Sacrifices

Maybe she and her friend should have avoided this place.

Yamuna wrapped her tail around herself and the smaller person near her, Castell. Surrounding them stood the pale-green dragons former allies. She once held a finely kept secret only known to her and Castell, but now, the other knew what it was. The mystery she beheld became open for those to battle her over, and to run would be to surrender her own life. Today, Yamuna and her small friend couldn't escape from the omnipotent eyes of Riavelon. Her friends devoted themselves first and foremost to their country, and their former friend would be their first victim.

Yamuna backed away, keeping her tail in-place to serve as a shield for the oncoming barrage. Her face was frozen into a silent scream as her former friends approached. She knew full well that once they got close enough, her scales would be torn out within seconds, her wings shredded into pieces, her legs marred with scars, and her face made unrecognizable. The dragon knew that Castell would be stolen away and questioned for what they hid and what innate powers they harbored; Yamuna knew that this would at least be the end for her. No more would she log the history of the world. The past is destined to be falsified now, marked by her untimely demise.

The presence of a dead end closed on her as the dragon felt her hind legs graze the chilly rock of the mountain behind her and Castell. The distance between each other suffocated her, leaving her mind in a frenzy. As a last resort, Yamuna panicked and slid her satchel of papers onto the ground, hoping that they wouldn’t see. Her ally beside her balled up her hands, a resentful frown carved into their face.  Yamuna breathed. Never in her life did she need to fight. Never did the dragon imagine that she wanted to tear her friend's faces off, but anything could happen in this cursed life.

Outstretching her dull claws, Yamuna roared as she struck the first of them square in the face. This dragon with violet scales stumbled backward, only hate resonating in their visage. One by one, that dragon and his accomplices roared consecutively before clawing at Yamuna and Castell like two tigers battling over their territory. The smaller one of the two slipped from under her friend’s tail and engulfed herself in brilliant light, the dragons in front of them sealing their eyes. Yamuna ducked under the torrent of claws as she slammed her tail into two of the other dragons. They tumbled over, the ground beneath them rumbling under their combined weights. This willed the soldier with scales of blood left to purge his former colleague off the face of Eph. Scorching flames curled around Yamuna’s scales. She screamed in agony, blood streaming from beneath her scales, now covered in soot. Soon, his two associates rejoined him in the battle, and it seemed like only the Creator could save Yamuna and Castell now.

The air around Yamuna grew blinding as Castell finally assumed their avian form. Like a falcon hunting for prey, Castell struck the bloodied soldier, his neck spurting out blood as he choked for air. Yamuna reeled back. Her own pain was nothing compared to his state. Dead he was, just like that. Their retaliation carried on as the violet dragon from earlier met her fate by a well-timed strike in the forehead. However, only fear flooded Yamuna's mind as the golden fighter left previously unmentioned soon seized her friend in his grip, pulling them downward.

The once sturdy foundation cracked beneath them as a few pebbles fell from the side. Deep maroon trailed down Castell’s feathers as their enemy thrashed their pretty face. Pinning them down, the dragon took a deep breath as the searing heat built itself into his maw. Without hesitation, Yamuna threw herself at him, struggling to plunge her claws beneath his natural armor. She was only a fly to him, throwing her back into the wall with a horrifying thud; behind him shimmered the glister, Castell’s comeback. The light consumed him as quickly as he caught them, the dragon’s death throes willing him to land one final blow to Castell, right near their heart. He died as he did so, leaving Castell coughing up blood as the ground shook between them. Yamuna stumbled up to her feet and staggered over to her wounded friend, staring in horror at the feat their shared enemy did.

She was no surgeon, nor was she a doctor at all, but Yamuna helplessly attempted pulling out the claws pierced through Castell’s flesh. If she could cry, she would have. Fear almost paralyzed her as she noticed the length the dragon's claws reached. Her avian friend hacked up more blood as Yamuna jerked the hand out from their breast, falling backward as the ground loudly shuddered beneath the weight of five.

“Y-Yamun…” Castell choked, “Yamuna!”

“W… what is it?”

“I’m n-not going to... “ With every word they spoke, blood spilled from their mouth, “I won’t live.”

“But we won this fight! You can’t…”

“They wanted… to capture me. I… am the scion of courage. They...  wanted me… as their slave. I will die… knowing I’m free... “

“YOU CAN’T!” Yamuna bellowed, crawling to her friend as they kept coughing.

“I want you… to keep that scroll… safe… please...”

The large bluff beneath them finally gave away as Yamuna fluttered up, roaring in anguish. She watched all the people she once knew plummet into oblivion. Her claws grasped at the jagged edge of the mountain, not able to say goodbye to those she knew. The only thing on her mind now was to keep that satchel safe from all harm, whether it meant killing others or not. The piece of the rite needed to be kept safe or else the secrets that lie beneath the ground of Ang would never be unlocked. That was what Castell wanted; that is what Yamuna has promised to do. It was all for her late best friend.

She would never forget the fun they had together in their many adventures, ambling through the canyons of Riavelon or relaxing on the beaches of Ang. Many troubles they faced head-on, but today, both finally succumbed.