Dungeon of Loss

Nia and Miura entered the Den of Dragonslayers as if they belonged there. The other dragonslayers looked in their direction. Some fully armored. Some with average clothes. Some sharpening their blades or refining their armor. Some asleep on their tables with a drink and paperwork next to them. There was plenty of space for the dragonslayers to do whatever they needed. Almost seemed like an overgrown tavern, if Nia didn't know any better. However, the dragonslayer who were fully armored looked ready to go out on a moment's notice. Fully armored with their hands on their sheathed blades as they stood by and watched the others. Miura's coughing became very quiet, so that none of the guards would question anything. The witch was confident that none of them would even look in their general vicinity. But to Nia, it seemed like they were avoiding their gaze in fear, but she thought nothing of it. She kept her cloak and hood wrapped tightly and tried to cover her illusive ring with her other hand. They walked past the clerk and a bulletin board of job listings. Jobs for both freelance mercenaries and employed dragonslayers. The jobs included possible sightings of dragons that others could look into. Also, there was money offered to anybody who would either notify them of any dragons in any vicinity (with confirmation by a dragonslayer) or bodies of dragons themselves as proof of kill.

They made hunting an entire species a normal job.

Nia was abhorred by their behavior. To them, dragons were just another... monster, Nia thought. She remembered that was how she thought of anything or anybody trying to hurt her or her family. Just some monsters. From this thought, she looked back at the dragonslayers. She noticed that some veterans had scars and burns. They weren't fighting and killing dragons for no reason. Some had a personal grudge against them. Nia knew that some were just in it for the money, but she also knew that they actually believed that their actions were justified. They simplified the life of dragons the same as Nia simplified the life of a bandit. Just monsters.

As Nia and Miura approached the dungeon door, they were stopped by two armored dragonslayers holding spears.

Miura coughed and said weakly, "Let us pass."

The two dragonslayers were confused by Miura's behavior. She was never sick before, but they both shrugged it off. They both thought that the witch was still human enough to get a common cold.

One of the guards said, "I know you, witch, but I am unfamiliar with your... friend."

They both looked at the fully cloaked figure. Clearly it was a dark skinned woman.

The other guard asked, "May we at least see your face?"

Miura nodded to both the dragonslayer and Nia. Nia took off her hood. Long brown hair flowed down the cloak. The dragonslayers looked at her face and neck for any signs of scales, but none could be found. Nia relaxed herself and remained calm. Nia thought that nobody knew that she was a dragon and her illusive ring made it so. She thought not even Miura knew.

One of the guards said, "The witch is allowed in, but not the guest. I don't know who you are, but you should stay away from that dark mage. Even if your both girlfriends, she'll probably kill you in your sleep and take your organs for some sick ritual."

Nia was surprised by the remark, but she looked back at Miura who only coughed and wheezed. The green dragon didn't believe that Miura was capable of such things in her state. She already knew that she was a witch, but she also believed that Miura regretted whatever dark magic she has done in the past.

Nia was about to say something, but Miura held her arm tightly.

"These are orders from the Crimson Black Knight. She is to see the prisoners and transfer them to one of the city dungeons," Miura said with full confidence. She knew that Nia didn't know that the Crimson Black Knight and Akai were one and the same. And she could use that.

Nia remembered the Crimson Black Knight vividly, but she was no longer afraid of him. It was not a demon to be feared that her childhood self made him out to be.

The dragonslayers looked at each other and during that moment, Miura winked at Nia. When they both looked back at the two ladies, one of them said, "During this time of night? I haven't gotten any orders for-" but was abruptly cut off.

"Do you want to tell your excuse when the Crimson Black Knight himself?" Miura asked and then proceeding to rasp.

The other two dragonslayers didn't want to argue with the witch, Miura, in fear of what she might do. They respected the Crimson Black Knight, but they feared and hated the witch. While the Crimson Black Knight was in the forefront, the dragonslayers would also notice the dark stain on his armor known as Miura. There were rumors that the witch was able to commit her own atrocities on regular people and atrocities, all while being unknowingly protected by the Crimson Black Knight. Some dragonslayers would occasionally go missing, and the blame would be directed towards the witch. But Miura took no offense. None of the dragonslayers would actually confront her about any of it. While some of the horrors that are mentioned are true, the Crimson Black Knight trusts her as long as she has those slave markings on her neck.

