~~A girl sat on her couch’s arm rest and stared out the window from her apartment on the fourteenth floor. She could see above most of the other buildings since the sky-scraper she lived in towered all of the others, most only having about eleven floors. Her long raven black hair hanged loose, and her sapphire blue eyes seemed devoid of life, empty. Her skin bleak, like milky tea. She didn’t appear to be of the healthiest, but neither was she bedridden ill.
It was raining outside and the pitter-patter of the drops against the window lulled her, she hummed a tune inspired by the sound and then penned a few lines of words down, with letters and numbers over a select few. It was a new song she was writing, not that anyone would ever hear it outside of her Rin, who would - without her consent - hack her laptop and listen to all her recorded songs or read her latest poems and short stories. He would then try to convince her to put it up online, but being as reclusive from the world as she was, she would refuse outright and he would leave it for another day.
Ever since the day her parents were murdered right in front of her she had retracted from life, she hid herself away from being noticed in any way. She had only been thirteen then, Rin and his older brother had taken care of her since. Rin was three years older than she and his brother was turning twenty eight this year. They were all orphans. Her grandparents were all dead by the time she was born and her aunt, her mother’s younger sister was too busy with work to have taken care of her. She only had the Hyuto brothers left who was willing to take care of an introvert as her.
Many people had completely forgotten about her, old school friends that she stopped seeing when she stopped going to school and stared self-home-schooling, she even suspected her aunt, who she had seen nearly over year ago, had forgotten about her. Not that she minded; she preferred being a ghost to the world. Sai was a doctor, and highly renowned as well, he had an apartment only a few blocks away, Rin still lived with him, she could too if she ever chose to, but she enjoyed her solitude. With the money she inherited, she could live her entire life not once having to work for a living.
It would be her sixteenth birth soon. Sai and Rin would try to throw her a party consisting of only the three of them. She closed her notebook and rested her head on her knees. It was days as these that she wished she could just forget everything, become mindless and numb.
The horror of that night filled her thoughts. Blood. So much blood! She would never forget the man that stood over her parents’ lifeless bodies. His ice cold eyes that glared at her, the grin that was permanently plastered to his face as he had cut her mother’s stomach open and let her innards hang out while she screamed to spare her daughter’s life and passing out because of the pain. The man then cutting her throat and moving on to her father who had been knocked out. All the while she was forced to watch! The man had made sure!
It was raining then too, a thunderstorm that only Lahar ever experienced as fiercely as it was then. Roar after roar as lightning struck the ground, it had all masked her parent’s screams and hers as well. There was a reason the continent was called Lahar meaning Thundering Plains.
Everyone said she was lucky to have survived, though no one could figure out what exactly had happened that night. All she remembered, after that man had cut off her father’s fingers one by one then his toes before cutting his throat as well, was a howling roar that she thought sounded odd, it wasn’t like the crackling clap, or booming explosive roar of lightning, it sounded more alive than just concentrated static electricity. Next she knew she awoke in hospital. A few scratches, but nothing serious. The man that killed her parents was found headless and his torso crushed by some force that no one ever figured out.
When she pleaded with Sai to take her home, to her home, outside of the city; she only found the eastern wall of her room somehow still standing. She knew why he though refused to take her, it wasn’t because of how devastated her ‘home’ was, but rather how she would react to finally realizing her loving family was gone forever.
She had screamed and cried as the memories came rushing back! It wasn’t that she had forgotten, she knew every detail, but somehow the memory; the images; of the gore… that was missing up until then.
All Sai could do was hold her as she relived those moments, but still what happened after she still couldn’t remember, perhaps she had fallen unconscious before that moment when her home was utterly destroyed.
She had cried herself ill and was stuck in hospital for a week. Even after that, she never really got healthier. Rin was the first to get her to talk again. He just had that special touch! Both the brother had been very patient with her, having lost their own parents in an accident when they were young, at least they had their grandfather still, until five years ago.
The girl lifted her head and brushed the remaining tears from her eyes. She refused to let Rin see her like this! Heck how did she end losing herself in her memories in the first place? She was always so careful not let her dwell that far into her mind!
She slid down from the couch’s armrest and stood up, slow as a snail she trailed to the door to let Rin in, she knew it was him, Sai was at work, and no one else ever came to visit.
