1 1. Alone

Fire, it screamed. It screamed a dreadful tune, burning down all that represented her life with its melody. It was sorrowful.

Suyeong Willhouse, that was her name. This was her home, and it burned before her very eyes, all that brought her joy and everlasting life was eviscerated. The once majestic Solstratos was reduced to ash, not even a shadow of its former glory, and the cause: The Amazons.

They had attacked them, and now there were only two.

A young Dragon and a young Human. Angered, sorrowful, confused, and left in encompassing dread. They mourned.

Loneliness took the reins of their entire being, years passed, and time moved forward, their people forgotten, yet their hearts had yet to steel.

The Dragon, still sorrowful and no longer young grew angry in his confusion. The young human had grown into a young lady, yet her sorrow remained; her mind, however, did not shift to anger but instead a gaze of despair placed on a blank face - a look that greatly saddened her Dragon companion.

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—

Suyeong collapsed on her knees, her arms resting on them as her blank face stared down the mass graveyard before her. There were many she did not know, many bodies that couldn't be found leading to an enumerable number of blank headstones.

It was regrettable to the two. Even with a spectacular memory, they could not remember the names of those they did not know and the unidentifiable corpses.

The ground shook as a shadowing figure took place next to her—the Last Dragon of Solstratos, her only companion, Salz'Atos.

The great Dragon let out a loud huff, smoke billowing out his nostrils.

"Su, it has been a long time."

"Yes."

"I know how you are still feeling, but I wish better for you."

She turned her head up at him, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"I hope for you to leave, traverse the outside world. Solitude will do you good no longer. While I might not be able to do so, you are different, as a human, civilization will do you good. It would... ease my worries if you were to do so."

Turning away from her scaled companion, she stared at the expansive graveyard once more before giving the darkening sky a once-over. It showed how long she had been sitting as it was bright when she first sat.

"I understand... But no. I-I will recede to the catacombs and rest," she paused. "Yes, long-awaited rest."

He nodded, "... As you wish."

"Wake me in the far future, at the shift of the stars. We shall see the rest of the world then."

Salz'Atos nodded again, lying on the ground, watching her turn and make her way to the ruins of their once brilliant home. "Rest well, Su." He whispered.

— — —

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—

Jolting awake, an ear-piercing roar shook Suyeong to the core. Her limp body thrashed around as she fell from her resting place in the wall.

Violently coughing, she grabbed at the fabric covering her chest, tears welling up in her eyes, she didn't know what was happening, no, she knew what exactly it was that happened.

She started panicking, hyperventilating while she struggled to catch her breath, her legs refused to listen to her.

Using the old pillars as support she dragged herself up from the ground and stumbled out of the catacombs, greeted by the sight of the ruins of Solastratos overtaken by nature, and the graves in the distance were significantly weathered.

But there was one change she had in the front of her mind. Salz'Atos was no longer on the island.

Her eyes shook, the tears she tried so hard to keep from falling, the ducts she had thought had long since dried up, scurried down her face. "So, it is true..."

The expression on her face was indecipherable. The lack of words was unnatural, like that of a doll, as she stood in silence, overlooking the mass graveyard for what felt like years.

After a long bout of silence, she let out a heavy breath, with sluggish movements, she moved toward the back of the mass graveyard, where there were dozens of large stones embedded within the ground; these were the graves of all the Dragons lost in the war with the Amazonians.

Far back, a slightly larger obsidian stone stood apart from the rest. This stone was blank.

It was for a day like this that this grave was made.

It was unknown to her how long it had been, but she read it over by the time she finished carving out words in the obsidian in the language of Dragons while tracing her fingers over them.

"Here lies a great Dragon, wonderful friend, and forever Eternal Partner. Salz'Atos. May you forever rest in peace and be welcomed by the Dragon God in Paradise."

Giving the stone a once over, a sigh of resignation left her. Picking up a bag, she placed it over her shoulder, passing by the comparably smaller stone next to it, not bothering to spare it a glance.

Making her way to the shores and boarding the boat she had prepared centuries ago, she set off from the island.

She stared at the Island intently as the gently blowing wind and subtle waves took her further, the ocean's salty sea breeze made its way to her nose as she held back a sniffle.

Her mind shifted slightly to the smaller stone she inscribed on before leaving: "Here lies Suyeong Willhouse. She died as she lived."

It was a somber act, perhaps the death of her last friend simply made that hidden truth apparent to her. She died long ago.

She was alone now. Truly alone.