"Very well, witch. Do as you please," one of the guards said and they both marched away.

As soon as Miura saw them leave, they continued forward. It was now empty with only the entrance down into the dungeons.

Nia felt her heart beat faster as she was so close to getting them back.

As Miura opened the entrance, a chill went down through Nia's spine. All of that excitement for getting her big sister Nera back faded. Something felt off about the dungeons. It was quiet and the smell reeked of death. The smell was worse than that from the aftermath 30 years ago. The smell of decomposing bodies in an open field compressed into a concentrated dark room. Nia was unable to see in the darkness below even though her sight was better than that of regular humans.

She covered her mouth and walked down into the dungeons. As the sight became clearer, she gasped as the first thing she saw was a dead body decomposing. The face was already being eaten by maggots.

Nia needed to find her big sister. She couldn't accept that she was dead. At the moment, Nia quickly moved a step closer and as soon as she did, from the corner of her eye, she noticed a figure in the shadows coming after her. Something that not even Miura was aware of that caught her surprise. A trap, she thought as soon as she saw the figure holding a shard of red glass. Nia's eyes turned fully green as her instincts took over. Nia unsheathed her blade in the blink of an eye, while her teeth sharpened. Without seeing the figure, she cut off it's arm holding the glass and pierced into where it's heart should be and lifted the figure above her.

There was a long pause as Nia's rage took control. Drip. Drip. Drip. The blood dropped to the stone floor and Nia's own face.

Nia couldn't see the figure's face clearly as if the dungeon itself was shrouded in a thick layer of black mist.

The figure held out it's other arm and stroked Nia's cheek. It's softness woke Nia from her draconic instincts as her green eyes faded away. She looked at the figure and it was as clear as day.

"Nia? You're... alive..." the figure said in a soft voice.

"Big sister Nera?" Nia exclaimed as she looked at the face of her big sister in disbelief.

Both Nia and Nera were in utter shock. Nera looked at her red blade piercing through her chest. Without a second thought, Nia quickly took out her blade and threw it away. She held Nera in her arms and tried to stop the bleeding, but the damage was already done. Nia's lungwas punctured straight through.

"No. No. No. No. Not after all that's happened..." Nia cried. Her disbelief overtook any other emotion. There were no tears coming out of her eyes. She believed it to be another nightmare. There was no way that what she was seeing was real. It was all an illusion, she thought. A falsity created by magic, but there was no such magic being played. Nia tried to shake her head and wake herself up from the nightmares, but nothing worked. After a few moments upon realization that everything was real, tears began to form around her eyes.

Miura's face was frozen in shock. She thought that Nera would be completely broken to the point of suicide after witnessing the false Nera's death. Miura was a firm believer that nobody could bring themselves up after being broken. The witch knew that the red shard was meant for her, and if the witch entered first, then she wouldn't have expected it. Miura felt a sense of relief that she wasn't killed in that manner. As Miura looked up, whispered came to her from the shadows and she was confident that the plan hasn't changed.

Nera smiled and wiped away Nia's tears.

"You have... grown so much," Nera said slowly.

Blood from Nera's arm and chest was endless.

Her big sister Nera tried to comfort the crying Nia by wiping away the tears with her hand.

"It's... hard... to see... you."

"I'm right here, big sister," Nia replied as Nera's vision faded away.

Nia looked away and said, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry... for... what? You're safe. You did... nothing... wrong," Nera said quietly.

Nia sat on the dirtied ground and held her like a cradle. She held Nia's hand to her face while the heat of ther body slowly disappeared.

Miura thought that the best way to break somebody was to offer them their hope and snatch it away. It was at least more exhilarating to the witch to witness it. She thought that Nera was broken, and her sense of relief turned to disappointment. Miura was never able to break her. Nera died unbroken, she thought with resentment.

Eventually, Nera's breath slowed to a stop. Nia cried aloud as she closed her eyes and laid her head down on Nera's chest. I killed her, Nia thought within herself. It was the only thought going through her mind as she held Nera's cold and gentle body. All she could do was cry and hope that it wasn't real. She cried as if she was a child, again. However, unlike her childhood with the dragons or her big sister, there was no one to comfort her. To tell her that it was going to be okay. Not anymore.