 

~~She opened the door and gave her best smile. Seeing that Rin wasn’t convinced she doubled on the effort, but Rin took only one look and dropped the grocery bags, embracing her in his strong sturdy arms. He held her and suddenly she could feel herself failing, failing to stand strong and proud.
“I’m sorry!” He whispered.

“I should have been here earlier!” He scolded himself, blamed himself for her bout of sadness.
Her knees gave in beneath her and she fell to the ground, Rin supporting her until they sat, knelt, on the ground. Rin kicked the door closed behind him, as Melody cried her heart out, washing away all those horrid memories.
Rin was her support her strength, but she hated him seeing her so weak!
He just held her in his arms, and they stayed in silence, her tears soaking into his shirt. He wished Sai was there, Sai the more reliable brother, the one that could calm her with a single word, and here all he could say was sorry, sorry that he wasn’t here to prevent her from going so far and deep into her own bleak, dark and lonely mind! Sorry that he couldn’t do more than just hold her and sorry that he couldn’t bring back her loving family.
She dug her fingers into his chest as her cries filled the room and Rin only pulled her in closer to his comforting arms.
“Why did they have to die like that?” She asked and Rin felt her entire body shutter beneath his embrace. She wanted to scream, he knew she desperately wanted to do so!
“I don’t know, I wish I did, then maybe you wouldn’t be in so much pain!” He answered, barely able to hold back his own tears, but he did so for her sake, she didn’t need to have any more misery filling her plate. He had an idea how she must feel, but he would never understand, while his parents died in simple accident she had watched her being tortured alive right in front of her. His heart screamed for a miracle! If only time could be turned back, he’d safe her parents, he swore!
Silence remained for a bit longer, Rin felt her take in deeper breathes to try and calm herself down, but each breathe failed to do so as new fits of sobs reached his ears. How he wished he could take away all of her sorrow and even tell her what was in his heart, but it wouldn’t be fair. Not while she was still so vulnerable!
“Rin…” She said his name so softly, so full of unknown meaning; emotions she herself didn’t quite understand.
“Rin, thank you!” She said as she drew the first true calmed breath.
“Thank you.” She repeated. Rin knew she hadn’t stopped crying yet, but at least she was calm now.
“I bought I cream, if we don’t hurry it will melt.” He said. She pushed herself away from Rin’s warmth a small delicate smile spread across her lips.
“Then we’ll just have milkshakes!”
“Always ready with an answer when it comes to ice cream!” He joked, but he could see life returning to her, instead of the haunting death that’s always looming over her shoulders, hidden, lingering close in her own shadow.
“Look at you! You look like some sort of possessed ghost, did you try writing a horror story?” He joked lightly, and despite how it come out, Melody smiled a brief laugh escaping as well. Rin brushed the last of her tears from her eyes, and tugged her long loose black hair behind her ear.
He stood up and held out his hand to help pull her back to her feat. She stared for a moment, but readily took his hand. As he pulled her up, she felt like she was being pulled out of an endless abyss and into the light. It was like a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. This was Rin, her Rin, he was her light, her savior, she thought. Another smile graced her lips, she was glad that Rin was here, she wouldn’t have wanted anyone else, not even Sai.
Rin picked up the grocery bags and walked into the kitchen, fishing for spoons in the kitchen drawer as Melody took her seat at the table ice cream bowl already opened.
“Here.” Rin handed her spoon, they dug in at quickly swiped the entire five liter within minutes.

“You really need to get out some more.” Rin finally spoke up as Melody cleaned out the last of the creamy melted ice cream, refusing to leave any of the sweetness to go to waste.
She gave him a look that told him all he needed to know. The answer was no!
“You can’t be stuck copped up in here forever, you’ll rot away! Some exercise will do you good!” He stated, not afraid of her demonic look that denied him the right to speak more of this.
“You already made up your mind on this, haven’t you?” He nodded and she knew; once Rin had decided something there was no way she could escape!
“There’s nothing for me out there, Rin!” She tried to plead with him.
“Then we’ll find something for you!”
“And what did you have in mind?” She tried to sound mad, but they both knew she couldn’t get mad when it came to him, that was.
“Well you could try swimming.”
“You know hate water!” She said, not wasting any of her time on that thought.
“How about running and cycling?” Rin asked.
“If I must go out and do something I’d rather do something somewhere else indoors!” She tried her chances hoping he would give up.
