— S-Seraphine?! — I exclaimed, startled, unable to hide the shock of seeing her there.
— Ah… Hello, Seraphine! What brings you here? — said Aurëalis, with a calm and unconcerned voice, lying back down on top of me as if nothing unusual were happening.
— Aurëalis… but what… is this? — murmured Seraphine, with her mouth agape at the scene unfolding before her.
— Hm? What do you mean, "what is this"? — Aurëalis replied, raising an eyebrow and frowning, genuinely confused by her friend's reaction.
— Y-You're… lying on a male, your tails are intertwined and… he's… A VOID DRAGON?! — Seraphine shouted, while her voice rose with each word as if she were incapable of processing what she was seeing.
— Sigh… I knew this would happen… See, Aurëalis? — I commented, letting out an exhausted sigh, already anticipating the storm that was coming.
But Aurëalis simply tightened her paws around my neck, pulling me into a protective — and suffocating — hug.
— Agh… I'm… running out of air… what are you… doing? — I asked, writhing uselessly.
— Stay quiet. I'll take care of this, okay? — she answered, with a serene smile.
While we exchanged that brief dialogue, Seraphine was staring at us with a completely lost expression, as if trying to put together a puzzle with pieces from different games.
— AURËALIS, THIS IS… — she began, outraged, but was cut off.
— Seraphine, first of all… take a deep breath and calm down. — said Aurëalis with a firm, authoritative tone, the kind of voice that didn't allow disobedience.
Immediately, Seraphine stiffened and nodded, swallowing hard.
— R-Right… — she murmured, sitting down on the ground.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Aurëalis spoke again with the same lethal calm as before.
— Alright. I imagine you have many questions, don't you?
— Yes… I have a lot, I just… — Seraphine started, but was once again interrupted.
— Before anything else, though… you answer me first. Why are you here? And how did you find us in this exact place? — Aurëalis asked, with a sharpening gaze, that looked more like a blade.
Her tail swayed slowly, like a predator on alert.
— A-Aurëalis? — I called, a bit frightened by the growing intensity in her voice.
She turned slightly, casting a piercing look at me.
— And you too, Kyrion… Why did you call Seraphine like that? As if you were already close? Hm? The way you said her name, it even sounded like you two had a past… — she continued, then leaned in, sniffing my neck again. But this time, there was no sweetness in the gesture. It was the sniffing of a cautious… territorial creature.
— Agh… now I'm in trouble too? — I muttered, feeling a chill as the warm air of her breath brushed against my skin.
At that moment, I instantly remembered Aurëalis's previous outburst of fury, which made my body go into high alert.
— So? Which one of you is going to start talking? — she asked, in a gentle voice, but one heavy with tension — like the calm before a storm.
— My patience has limits. And they're not very far off right now… — she added, while her claws pressed lightly against my scales, like a subtle — yet threatening — reminder of her strength.
Seraphine and I gulped at the same time, like two creatures being judged by an supreme being.
That's when Seraphine, gathering courage, finally replied:
— A-Aurëalis… I came here because… your father asked me to call you. He wants to talk with you alone, through the divine projector… in your room. — she said, with a trembling voice.
— And as for finding you here… Well, while I was looking for you, I sensed a trace of your power and just followed it. You've been disappearing after classes for a while now, becoming more distant. We decided not to interfere, but… now I understand why. — She finished, lowering her gaze.
— Hmm… so that's what it was… — murmured Aurëalis, visibly calmer now, though still wary.
Seraphine nodded in silence.
— I see… — said Aurëalis.
Then, slowly, she turned her gaze to me.
— Now it's your turn, Kyrion. Why did you call Seraphine like that? With such familiarity?
— What?... Ah… I just… I just called her by her name. You always called her that way in the many stories you told me about you and your friends. Also, there were several times I passed through the hallway and saw you surrounded by people, talking with your friends. In many of those times, I heard you calling that same girl Seraphine, so… I remembered. I'm good at remembering names and faces… that's all. — I answered, trying to sound as innocent as possible, even though I felt the tension inside me about to erupt like a volcano.
