Nero: The Last Dragon

Shiari and Dermesus

As we stepped into the suites, we noticed there were two beds in one room. I lifted my eyebrow under my hood knowing no one could see it. My hood is enchanted so no one can see or take off my hood. All they see is darkness. It was a trick I learned as a kid before my dragon emerged. I sighed as I took off the hood in front of Blanche. She is the only one who can see my face since she was the one who found me.

Blanche sucked in a deep breath as she looked at me. "Yes?" I lifted my eyebrow at her. She blushed a soft hue of pink and cleared her throat. "What exactly are you looking for?" Blanches purple eyes bore into mine. Blanche was from a long line of Verne clan. Her lineage has the closest connection to dragons. Her great grandmother was half dragon and still as powerful as a full blood dragon. "I'm looking for something important..." I trailed off. I placed my cloak on the chair and turned back to her. I squinted my eyes. "What can you tell me about the Verne witches?" I asked her. "Verne clan used to be a huge contributor to the Dermesus. We shipped clothing materials as well as fishing supplies." I motioned for her to sit as I pulled up a chair.

"I know the generics, Blanche. Tell me more about the Verne clan from your family stories and history." I sat in the chair and looked at her expectantly. "The Verne clan was the strongest clan besides Dermesus clan. We also had a special gift. The reason why we were so abundant in clothing material is because we created it. The stronger Verne dragons also had the gift of time." I sat up straighter as she spoke. "And what does the gift of time do?" I asked Blanche. "The gift of time allows us to never age... It also allows us to find anyone from any time period." She spoke. I felt like my body went into autopilot. I stood up abruptly and got ready for bed.

Dream Realm (Nero)

Shiari, get back here! Shiari's mom yelled through mindlink as she spoke to very important people within the meeting room. Shiari giggled. Shiari always ran away when things got too much at the castle. We were a small clan but rapidly growing with new rescues and baby dragons within the castle. Shiari ignored her calls and kept running through the meadows. Shiari loved the peaceful sound of nature. It was the only thing to calm her and her dragon.

Inhaling deeply, the purple isoconia verianes filled her nose with a heavenly smell. She stopped briefly to pick one of the downward bell-shaped flowers between her fingers to bring it closer to her nose. She inhaled softly, the strong smell of honeydew, amber, and vanilla filling her nostrils. I wish I could bottle this smell. Shiari pleasantly thought. A smile touched her face at the beautiful light blue butterfly passing by her.

She heard a tree branch snap from a distance, making an unnatural sound in comparison to the peaceful sound of birds. Her eyes slitted and she stood alert as her dragon took over her sight and hearing. Akira, what is it? Shiari linked her dragon. Someone has followed us here. They're close and alone. Akira warned. Lowering her body dangerously close to the ground, Shiari took off running. She was one of the fastest in the pack, besides Nero.

Her body moved so quickly that her mother used to joke that her movements was like water flowing. Akira made that statement truer. Still, in Shiari's fast form, the person was still way too close to her. Shiari?! Nero linked in a panic. He could feel her panic through their bond. Nero, someone has followed us. I am taking over for Shiari. This person is too fast. Akira linked back to Nero.

Akira sped through trees, nearly hitting them as she flowed by them in a hurry. Shiari's lungs burned as the forest drew darker and thicker. Akira pushed faster, taking in scenery to pass around the trees unharmed. The unknown person was slower, but still on her trail. Trees began to grow thicker, the daylight hard to see under the foliage. We can't shake them, Shiari.

You need to shift. Akira urged. My wingspan is too long! We won't make it! Shiari panicked. Shift without the wings. I will show you. Akira calmly said. Cracking sounds echoed through the silence of the dense forest as Shiari's bones elongated and shifted. Shiari barely touched the ground as she sped through the narrow trees.