“Then why not Kendo? I’ve always wanted to try it. There’s this old man, though he refuses to teach, I’m sure we can convince him! He lives only a few blocks away.” Rin said excitedly and Melody realized that she had just now fallen into his trap.
“You just now said he refuse to teach!” She tried to get out of it, but knew it was too late
“But it won’t hurt to go ask him!” Rin begged, giving her his best puppy dog look.
“Fine, but if he refuses then you have to let me continue to rot away in my apartment!” She went to her default and final hope.
“Deal!” Rin grabbed her and lead her out, pulled her along the hallway towards the elevator.
“Wait not now! I’m not dressed!” She was dragged out so fast and without a clue she had left her hoody to hide behind back in on the couch.
“You’re fine! You don’t need to hide today it’s pouring down right now, there’s no one wondering the streets!” Rin told, a bell sounded and the elevator opened, him pulling her in along.
Sure enough no one was about, Rin opened an umbrella and hooked Melody onto his arms. He always refused to call for a taxi when she was with him, said it was for her own good to walk some.
His excitement had him walking at a past pace, too fast for her to keep up with. By the end of the first block, she was wheezing from lack of breath, her lungs unable to keep up with her body’s demands. Rin slowed down and gave her some time to rest, the rain easing to a light drizzle. Five more blocks, and a large park over and they finally reached the street where Rin said the Kendo instructor lived. It was one of only four streets in the entire city that had houses instead of skyscrapers.
Melody’s legs felt like jelly as she stood panting for the umpteenth time. Rin allowing her to rest again before they went down the street to find the man’s home.
Reaching a yard that was larger than all the rest, a house stood behind a high wall. Through the gate they stood at they could make out the ‘dojo’ connected to the house with a long hallway. The yard was filled with various flowers and decorated with a beautiful water feature in a corner between the house and the dojo.
Rin rang the bell and they could hear it echoing from somewhere inside.
“Hello, who’s this?” An old sounding man asked.
“I’m Rin Hyuto, we spoke yesterday. I brought my friend that I told you about; Melody Alves.” Silence greeted them and a moment later the gate electronically opened.

“Come inside, out of the wet cold!” The man said over the intercom.

“I told you, I don’t teach anymore! I vowed I’ll not teach ever again, the only exception being the one that draws the sword! You failed!” The old man said, his voice strict. His dark eyes had seemed to drill into Melody’s very soul when he had peered at her when she entered his home. His hair was greying, but she wondered how black his hair would have been compared to her’s, noting the still black streak that was visible.
“Besides! She won’t be able to last one day!” He took another look at her and she flinched away, he was taking notice of her, she hated being noticed!
“All the more reason I was hoping you would teach her, and well me! She needs to get out of her apartment! She’s locked herself up there for the last three years, only leaving if I somehow can get her dragged out and lever more than an hour or so! I’m hoping if she has something to do outside she might start living again!” Rin said, he had already told the man of Melody, he had refused yesterday, but Rin had hoped he would change his mind if he saw Melody and perhaps took the chance to get to know her.
“I’m sorry. But my answer stays the same. I will though welcome her to visit anytime! I do agree with you on that she does need to be in the sun! Perhaps she can help me with my garden?” He looked towards Melody hoping she would show some sign of agreement, but instead find her staring down the hallway that lead to his Dojo, the door closed at the far end.
“Chronos…” He heard he whisper and would have missed it if he had not seen her speak. He smiled lightly.
She stood from her seat and just as she wanted to take a step, Rin stood to stop her.
“No! Leave her!” Nao said stopping Rin from preventing Melody to walk off down the hallway.
She slid the door open and noticed a long sheathed sword decorating the far end of the Dojo. She guessed it was about two meters long. She stood there for a moment unsure if she should enter the Dojo or not.
“What’s the sword’s name? She asked Nao who stood just behind her.
“How did you now swords have names?” Rin asked, having only found out yesterday.
“Read it while studying up on the Great War of Senso.” She said.
“You already know the Sword’s name.” Nao said.
“Chronos.” She said, looking over her shoulder to see Nao nod a yes.
“It’s the only Drasondo, Dragon Sword, still believed to exist.” Nao told her.
“I read about that. The last recorded Dragon Swords was supposedly destroyed during the Great War along with its Master, wasn’t that sword named Choronos as well?” She asked still staring at the sword not daring to enter the Dojo.
