"I mentioned it before a little, after I accomplished my goal, humans attacked me until I eventually made it here. I was practically dead as I crawled myself back home until I reached this place after getting lost. I assume you know a bit of Astral Zones and how they have King's that are usually the Guardians of the Zone."

"Yeah, I killed one in the past."

"Well, When I got here I ended up killing the King that was protecting this place and in order for the Zone to replace it, it took over my body in my weakened state. On the brink of death I couldn't do anything to defend myself and a Dragon was a perfect replacement. It invaded me like a parasite eating away at my consciousness and memories while healing me. Each time it took my memory away it would heal me until I was eventually just a walking corpse. At the start of our fight that was what you saw."

"You gained back some of your personality though?"

"The closer you got to killing me the more the Astral Zone lost its grip on me. Eventually it loosened up enough for me to take back control. The injuries I sustained were healed for over 30 years and nothing happened. The Astral Zone would have to keep trying for hundreds of years if it wanted me to survive. So even with me being back in control I was still going to die, whether you finished me off or not if you were curious about that as well."

Xina talked about it so casually with Xelfia that she felt like it was just a normal conversation for a moment. The anger that Xelfia felt hearing that story helped remind her that it wasn't. "To cause such suffering to someone." Holding it in Xelfia knew the woman in front of her was already dead but she couldn't help getting angry for her. It just felt so natural, "Just a lingering soul." Watching all of Xelfia's reactions Xina grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. The outcome of their fight was something Xina was more than happy with. "Don't be angry." A weird part of her almost wanted to thank the Astral Zone for what it did.

"It's alright, I'm happy that things turned out this way Xelfia. You can be mad about it of course but I'm glad I got to meet you. It made those 30 years worth it in my eyes. Being here now even as I fade from the world I'm happy."

Even with her time to soon run out Xina was content, soon she'd leave.

The colours in the leaves and grass swapped to a more mellow light as they lit up the forest. "This place..." Looking around the colourful forest Xina vividly remembered this place like it was yesterday. "30 years." It was just the way she remembered it. "So pretty." Lost in the mood, Xelfia was shocked to hear Xina saying she was happy. "Why?" Her pulse sped up feeling Xina's hand on hers. It was warm and soft, it made her feel oddly safe. Like all of her worries would just disappear. "How can you be happy?" That wasn't something Xelfia could understand no matter what. "A Dragon...." Her heart thumped as a thought crossed by Xelfia's mind.

"Hey, Xina. You have a lot of knowledge about species right?"

Like a little girl Xelfia looked up at Xina with curiosity.

"Mmmm..Yes I think I am, why do you ask?"

Xina lightly replied as she took in the sight around her, the forest was coming alive.

"Can...can you tell me what I am then. For all of my life I've never been able to figure it out and no one else knows."

A rainbow of colourful shadows waved back and forth almost as if they were saying hello. The leaves rustled in the wind while a few fell to the ground losing their luster. The colour on them faded as they turned pitch black. Touching the ground they were consumed by the rainbow sea disappearing forever. Xelfia's question disturbed that mood as their colours turned dark. "Why are you so curious?" Looking the red headed girl in the eyes her golden eyes blinked as she tried to form a sentence. With minutes passing she didn't say a thing, she was stuck looking at Xelfia.

"...."

With no answer Xelfia felt like a disappointed child as she looked at the dark red ground underneath her.

"Is that a no?"

Xina had been through so many harsh times in her life, sitting here now she felt paralyzed by her thoughts and feelings. She had defied the lord of Dragon's, Been chased by thousands of humans, Left the place she called home and watched all of her people die in front of her. Nothing could stop her from doing what she wanted if she set her mind to it. "Xelfia..." The girl before her had turned out to be the biggest obstacle of all. Choking back her words, Xina felt her body quiver in the night breeze. "Who would have thought..." Breaking the silence she did her best to hold it all in.

"....I can't...can't answer that.

Xina's time was running out.

"Why can't you?"

"....."

Xelfia tried to think as to why she didn't want to answer. "She didn't say she didn't know." Latching on to that Xelfia was left clueless as to why she wouldn't answer it. Holding Xina's hand, Xelfia refused to let go as she stared up at the Dragon's woman's eyes. Those Golden eyes looked at her full of kindness and love. "Why?" Xelfia's chest felt like it was trying to suffocate her as she stared at Xina. "This feeling." A memory came back to her when she was very young of someone looking at her the same way. "The eyes are the same." A time long before she could do anything on her own she remembered something similar happening as something clicked inside of Xelfia.

"....If you can't answer that Xina, then tell me. What was your goal you set out with when you left here."

her voice cracked and broke as tears built up in her eyes.

"That's.....simple. I set out to have...a child."

Feeling Xina's hand slip from hers, Xelfia watched as Xina stood up and turned around

"I wanted to continue the Dragon's line and give them a chance to start anew. So I escaped and had my child in the outside world."

"Why didn't you stay with her then?"

"I was attacked shortly after having her, I ran away to protect her and drag her away from them..."

"You said you remember this place though right?"

"Yes, because this is where they were born. How could I ever forget this place? The Myriad forest."

Tears spilled out of both of their eyes as Xina felt her end reaching near.

"Then...where is your child now?"

"I don't know...she's probably a silly little girl who asks too many questions, who acts prideful but deep down has the most fragile heart. A Girl who is proving her worth to the world and found a new family to love...She's probably stupid enough to become a Demonic Dragon. Stupid enough....and yet...I can't help but love her."

Standing up, Xelfia rushed forward and hugged Xina's back tightly as her soul faded from this world.

"Xelfia...is a beautiful name."

Crying their hearts out, Xelfia felt the world's fall out of her mouth as Xina disappeared.

"...Thank you...Mom."

"Who would have thought I'd get to see you again…my child."