Scales and Swords ✓

17: You Passed

I wondered as I descended the stairs, had I not been fighting myself the last three tests? The first, against my morals. The second, against my own strength. And the third, against my very thought process and ironically the person I was for two days. But now I was literally going to fight myself. I hoped I knew myself more than anyone else, because I wasn't so sure I did.

I stepped into the arena. Lance shouted, "Commence." And she appeared. She was everything I feared. She was everything I despised. She was me.

The white of her eyes turned yellow. Her pupils squeezed and thinned. Scales erupted across her cheeks, till the skin of her face and neck was hidden completely. She heaved her glowing red chest and blew an explosion of fire. My arms crossed before my face as I ran through the flames towards her, the skin of my arms hardening into scales. Just before she could direct her flames to the stands, I knocked her over. She struggled under me, screeching, writhing, blowing smoke and fire into my face.

"Please just stop," I begged her, but to no avail. She didn't and couldn't listen.

When my grip loosened by the slightest she took that opportunity to kick me off her, sending me flying across the arena. I skidded on the sand like a human cannonball, only stopping once my back hit the stands. I was too far to stop her when she turned to direct her next blow at the people in the stands.

Had I come so far to give up? No, of course not. I didn't give into the anger when the king killed my family. I didn't give in when that rickshaw slipped from my grasps. And I certainly didn't give up when I reached an impasse and when I was stuck between an open window and someone who wanted to kill me. Why now? Why not then? But no matter how much I tried to convince myself, the distance was too great and my faith was too little.

But giving up was like saying goodbye to my family forever, and I wasn't ready for that.

Something struck the air, beside both my ears. Then I was lifted off the ground. Before I knew it, I was half-away across the arena, hovering over the fake me. She released her flames. I stretched out my arms, accepting my fate, when I flew towards her and took her in my arms, embracing her as a cover of darkness enclosed us.

I heard Lance's voice and finally let go. It was over.

The darkness over me subsided to reveal the knights and Lance staring at me strangely. I looked to my side, searching for whatever had stolen their attention when I saw something dark and large right next to me. I shrieked and stepped forward, turning, only to see that it was now behind me and on the other side of me as well. My hands stretched out and grabbed hold of the unknown figures when a strange sensation shot up my spine. The dark figures flicked out of sight and only one thing made sense, though that both frightened me and shocked me to the point of passing out. They were wings.

~~~

"Why didn't you tell me who she was?!"

"I didn't tell you because I didn't know!"

"Were the scales and flames not obvious enough?"

"She was adopted."

"Even so. How do you think the king will feel about this?!"

"How do you expect him to feel? She is as worthy to be his guard as any other vuruk!"

"She's a dragon!"

"Myira is dead."

Silence.

"Do not utter her name." Pain, he spoke with pain.

"What do you expect me to do? she passed. I can't just send her away."

Pause. "I'll bring it up to the king."