“You have studied your history well. Though I don’t believe this sword is the same as the one mentioned in the history books. The description of that sword was that of an armed sword, different history books have different descriptions, but they all come down to being about sixty cm or so long and ending in a sharp point. This blade isn’t that old a man brought it to me about seventeen years ago and said that he had made the sword as instructed someone who still somehow retained the knowledge to make these weapons, and that only one person would be able to draw it and use it and then he disappeared. My family have known about the swords, but before the knowledge to make them was passed down to my ancestor.” Nao explained.
Melody fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, then kicked off her shoes and entered the Dojo with only her socks.
“At least she has some respect!” Nao glared at Rin. They both watched as Melody brushed her hand across the length of the sword’s sheath, before picking it up. She quickly gripped the sword tighter and rebalanced herself.
“It’s heavy!” She said not having expected that.
“It’s made out of Ebonster.” He told her, and it made sense to her as well. Ebonster was a very rare black mineral, the only mineral that was believed could be used to cut Iceket, but due to its being so scarce and hard to find, a laser cutter was used, instead of melting the Iceket under extreme heats and ending up losing some of its properties, specifically it’s icy blue hue.
Gripping the scabbard and hilt as close to the guard she could, she pulled the blade from its sheath in an arch, tiptoeing as if to force the last inch from of the blade from the sheath her arms just –just to short  and yet just long enough.
She inspected the pitch-black blade and the strange markings on it.
“It’s beautiful.” The said with that soft voice of hers that she so often relied upon not to give away what she really meant or how much she meant something.
“I guess I’ll teach have to teach her, you can fall in with her.” He told Rin, as they watched Melody re-sheath the blade.
“Can we go home now?” She asked Rin as she walked back to them.
(“I have waited for you!”) She heard I voice beckon to her from behind, turning around she stared at the sword.
(“It has been some time since I last felt your presence so close to me. I thought it was a dream…”) The voice spoke again.
(“Sorry to do this, but I must speak with you!”) The voice said lastly, its deep thundering sound tucked at her soul.
“Mel!” Rin shouted and dashed to catch Melody as she fell lifelessly to the ground.
 

~~Darkness surrounded her; she could not even see her own hands.
“Hello?” She found herself calling out, her voice echoed. She felt cold, and a thought, a memory grazed her, one of those she despised… one of blood…
“I’ve waited for you! For over ten-thousand years I’ve waited!” That same deep voice she had heard speaking back at the Dojo greeted her. She couldn’t remember anything passed that, like how she ended up in a place so dark, a darkness she hated. As her eyes adjusted she could make out a moving shadow and the memory of ‘that’ man’s grin made her back-up and stumble to the ground.
“I won’t harm you! You don’t have to be afraid!” The voice spoke again.
“Promise me you won’t go fainting on me, and I’ll lift this darkness!” The voice roaring sounded firmiliar to her, but she couldn’t place it.
“I promise. I’m not that fragile!”
“I know that especially well!” He replied and slowly the darkness seemed to dissipate like mist in the mornings as the sun made its way to the surface of the sky.
Before her stood a beast she had only read of in fictional stories as well as the occasional legend or myth about them concerning their world.
“You’re a Dragon!” She said astonished at the fact that she was staring at a living Dragon. The Dragon’s black scales reminded her of the Ebonster that the Dragon Sword, Chornos, was made off, but it had a dark sapphire blue hue to it as well.
“I must be dreaming!”
“In a way you are, but I assure you I am real!” The Dragon spoke, and she realised it was to her mind he spoke.
“Who are you?” Melody asked, feeling that same familiarity as if meeting a long lost friend or what she thought meeting that other half of your soul would feel llike.
“You should already know that, in here.” He said lifting a claw and tapping it over her heart. She took a shaky breath, the action having reminded her of the small dagger like knife the man had used to cut open her mother.
“Oh my little youngling… How I wish everything didn’t invoke those horrid memories!” He huffed. Melody looked up at him, his eyes… His eyes didn’t bother her!
“Your eyes.” She said, giving the massive Dragon a shy smile.
“Your eyes don’t scare me!” She said, gaining a grin from the Dragon that was his equivalent of a smile.
“No sit! I have to tell you something.” He said and laid down himself as not to tower over the girl.