She ran until she felt as though she wasn't being followed anymore. Breathing heavily, Shiari crouched down and waited to see if she could hear any noise. After a few minutes, she heard nothing but the sound of nature. She stood up slowly and took a step. Shoot! Her foot caught a rock and she tripped, almost going over the edge of a cliff. She scurried away from the cliff as a part of it gave out. Shiari.

Akira linked. Shiari continued to panic looking at the 400 ft drop to the ground. Shiari. Akira urged. Shiari barely heard her. SHIARI! Akira boomed through the link. WHAT?! Shiari linked back in a panic. Look. Akira said. Shiari turned her head and saw land. Lots of it that stretched for miles. Thousands of acres surrounded by forest.

No one had been this far out, so no one knew what was beyond the trees. There were waterfalls and bird species she had never seen. The land was smooth and had no large amounts of trees. The ground... It looks like-- Shiari's thoughts were interrupted. Shiari! Nero linked. Before she could respond, Nero burst through the trees and hugged her. She grunted as he squeezed her.

"Okay, brother." She laughed. He looked at her with seriousness. "Why did you run?" His anger grew. "Someone was following me, but brother--" He paced as Shiari spoke. "Who was chasing you this far?" His arms flailed angrily. Noxin started to make ground started to shake. "Nero, stop!" Shiari panicked as the cliff gave way a little more. Nero closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. After the ground stopped shaking, he looked at her.

"Look." She pointed. His eyes widened as he followed her direction. "What is this?" Nero gaped. They stared at the land that no one knew about. "Our new home." Shiari smiled. Nero smiled at her, knowing she found the answers to their problems. Our clan spent two years building Dermesus into what it was. We all brought in the strongest clans of dragons to live for a year while we started to branch out to make other cities for them to live in.

Lower ranked dragon clans were brought in and taught the same way everyone was. We all traded with agreements to live in peace and harmony. For a while, we did. But of course, not every clan wanted the help from us in that way. We gave them resources to help them build and the ones that didn't take the help eventually disbanded. Some rogue dragons came to us for help while others became their own clan. That clan was violent and took all the resources from other clans through shifty contracts.

They legalized the downfall of clans one by one. There was nothing Dermesus could do. And then the riots happened. We lived at peace for 1000 years before the Rogue King felt as though he deserved all the lands and 80% of all goods. No one agreed to that, so the rogue clans took matters into their own hands. Women and children were taken to their doom until Dermesus decided to fight back. Shiari and Nero fought clans' side by side until their final clan.

The Rogue King's clan. "We do not touch the King, Nero." Shiari emphasized. Nero brushed her off, ready to fight. She touched his arm, and he froze. "I'm serious. He could hurt you." Shiari looked at him with love. "I will be fine, sister. Our duty is to protect one another." Nero said. They fixed their armor and went on the battlefield. Rogues by the thousands filled the grounds, leaving no space open. Nero and Shiari went through hundreds in less than 60 seconds.

Rogue claws swung from every direction as they slid across the ground, allowing their elongated claws to sl**h through the rogues. They fought for hours, taking out every rogue in their path. It's too many! Shiari exclaimed through link. We're almost done, step back. I can take over. Nero linked back. He was tired but he could keep going. He was trained his entire life for this.

They both were, though, Nero knew his sister had been through a lot. He fought through hundreds more Rogue clan members, leaving 20 heaving and seething. "Nero!" Shiari screamed a blood curling sound. As my head turned to her, I hit the ground. "Nero!" I heard her faintly scream.

"Nero? NERO?!" I jumped awake as Blanche stared at me concerned. My elongated claws shred through my sheets in my sleep. I breathed deeply and retracted my claws. "Sorry." I mumbled as I raked my fingers through my hair. The room was silent for a long moment. The sound of people busily moving outside brought me to reality. "What is it, Blanche?" I asked somberly. She looked at me with kind eyes. "The soldiers told us we have to be ready in an hour. She smiled sadly. I got up and prepared my clothing. "Shiari was a wonderful woman, Nero. I'm glad to have known her." I stopped in my tracks. "Y--You knew Shiari?" I turned to her.