— That's all… I swear. — I added.
Aurëalis stared at me for a long time. Her eyes scanned every microexpression, as if searching for the tiniest spark of lie.
— Sigh… I see. — she said, after a long sigh.
— I'm saved… — I thought, relaxing for a brief moment.
But the truce didn't last long.
— Kyrion… just one more thing… — she said, bringing her paws to my face and grabbing my cheeks with overwhelming strength.
— YOU SHOULDN'T LOOK AT ANOTHER FEMALE, UNDERSTOOD?! I ONLY PAY ATTENTION TO YOU, SO YOU CAN ONLY LOOK AT ME, GOT IT?! — she yelled, growling softly, with narrowed eyes, while stretching my cheeks as far as physics allowed.
— AAAAGHH… O-OKAY… I GOT IT… I SWEAR! — I pleaded, with my eyes wide, and my mouth distorted from the pull.
— ARE YOU SURE YOU GOT IT?! — she insisted, stretching even more.
— AGHHHH… I-I GOT IT, I GOT IT!! — I screamed, nearly in tears.
— I SWEAR, AGH… — I shouted, in complete desperation.
Aurëalis stared at me for a few more seconds… and finally, she let me go.
— Tsk… Hmpf… I'll trust you. But if this happens again, I'll lock you up somewhere and you won't come out until I say so, GOT IT?!
— Yes… — I replied, rubbing my cheeks, which were now burning like they were on fire.
— Sigh… Very well. Now that my doubts have been cleared, as promised, I'll explain everything to you, Seraphine… and after that, I don't want you coming here ever again. Don't even look for Kyrion. Understood? — said Aurëalis, with a voice still dripping with irritation, though she was trying to keep her composure.
— Y-Yes, Miss Aurëalis… understood… — Seraphine replied with a trembling voice, now speaking to her friend with almost formal respect.
— Great. Let's get started… First off, about me and this airhead right here —
— We're together. That's right. Just like you're imagining. He's mine. I'm his. Marriage, hatchlings, everything. That's our relationship. And before you ask again — yes, he's a Void Dragon. And no, I don't care. Not now. Not ever. — declared Aurëalis with a firmness that echoed like a sacred vow, as her eyes sparkled with fierce determination.
At that moment, a chill ran down my spine.
— Agh… Wait… marriage?! — I muttered to myself, still trying to process it, when suddenly:
— KYRION… QUIET. — she said fiercely, pinching my cheeks again like she was about to rip them off.
Aurëalis's words weren't just a declaration. They were a sentence. Final. Undeniable.
— AAAGH… OKAY, I'LL SHUT UP… — I replied, nearly in tears, feeling them well up from the pressure on my cheeks.
— But Miss Aurëalis… — Seraphine began in a worried tone.
— You know how your father is about this! If he finds out you're with an unrecognized male — and worse, a Void Dragon — he'll do everything he can to end this relationship!
She spoke quickly, anxious, like she was trying to save her friend from an impending disaster.
Aurëalis, still squeezing my cheeks like modeling clay, finally let me go.
Instinctively, I brought my paws to my face, massaging the sore, throbbing skin.
— And besides… a Void Dragon, Aurëalis? Of all the races? There are so many more… acceptable males you could... —
But she didn't get to finish.
Suddenly, a dense, overwhelming aura erupted from Aurëalis. The ground trembled softly. The leaves suspended in the air froze mid-flight, and even time itself seemed to hesitate.
The silence that followed was so absolute that hurted to hear it.
Aurëalis's eyes now glowed with a deep red and white — as if the light of the heavens and the ones from the abyss had merged within her gaze.
— Seraphine… — she called, with a low voice, yet sharp as a blade.
— Listen closely. If you don't want to lose your head, choose your words more carefully when speaking about Kyrion. Are we clear?
That was a warning to Seraphine, that thundered through the chest of anyone who heard it.
Seraphine gulped and began to tremble. For a moment, she couldn't even respond.
I, for my part, was completely still, just watching everything with extreme tension.