A little over ten-thousand years ago, for the first and last time a Dragon and girl was born at exactly the same time and thus able to share their soul with each other. Being so close to each other spiritually even though they never met and didn’t know of the other’s existence they were, though, to be drawn to each other. Alas the girl was born with a weak and fragile heart and died after a few short days. The Dragon felt this and because he had one of the strongest souls to ever exist was able to let the girl’s soul go on living, to be reborn sometime in the future. A few short years hundred years for the Dragon, though long for you Humans, passed at the Dragon was captured, having ventured out to the surface layer of the world in search for this girl, yearning to be close to her, though he knew she might not have been reborn yet and that he hasn’t felt her soul’s presence. The Dragon was forced to have his soul bound to a weapon that was then called a Drasondo, Dragon Sword. Though it wasn’t so much a sword as rather a bow, that when used arrows would magically flare to live, notched in place and ready to be shot at its Master’s target. Yggdrasil was furious at the world for trapping his greatest creation, a prince of Dragons, in a mere weapon, and had set a curse into motion; that the Dragon Sword’s Master would surely suffer and die.
Wanting to at least meet the girl that he yearned for he summoned her with his magic from the future, magic he possessed only due to the fact he was now a Drasondo’s soul.
Little knowing of her tragic past, he asked her to free him from the weapon so that he could meet her in her own time in the future, believing that once freed she would also return to the back to her own time, but it did not work like that, she could only be sent to a time where there was a Drsondo with him as its soul. Feeling sorry for the Dragon she searched for a way to free him and freed him she did, but trapped forever in the past, to wonder the earth until she could reunite her soul with her ‘present self’. Another thousand years passed and again the Dragon went to the top of the world, having thought he sensed the girl of his soul. He saw a young girl being beaten up by some savages and tried to safe her, but was too late. On her back was a broken bow that reminded him of the one that his soul had once been bound to. He punished himself and was again captured, but when he sensed the girl’s presence again he regretted being so easily captured, he had made a promise to meet her as a free Dragon! Selfishly he summoned the girl again, again able to do so as a Drasondo’s soul. This time he was bound to elegantly crafted poleax.
Again the girl appeared little to his knowing that she was partly also summoned from the past, what was some time for the Dragon though was only a few hours for the girl this time. Again she helped to free his soul, still unknowing to the Dragon that she would not return to the future.
It is no easy task freeing a soul from a Drasondo, in fact the soul is never truly freed. After all her help of freeing him a second time the Dragon had again just over three thousand years ago went to the surface, this time to try and safe the Master of the soulless Drasondo before the curse can take his precious soul 'mate'; having discovered Yggdrasil's curse and not having known about it
Dragon hunters captured the Dargon to make another Drasondo this time it was a sword just over half a meter long, at first glance it appeared as a katana, a samurai’s sword, but to others it looked more like a rapier, or one of Vhall’s officers' swords. It was designed using elements of many different swords, making it a unique weapon all on its own.
It was a waring time then, and fearing for the girl and long for her, his desire summoned her again from the future. She fought hard and long during the Great War, she could have avoided it all though if she had only freed him for the third time, instead she used the skills she had gained over the few years and hours in between him summoning her to somehow end the creation of all future Drasondo to be made. That meant eliminating those that had the knowledge to do so. The Dragon’s heart cried in silence as he saw his other soul go against the very essence that was her, she had to become a killer, to safe him from ever being captured again to be made into a Drasondo. It was during this time he had learned that she had lost her family in terrifying tragedy. Using his ability he saw the various outcomes of her future and saw that he had sent her to the past three times, and yet her soul had travelled to his summoning from the past. Three times, three different tragedies, and though her memory was only of the most recent her future having changed her soul remembered it all.
The first time involved her nearly drowning, trapped inside their vehicle that had been pushed off of the road, at that time she had lived in Vhall. The second was during a fire, she and her family had moved to Mezme, they had a quaint little home up in the mountains there that had mysteriously caught on fire, she had somehow been saved…
The most recent was from the second war that was quickly leading to be another Great War. Each time she allowed him to send her into the past to gain the strength necessary to save her family and each time she had failed…
And now she has a fourth chance to do so. The Dragon had gathered the materials to make the finest weapon yet and spent the years making sure about how the Drasondo was made, being made into one three times he had the main idea of how to make it already. He then approached the girl’s family, they were at first petrified, not having seen a Dragon before and since the Great War the Dragon race had become all but a legend, a myth. The Dragon had seen the girl’s various future’s he had seen her being saved multiple times over where she should have died.
