Roratha could feel her heart beating in her ears while hiding behind a tree. She looked over to her right and saw a tree being pulverized, along with the Persequion hiding behind it, by a falling feather. Her breathing picked up as she turned towards her father to her left. She stared at him.

"Rora… What do you think you're doing?" Dravemir pleaded with his daughter. As he saw the look in her eyes.

"Saving us…" Roratha then burst from behind the tree; at that moment a feather ripped apart the tree she was hiding behind.

"Rora!!!" Dravemir shouted as he watched his daughter run into the falling feathers.

Roratha's breathing picked up as her eyes dilated, bringing her focus to a peak. She reached out her hand, forming a portal in front of her. A feather heading straight for her disappeared. She looked over her shoulder and felt the feather she sent away curving back around, heading towards their location.

This development did not rattle her. She did not panic; she pushed forward as several more feathers locked in on her. She stopped pushing forward, holding her hands out to create a portal. Then she formed portals within the portals, having their openings overlap and reversed. The feathers were shredded by their own power.

She licked her lips as her eyes scanned the area with incredible speed. She spread her arms out with a shout as portals formed in front of every Persequion and Theronite she could perceive. The feathers raced into those portals, never to return, as they were all destroyed.

Drakhalon looked on with wide eyes. Everyone said the two were equal in talent, but he could have never imagined coming up with that idea in such a situation. Let alone having the courage to test such an idea in the heat of the moment. Drakhalon sighed as he closed his eyes, knowing what he needed to do.

"Dammit…" Roratha mumbled, unable to bring herself to her feet. Another volley of feathers was headed their way, and she had exhausted herself.

"Well done, little one. An excellent idea and a flawless execution. Your father will take it from here. Drakhalon, watch her." Dravemir walked in front of Roratha, his cloak blowing in the wind. He extended his hand, and countless portals formed a protective dome, shredding the feathers as they made contact with it. He had taken Roratha's idea and used his superior power and skill to amplify its principles. He then let out a sigh.

"Give her 20 years, and she'll be better than any of us can hope to imagine. We need to ensure she gets out of here alive," Dravemir said.

"Agreed…" Drakhalon and the remaining Elders arrived next to Dravemir.

"Drakhalon, you need to survive too. We can't leave Heka in the hands of your brother." Dravemir was chastised.

"Uncle… I was always meant to be a warrior; my brother is much more suited for politics. I believe in my brother. Maybe if more of us did…" Drakhalon began to say, but was cut off,

"You shouldn't… Some people are just lost causes. But I won't deny you your choice."

"Father, I can still fight." Roratha cried out from the back.

"I'm aware, but not every battle must be fought now. We must prepare for the future, and now more than ever… we need the strongest warriors possible awaiting Auranthos' Threnos. If this creature or its offspring isn't the coming storm, then I don't know what is." Dravemir sighed.

"You can not stop me from coming… Will you deny me MY choice?!" Roratha frowned.

"No…but will you not honor a dying man's last wish?" Dravemir's expression softened.

"Then hurry up and die, old man!" Roratha shouted as tears rolled down her eyes.

"Goodbye, my sweet child. You three stay with her and try to escape. You need to tell everyone what happened here. We must avoid this dragon and her offspring until Auranthos' Threnos has come." Dravemir spoke and then looked up. The rain of feathers had stopped. The dragon's voice echoed through the dome.

"You don't have to worry… I will let those 4 leave once this is over. After all, a tragedy can only properly be relayed by witnesses. So please, dear child, witness their struggle." The Red Dragon turned her head in their direction and let out a gentle breath. A wisp of flames flowed from her mouth and raced through the forest. Everything that small wisp of flame touched instantly devolved into nothing, not even leaving ash behind.

The flame touched the barrier causing the space it was composed of to instantly crumble. Dravemir saw that terrifying flame moving towards them with a mind of its own.

"Scratter!!!" He shouted as they all spread out in separate directions. The wisp of flame split itself to follow the Persequions but completely ignored Roratha and the three Elders. The elders closed their eyes in despair, knowing that they were nothing more than playthings in the face of this dragon. However, Roratha never took her eyes off of what she was seeing.

In a matter of moments, the remaining Persequions and Theronites fell prey to that living flame. A simple touch from it was all it took to guarantee their death, leaving nothing behind. A minute later, all that remained were Drakhalon and Dravemir. Only by the grace of their spatial abilities were they able to stay alive until this point.