After a few suffocating seconds, Seraphine finally stammered:
— U-understood… Miss…
After that, Aurëalis let out a long sigh, and her aura began to fade, as if the air started moving again.
— Sigh… Okay. — she said, now visibly calmer.
— You said you came here because my father sent you here for me, right? — she asked soon after.
— Exactly. — Seraphine replied in a rush, like she wanted to avoid another emotional quake.
— Right. Tsk… What a pain… — Aurëalis muttered, rolling her eyes.
Then, she turned to me, with her expression softening instantly, and rested her head on mine.
— I'm sorry… — she whispered in my ear, with a sweet voice, yet laced with sadness.
— I wanted to spend more time with you today, but… I'll have to leave earlier than I planned…
Then, with a gentle smile, she continued:
— But tomorrow… tomorrow we'll spend the whole day together. At first light, I'll be waiting for you at the male dorm exit, got it? And you better show up… because if you don't, when I find you… we're going to have a looong talk. — she said, with a tone dangerously soft, like honey dripping over poison.
And then, she began covering my neck and cheeks with little kisses, as if marking me — sealing me with sweet, possessive affection… but undeniably threatening.
— Was I clear? — she whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.
— Y-Yes… — I answered with a trembling voice, while — even if I hated to admit it — part of me actually liked it. A lot.
For a few seconds, we stayed silent, until suddenly, she made an unexpected request:
— Can I take… just one of your scales with me? — she asked, with her eyes glowing softly, contrasting with the weight of her question.
Right then, I snapped out of a trance I hadn't even realized I was in.
— W-WHAT?! NO WAY! — I shouted, shocked by the sudden and absurd request.
— What? Why not? C'mon… let me… — she said, almost convincingly.
— I'm tired of people always cutting our time short, so… at least let me take something of you with me.
She spoke while continuing to subtly sniff me, sending constant shivers through my body.
— I said no! You do know how much it hurts to rip off a scale, right?! — I shot back, trying to resist her increasingly bold advances.
— But I won't let it hurt, I promise… — she whispered with a mischievous smile.
— I even picked the one I want… — she finished, gently touching one of the scales on my neck.
— Aurëalis, I already told you no... — I insisted, stepping back slightly, while she continued with that calm, teasing look.
Seraphine, who had been merely a spectator to all that madness, seemed unsure whether she was more shocked or embarrassed.
Then, completely unexpectedly, Aurëalis, with a quick, smooth, precise, and even painless movement, pulled off the scale she wanted so badly from my neck. Before I could react, I felt something detach from my body, and when I looked back, surprised, I saw that Aurëalis was holding one of my scales between her fingers. Immediately after, she quickly touched the exact spot where she had removed it, healing the area with a faint and gentle glow. No pain had reached me until that point — only sheer bewilderment.
— A-Aurëalis... Why… did you do that? — I asked, trying to understand the reason behind that gesture, even after I'd told her not to.
— Kyrion… I already explained why. Every time we're together, something comes up to interrupt us. Always. And I… I'm tired of it. Tired of watching our moments being stolen, like the universe is against us.
She took a deep breath, trying to hold back the emotion in her voice.
— If I can't have you all the time, then at least… I want something that's just mine. Something that reminds me of you every time I look at it. That carries your scent, your presence… your essence. Something to help me hold on until the day we can finally be together for real — no more interruptions, no one between us.
Then she paused briefly, with her eyes glassy with emotion.
— And I'm doing my best for that... to make that day come. I'm planning everything, working hard, fighting against everyone and everything. I just need a little more time...
Her voice trembled, now softer.
— I'm sorry for not respecting your wishes, really. I know I crossed a line… but this scale was something I needed to have.
She then averted her gaze for a moment, with her expression turning sweeter, yet still filled with guilt.
— And, like I promised... you didn't feel any pain, right? I'd never let that happen. Never, under any circumstances.
Her crimson-red eyes, with white slits, met mine again, filled with genuine sadness.
— So... please... don't be mad at me... — she pleaded, almost in a whisper, as her eyes begged for forgiveness, as if the mere thought of having hurt me was enough to shatter her.