He instructed the girl’s father on how to make these legendary weapons and gave his own soul for the man to use, again becoming a Drasondo, this time for the girl’s sake. He told the man of someone who would keep the blade safe until the weapon’s true Master came for it. The Dragon knew the curse would then be directed at the girl, but he would protect her from it! He would reason with Yggdrasil, tell him of the girl’s soul that was so closely intertwined with his own; he’d be sure to let Yggdrasil know; should the girl die he would give up his own eternal live as well! Yggdrasil had only one request, that the girl must become the greatest warrior by the end of her eighteenth year of life. Should she fail the Dragon must continue to live without the girl, and the girl unable to be reborn.
 

~~“That Dragon, he is you, isn’t he?” Melody asked after hearing the Dragon’s rather long story being summed up really quickly.
“Yes.” She could hear a deep purring hum from the Dragon’s throat as he spoke to her mind.
“And the girl? Is she me?” Melody asked.
“Yes.” The sound that emanated from him stopped and seeing the Dragon’s eyes she could see sorrow in them.
“Can I really safe my family?” She asked.
“You can, I have not been able to see that possible future, but my heart believes so. It resonates so strongly with yours I don’t want to believe anything else!” The Dragon stated boldly.
“Can’t you send me to just before…” She hesitated to say ‘their murder’.
“I wish I could, unfortunately I cannot intentionally send you to a time where you already exist.” The Dragon said and Melody could sense that he was holding back some other details.
“I see.” She said and tears threatened to spill across her cheeks.
“It’s just… I don’t like being… seen.” She told the Dragon, and realized he had been watching her closely and she had not minded one bit. Just as with Sai and especially Rin, she was fine.
“I want to help you though as well! So I guess if I can help you and safe my family I’d be killing two birds with one stone! I just have to face being noticed!” She said and instantly regretted! She fiddled with her fingers nervously, she didn’t know how to be brave! Her courage was ripped from her the day her parents were killed!
“I’ll be there to protect you! Though my soul was used to make the Drasondo, one perk of being the Master is that the Dragon has to obey! You’ll be in possession of the weapons each time no need to fret!”
“But what about the hours in between and the thousand years in between now and my last helping you?” She asked afraid of what he was going to say.
“You mustn’t change the past you must let the events unfold by as naturally as possible without convening too much, I know it is hard, but you’ll make it back! One the Drasondo you will note that there is a number written in the old language. Once it reaches zero you will be back in the present time and the number would take its original script which reads as the weapon’s name and the Dragon’s name. You will become like dust and your soul can then return to its body, to you! You though as a spirit must first find your body though or else you might die.” The Dragon told her.
“You mean to say something happened to me?” She asked with a little bit of concern hinting in her voice.
“You are in a comma. But if you decide not to try and safe your family you will return immediately, but choosing to try one last time, you must find your body once you are back in the present time.” The Dragon stated.
“What about Rin and Sai?” She asked and something like hope lit her eyes, determination even…
“You can try to safe their parents as well.” The Dragon chimed giving in to her thought he knew so well, despite only technically meeting the girl for the first time.
“Then I’ll go!” She said her resolve firm! She would prevent both her and her friends; unhappiness!
“Are you sure?” The Dragon asked, and Melody understood what those eyes really meant, they weren’t holding so much detail as rather not wanting her to try and safe her family. She remembered what he had said about her killing people to stop forging Dragon Swords.
“Dregandhor, I promise I won’t become a murderer!” She stood up from her cross leg seat on the floor, and kissed the Dragon on his snout. She only then realized she was surrounded by white, everything was white, just as the darkness everything was black.
“I won’t be mad at you if you couldn’t keep to that promise itself, just promise me you will remember your kind heart and innocent self!” The Dragon’s soundless voice hitched in her mind and she could feel the Dragon’s body shake in fear of losing her, not physically, but spiritually. She could feel their souls resonating, they were two sharing the same soul! Did this mean she didn’t have someone who held her other half? That she did have a true love and life partner? A Human one least?
“I’m not that fragile, remember? She teased the Dragon.
