Draikan: The World of Dragons

~ 39 ~

~ Chapter Thirty Nine ~

"I'm sorry for causing so many problems. I've ruined your home."

I continued with my apologies when I didn't hear anything from the two men before me. At this point I was balling my eyes out. The tears wouldn't stop. I was literally pouring out the pent up rage, guilt, and sadness from the moment I arrived until now.

"Make her shut up! Can someone say something now?"

Through my blurry vision, I couldn't really see behind the two men. But the woman's voice belonged to someone I knew.

I wiped my face with my dirty hands and attempted to calm down. I hiccuped one last time before finally controlling myself.

At some point I had gotten myself into a sitting position. Thanks to this, I saw Tiana across from me. She laid against a tree with her arms holding two large items wrapped in leaves. Her face looked exhausted. She had dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was damp from her sweat, as well as the small clumps of muddy water. Her tanned skin was covered in bruises, dirt, and mild cuts.

"Are you done wallowing in self pity over there? We need you to explain everything."

I nodded. "I'm s-"

"That's not what we want to hear." Tiana snapped. "We want to know why you betrayed us. Did you know from the start that they were going to attack us? Do you even know how many we've lost?"

A little cry came from one of the bundles in her arms. She looked down and started rocking from side to side.

My eyes widened. She gave birth. The two items wrapped in leaves are her babies.

Tiana noticed me staring in awe at her covered children. She glared at me as she said, "Well aren't you going to answer me?"

I turned away from her and stared at the ground. "Tiana, I don't have the right words for you, or towards anyone right now. All I can do is apologize and say that I haven't been making the best decisions. I'm still so young and inexperienced in many ways. Especially in a world I'm unfamiliar with. Yes, I believed that I could possibly go back home to the family I missed dearly. But in the end I was being used. It not only almost cost me my life, but the lives of everyone who didn't deserve it."

"We lost lives Kaida. The situation didn't just almost cost the lives of those who managed to escape. Some of our people actually died during this nightmare." Kaene corrected.

I solemnly nodded in acknowledgment. I looked into his bright blue eyes and said, "That's why I need to tell you that the Kelpie managed to break free. I can't protect anyone, but you can manage to prevent more deaths with this."

Kaene grabbed my right hand. The one that had the ring on it. "I kinda figured when the ring suddenly evaporated into a bright light in the sky."

So he's gone. I did see him. Was he using me to escape? Was everything that happened within the ring a hallucination made by him? Did he realize that eating the souls weren't the answer to leaving his entrapment? Or am I overthinking?

In that moment, my stomach grumbled. I realized that I was starving.

Zander chuckled. "I thought you'd be hungry after being in a coma for two days."

I was gone for two days? It felt like a few hours though. I guess time really plays differently in different dimensions. I wonder how much time has passed on earth. If anything, I just hope all my loved ones are fairing well.

Zander gave me some fruits to munch on. Kaene had gotten up to patrol our surroundings.

As I ate, Zander was explaining the aftermath of the attack.

Apparently, no side had won. The sirens had retreated alongside the dark pixies after their leader had died. I guess they had some sort of telepathic connection. In simple word; they felt their leader died so the fled out of fear because they didn't know what to do.

Ruby, Landon, and Mikael were unconscious. They were actually laying behind me on a pile of leaves too. Ruby had been severely injured, but she continued to fight the enemy. Up until she fell from fatigue. The men were already unconscious because of the after affects of the siren's enchainment. It had taken a toll on their mental state. Their injuries weren't as severe as Ruby's, but they still needed to recover.

Zander even told me how Tiana gave birth. My guilt tripled when I heard how she had to give birth by herself in the woods.

John, her second mate, fought bravely against many sirens and dark pixies. He had gone back to take Tiana somewhere safe when they both saw two kids surrounded by the enemy. Tiana forced him to take the children first while she served as a distraction. She strongly stood her ground while her man flew off with the children on his back. She shifted, something dangerous to do on your last weeks of pregnancy, and fought the three sirens and one dark pixie. She managed to defeat them, but she collapsed soon after in pain. She had morphed back into her human form, writhing in pain.

She doesn't recall how, but her pet titan worm found her and carried her off. She was taken far away from the scene and into the dark forest. The worm had hidden her so well that she didn't see anything but darkness. Only later to find out that it had hidden her inside his home. A hive made out of its thread and dried mud.

She had given birth inside hours after the battle. No one was with her. Not until she grew enough strength to walk out and look for anyone.

Luckily she had seen Kaene flying around in the skies. He was searching for any remaining dragons. Helping them go to the main land of the fairies. Where they've gone to find refuge. This was a day ago.

They were all waiting for me to wake up. Or to see if I was going to make it.

It seems like they didn't want to leave me behind. My heart swelled in appreciation.

"So are we going to leave as soon as the other's wake up?" I asked Zander.

He nodded. "We can't carry everyone safely on mine and Kaene's dragon backs. Tiana would have to look after her kids. You'd be too weak to look after those three in case they'd fly off in the air."

I agreed. I wouldn't be able to prevent that. Not even if I had my full strength restored.

"That won't be necessary," Said Kaene as he emerged from the forest with a man behind him.

Tiana gasped in glee as she saw John. He quickly rushed towards her and embraced her.

"Careful, you'll squish the kids." She reprimanded him softly. John pulled away and peeked into the leaf bundles. You could see his surprise. As well as his happiness.

I turned away from their beautiful moment so they could have their privacy. At least she's not alone now.

Kaene sat down beside me. "John came back to look for Tiana. It took him longer because he was fighting against my dad to come back. Everyone is stressed and scared that this occurred. My dad didn't want to lose anymore dragons. So we'll have to return soon. I'm leaving those three under your care Zander when we return. I can't have them flying off from my dragon's back."

Zander replied with a simple okay.

"Good, we leave tomorrow morning." Kaene got up and went to check on the unconscious dragons.

So tomorrow I'll finally get to see the land that the fairies rule over. I wonder how they're taking the news of the sirens revolt.

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A/N:

Posted: 11/26/21

I just want to say how I appreciate your patience. Love you guys!

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