That, somehow, erased any trace of anger or frustration inside me — if I had truly felt those things at all in the first place. Just seeing her like that, so sincere, so vulnerable, made everything inside me go quiet. In its place, a warm, growing feeling of understanding took root together with a nearly desperate desire to never let that sad expression return to her face.
At that moment, all I wanted was to protect her. And if that meant giving up every one of my scales, one by one... then so be it. I'd give everything — everything — to make sure she never had to feel insecure again.
— Sigh... Aurëalis, it's true you disobeyed me and did exactly what I asked you not to do — I began, lying back down and closing my eyes with a tired sigh.
— But… it's also true that you kept your promise. You didn't let me feel any pain. And honestly… only you could do something like that and get away with it — I continued, showing a faint smile.
— So don't worry, okay? Just… take good care of that scale.
I paused briefly, feeling the warmth of her presence still on me, as her gentle paw continued healing my neck.
— I could never be mad at you… not over something like this — I added, feeling my face flush slightly.
She remained there, motionless, silent, as if absorbing every word. Still healing my skin, but clearly touched by what she had just heard.
In the very next instant, Aurëalis' eyes sparkled, uniquely happy.
— Thank you, my love! Thank you so much! I love you so much… — she said, excitedly, hugging me tightly and planting a nearly violent series of kisses all over my face.
After a few seconds, I was completely drained, as if I'd just weathered a storm. She, on the other hand, seemed more energized than ever.
— Well… now that I've got this scale, I think I can manage being away from you until tomorrow — she said with a dramatically playful tone, holding my scale like it was the greatest trophy she had ever won.
— So… I'm heading out now.
Then, she gave me one last long kiss on the cheek and got off my back, finally freeing me.
All I could say was:
— Okay… — in a dragged-out, exhausted voice.
— And don't forget: I'll be waiting for you tomorrow morning. Outside the male dorms. Got it? — she said, with a look that made it clear she wouldn't accept any excuses.
I just nodded, completely resigned.
Aurëalis then turned around, called for Seraphine, and skipped off into the forest as if she were floating with joy.
I, on the other hand, remained there, sprawled on the grass for a few more minutes, feeling every part of my body as heavy as lead. All my energy had been drained — or rather, sucked out — by the force of nature that was Aurëalis.
My body didn't even respond properly anymore. It was on autopilot. I just wanted to sleep. Not think, not talk, not feel. Just sleep.
After a while, the sky was beginning to darken, which meant it was time to return to the dorms.
— Sigh... it's already… getting dark, huh? — I thought.
— Tsk… I didn't get a moment of rest… — I muttered to myself.
And then, with the little energy I had left, I slowly got up, transformed into my human form, and began walking toward the dorm. Every step felt like a battle, every movement a torture.
When I arrived, I unlocked the door with difficulty. The place was empty since Karix hadn't returned yet.
— Tsk… Aurëalis… really wrecked me today… agh… — I muttered, closing the door behind me.
— I didn't even work out, and still, I feel like my muscles are going to rip apart…
I said, dragging myself toward the room, massaging my neck where the scale had been pulled out.
Once in front of my room, I pushed the door open, walked in, and shut it behind me.
Inside, I collapsed onto the bed without even bothering to change. The mattress swallowed me whole, as if rescuing me from the world. The dark, silent room was all I needed.
Thus, I closed my eyes, and finally, my whole body relaxed all at once, as if I had been switched off by an invisible button.
I was exhausted, and that night, I passed out in seconds, sleeping like a rock until the next morning.
Message from the Author
Hello, everyone! How are you doing?
First of all, I want to apologize for the delay in posting the new chapter. I had to fix some important details to make everything exactly the way I envisioned it — and now it finally is!
From now on, we'll be back to our regular weekly updates, just like before. So no need to worry!
Lastly, if you think there's anything that could be improved, feel free to leave a comment! After all, your opinion is really important and helps the story to grow even more.
Thank you for your patience and constant support!
See you in the next chapter.
Sincerely,
SilentWalker