“I know that all too well, my little youngling!” He hummed pleasantly as she stroked his scales.
“So how does this work?” She asked.
“When you are ready, you will awake in the past, I will be standing right there by you, I will be a bit surprised, but just allow me to feel you, your presence, your soul, don’t be afraid. After all you would have appeared out of nowhere and will be carrying my Drasondo. That doesn’t happen just any random day.” The Dragon jested.
“Alright, I’m ready!” She bit on her lip and closed her eyes.
("One more thing, you must not tell my past self everything!") He told her as she vanished from the dream plain.
When she suddenly felt a gentle cool breeze wash over her and the smell of fresh rain fall and wet grassy plains met her she forced her eyes to open. Towering over her was a Dragon with black scales and hue of deep sapphire blue to them.
“Hello, Dregandhor.” She greeted the Dragon that was viciously standing over her, threatening to crush her with his clawing paw hovering just over her chest and strangely this time she did have those terrible memories coming back to live, so long she held his gaze, that was. His eyes, they were the still the same as it was in her dream like state she had just came from.
“My little youngling…” The Dragon’s voice sounded in her mind.
“How I have longed for you!” He said and nuzzled his maw against her cheek.
 

~~“What have you gotten yourself into?” She asked the Dragon.
“I went out to search for you!” He stated.
“But I don’t live in this time!” Melody told the Dragon, a look of sympathy danced on her smile and in her eyes.
“I thought that perhaps, you did and that I simply could not sense you! They captured me and trapped my soul in that weapon you now hold!” He tried to defend himself.
“The Drasondo… Well that doesn’t matter right now, what matters is that we get you freed from it then!” Melody stood up and brushed of the grass from her clothes.
“Your attire looks strange!” The Dragon tilted his head, looking her from top to bottom.
“I am from the future!” She said mockingly.
“You’ll have to get something more appropriate to wear!” The Dragon groaned. He wasn’t pleased with what she was wearing at all.
“I don’t have any money on me and…” She hesitated, swallowed and shook her head.
“How do suggest I get ‘something else’ to wear then?” She asked the Dragon.
“It is one of the perks you Humans have when owning a Drasondo. The village ahead will they gladly help you out with whatever you need, just by showing them the bow!” Dregandhor stated.
“Very well. Let’s go!” She followed the Dragon towards the west. The Dragon had to stop so very often for the girl to catch up, and rest, due to her lack of stamina and strength.
“Why do you tire so quickly?” Dregandhor asked as he waited for her to catch her breath.
“I’m not used to so much walking in one day!” She said taking another deep breath and then caught herself yawning.
“Get on!” The Dragon lowered himself and stretched out his paw for her to use a step to get onto his back. He carried her all the way to the village; not daring to speed up travel by flying, being afraid that she would fall off. Once they were at the village’s entrance, they were greeted by soldiers as soon as Meldoy had gotten down from Dregandhor’s back. Spears threatening to impale Melody as well as Dregandhor. The Dragon tried to protect Melody by sheltering her between his front legs.
“Who are you!” A man ordered and was clearly the one in charge! Melody took the bow in hand that was she had hung over her shoulders and showed.
“Drakuemasu! I am deeply sorry for this!” The man knelt on knee and his men lowered their spears and proceeded to do the same.
“We have recently been attacked by thieves, who has a Grey Black Dragon at their beck and call!” The man said still kneeling.
“You can stand.” Melody said as loudly she dared to speak up, feeling uncomfortable being the center of attention, especially in this way of fashion. The men stood up, not allowed to refuse a request from A Dragon Warrior and Master.
“Drakuemasu! If I may be so bold to request you to help us with our small village’s dilemma.” The man asked anxiously.
“I guess… It’s just I’m rather new to all this!” Melody stated, and the man stared on in confusion.
“My Master is the only one who can wield Chronos, but she lacks experience both as a Drakuemasu as well as a archer!” Dragandhor spoke to the man’s mind.
“I see.” The man sounded disappointed.
“What if I teach you!” A teenage boy found his way between the soldiers from the crowd that had gathered from behind and offered his help.
“What do you think?” She asked Dregandhor silently.
“I think you should accept his offer, it well only be for your own benefit to be able to draw the bow and protect yourself sing it!” Dregandhor said.