"Uncle… I refuse to just run until I die! I want to at least hit that beast once!" Drakhalon! he shouted.

"Agreed!!!" Dravemir shouted as the two shifted their bodies and charged towards the Red Dragon. They found earlier that they could not directly teleport to the dragon's location. The Red Dragon was interfering with their teleportation. Even now, the longer they rushed towards the dragon, the further away it seemed.

"Ridiculous creature!!" Dravemir shouted in protest as he avoided the licking of flames that came at him from his blind spot. This monster had a body with the strength to rip through space itself, could breathe fire that spelled instant death and could control space better than any of them could imagine.

Drakhalon and Dravemir finally found themselves staring at the dragon's enormous tail. However, this was not cause for celebration.

"Ah, shit." They both cursed as the tail swung open.

That single swipe sent a shock wave that leveled everything in its path. The forest in front of it was reduced to splinters. Dravemir and Drakhalon managed to defend themselves, but not well enough. The right side of Drakhalon's body was completely crushed, while both of Dravemir's legs were missing.

"Rora!!! Rora!!!" Dravemir cried out.

"I'm alive, Father!!!" Roratha's quaking voice cried out.

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That tail swipe had decimated everything in its path, but its wave of destruction magically did not touch Roratha's group.

"I told you the girl will be fine. I keep my word." The Red Dragon called.

"Uncle!!" Drakhalon rushed to Dravemir's side and attempted to pick him up.

"Don't bother, boy. This old man is done. Focus on punching that thing in the face for me. And leaving a will for your child." Dravemir smiled, and then his eyes widened. With all the strength he had remaining, he pushed Drakhalon aside as a tongue of flame lashed down on them. It engulfed Dravemir's body, leaving nothing behind. Roratha's pained wailing could be heard in the distance.

Drakhalon glared at the Red Dragon.

"What? Are you upset you couldn't say your goodbyes? I have already extended more than enough courtesy. In fact, I'll extend a final courtesy to you. Do you have a child on the way? Leave your words for them." The Red Dragon, who had not moved from its initial spot, closed its eyes and laid down its head. Drakhalon looked over his remaining shoulder, towards Roratha.

"Tell my child, it doesn't matter what they decide to do with their life. I will be proud. And to learn from their idiot father and never provoke a sleeping dragon." Drakhalon smiled.

"Wise words." The Red Dragon spoke as she turned and snorted in Drakhalon's direction.

That snort released a stream of flames from her mouth that engulfed Drakhalon. However, that stream of flames formed a layer around Drakhalon, who was still alive. The Red Dragon had a look that could only be described as shock, as the body of flames that used to be Drakhalon charged at her like a comet.

Drakhalon had created a portal barrier around himself that took the shape of his body. It consisted of two portals that kept the flames in a constant loop of flowing in and out of each other. Every time the flames passed through the portal, the portal would be destroyed. Leaving Drakhalon with no choice but to create a new portal in response. It was a feat that was impressive even in the Red Dragon's eyes.

"Die by your own flames!!!" Drakhalon shouted as he rushed at her.

The Red Dragon's front claw rose to block the charging Drakhalon in his tracks. She then turned her claw to look at the boy bound in the middle of her palm. He was bound there unable to move by an invisible force. There were light singe marks on her palm, but nothing more.

"That was quite impressive for a human. Even some Fins would struggle with what you just did."

"Ridiculous, monster." Drakhalon spat as the Red Dragon's claws closed, smothering the fire and Drakhalon's life.

"Ah well, you multiply like rabbits; there will be one more talented to replace you sooner or later." The Red Dragon grumbled to herself as she laid her head down again.

"Wait!" Roratha's voice called out to the Red Dragon,

"Ah, speaking of one more talented… What is it, girl? Why are you still here?" The Red Dragon's voice echoed through space.

"I am Roratha Murmus; I request to know your name."

"Ah… right. How rude of me. I am Elunara Quqe Zymuji-Somnion, a descendant of the Brood of Tiamat, the Keeper of Dreams. I'll be going by Nina Zym while I'm here."

"Nina Zym… Was all this necessary?" Roratha narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not the one you should be asking that. For me, absolutely." The Red Dragon chuckled.

"How? How could all this… needless death be necessary? With your power, you could have forcefully removed us, and we would be able to do nothing." Roratha asked.

"But then you would not know fear. Now let me ask you a question. If you had won today, what do you think would have happened? If I'm lucky, you would have killed me and my child. Tell me… what would you do to protect your child? Your father is dead, but if he were alive, I'm sure he'd agree. If it's to protect our children, there is very little we won't do. I'd reduce this speck of dust to ash, if necessary." The Red Dragon let out a dark chuckle.

Roratha watched the dragon from a distance. She thought the Dragon hadn't moved because she didn't take them seriously. However, the more she spoke, the more obvious the reason became. She didn't want to leave that egg unattended even for a second. Not only that, it also seemed as if the Red Dragon was…tired.

Roratha wasn't sure if what she was seeing was accurate or just the hopeful wishes of a daughter, praying that her father didn't die in vain. There were so many questions that she wished to ask about the murder of her father. Where did she come from? Was she hiding or running from something? But none of that actually mattered at this point.

"Hopefully, it won't have to come to that." Roratha lowered her head, still holding back tears. There wasn't a shred of her father or the others left to even bury. Nina promised a tragedy and delivered an inescapable nightmare.

"Hopefully it will not," Nina said as she opened a portal behind Roratha and the remaining Elders.

"You can leave now. Be sure to tell the others that this world is now mine. But as long as you don't concern yourselves with me or my child, you are free to go about your business." As she spoke, the forest that was just decimated moments ago began to regrow. Roratha let out a defeated sigh and walked through the portal with the elder trailing behind her.

***********

Kenji and Ume sat there in silence. Kenji thought he fully understood the scope of Nina's might, but he didn't understand anything.

"This is so messed up. I… I didn't know she killed your father… mother, I."

"Don't for a second think of making trouble with that woman over someone long dead. I had forgiven Nina the moment you were born. Because it was then I fully understood her conviction to protect her child." Roratha smiled at Kenji, who hung his head.

"It doesn't help that we voluntarily broke into a dragon's nest and made demands of it. We had been on top of the food chain for too long and received a rather rude awakening." Roratha let out a defeated chuckle.

"Besides, from everything you've told me, you are more genetically related to her than I was to my own father, and I've seen firsthand how much that thing cares for its offspring. This is a blessing."

"But why didn't she tell me?" Kenji wondered.

"It wasn't her story to tell. Why don't you ask her about it? The next time you see her?" Roratha smiled.

"You don't want revenge?" Ume asked.

"Revenge is reserved for those with the strength to take it and the resolve to deal with the resulting consequences. For the rest, we must learn to forgive and forget." Roratha smiled.

Ume sighed. Roratha had resigned herself to the power of a dragon, wiping all potentially foolish thoughts from her mind. The Darkest Day must have left her with a significant amount of trauma.

"Wait… what happened to Uncle Drakhalon's child?" Kenji asked.

"He died…not long after you were born."

"Did he die, or was he killed?" Ume asked.

"What do you think?" Roratha gave a knowing look to Ume.

Kenji clenched his fist, as it was clear who was responsible.

"Aron is an incompetent coward…" Kenji mumbles.

"Exactly…" Roratha confirmed.

Drakhalon's son was as talented as his father; it was plain for anyone to see. However, Devin proved to be more talented than both. Aron could not risk his son's position being taken and had Drakhalon's son killed.

"Is Devin as incompetent as his father?" Ume asked.

"No. Actually, Selistar's talent matches my own… if not eclipses it. He also inherited his intelligence from his mother. By the grace of some god, the only thing he inherited from his father is his face." Roratha smirked, with a bit of pride. She despised Aron, but she could never fully bring herself to completely hate Devin.

"Thank you for telling us everything, but we should be heading back," Ume said as she stood up.

"Yes, of course. You have a lot to do."

"Mom, about Dad."

"Don't worry about your father. As long as the two of us are alive, Aron wouldn't dare kill him. He's too much of a coward to throw away leverage." Roratha gave her son a hug and a kiss on his forehead.

"Get going. Give Zac my greetings, and tell him my story." Roratha smiled.

Kenji waved goodbye as he teleported Ume and himself away. Roratha waved her hand sealing the spatial distribution left by Kenji and looked over her shoulder. Five cloaked figures appeared through a portal, and a familiar voice spoke.

"Looks like we just missed Aiono."

"He prefers Mythara…" Roratha sighed as she turned to face the intruders.

"Aunt Rora, I don't want to hurt you." The leader removed his hood.

"Little Selistar… I was going to say the same thing."

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