“Very well. But first I’ll need some proper clothing!” Melody said as she stepped fully from behind Dregandhor’s protection and revealed herself in her modern clothes of sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt that said ‘Born to be Game! Bring it!’
“Follow me!” The teenager said and lead Melody through the streets, she was first reluctant to go without Dregandhor, but the Dragon nodded and assured him he would be there if she needed help, she had only call out to him.
“My name is Shin Nagasaki, and yours?” He asked without fear, and many would say without respect towards her as a Drakuemasu.
“Melody Alves.” She answered shyly.
“Melody, what a lovely name. You are strange though! A Drakuemasu with a Drasondo who doesn’t know how to use it and wearing such strange clothes!” Shin remarked.
“I grew up a bit sheltered.” Melody said, thinking of the last three years she had spent in isolation.
“So you’re like a noble or something?” The Shin asked never slowing down as he scurried along the streets, people only sparing a moment to bow their heads in respect.
“No.” Melody answered already sounding out of breath. Shin stopped and instantly it gave Melody some time to breath, her lungs felt on fire and her head felt dizzy from lack of enough oxygen.
“You’re not well.” Shin said with concern as he placed his hand against her forehead to feel her temperature.
“I’m just not used to this much walking, or walking so fast!” She said as once she regained enough air in her lungs again.
“You don’t seem to have a fever, so I’ll believe you for now. I’ll try to walk slower.” Shin said and started forward.
They reached a rather large shrine that was at the very edge of the village. It was surrounded by beautifully kept gardens and Melody could hear the bustle of people ‘practicing’ somewhere inside. A forest crept up to the shrine at the back, giving a air of mystery to the place.
“This is it! Welcome to my home, and soon to be yours! The head monk will take you to see the shrine priestess; she’ll help you get dressed in some proper fabrics.” Shin said as he lead her into the shrine. They passed the training hall where she saw the monks practice various styles of martial arts and wondered why they didn’t help the villagers.
“We tried to fight them off, but fighting a Dragon isn’t so easy! The empire’s soldiers offer some protection, but even they can’t take down a Dragon, or at least not this one. Even to capture a Dragon is a skill set on its own! We tried to hire the Hunters, but they refused, they said that they only hunt and capture Dragons that would be able to be used as material in a Drasondo.” Shin said having figured it must be what was on her mind. Was she really that easy to read, to understand? She thought as she listened.
“I was under the impression that any Dragon’s soul could be used.” Melody said curious to find out if Shin had any more information, anything that could help her free Dregandhor.
“I thought so too, maybe it depends on the type of weapon, or what the blacksmith requires the Dragon’s characteristics to be.” Shin shrugged.
They entered a large spacious room where the head monk chanted while row upon row of monks meditated. For a while Shin just stood there quietly, Melody somehow appreciating the quiet; the chanting clearing her mind and  for the first time in a long time she felt at peace! There was no memories threatening to grace her with their gore of blood and death! The chanting had long since stopped and the monks had cleared the room, Shin had tried to get Melody’s attention, but she didn’t want to be disturbed yet and ignored him flatly.
“You can leave her here for the time being. Return to your own training!” The head monk said; and Shin, though reluctant, left Melody there with the wise and elderly man.
Minutes passed by that felt like hours, but it was all she needed. It had been what she wanted, to be mindless and numb; to be able to just forget everything; and yet at the same time she also realized that she wasn’t, she still remembered everything, knows of it all, but it had only stop hunting her for that moment. She tried to hear what the monk was chanting and opened her eyes when she didn’t hear anything.
“I see you have come to.” The old man said, his eyes close as he too embraced the eerie yet calm quiet.
“Sorry. I must have been more tired than I had realized.” Melody answered realizing she had actually fallen asleep on her feet. She felt fresh and revived and couldn’t really understand why.
“Poor child.” The man opened his eyes and saw her standing there looking to the ground.
“You are suffering, I can see that. You are haunted by something terrible that had happened in your past.” The man said once more with true sympathy in his gentle voice.
“How?” Melody looked up to the man surprised at what he had just summed up.
“It’s in your eyes, child. Now come sit.” The man ushered her to sit before him on pillow on the color. She folded her legs beneath and sat like that on her knees.
They remained silent, just sitting there in silence, eyes closed as they embraced the silence.
 

~~Melody sat there in peace, embracing the time that went by without having to worry about her memories luring her to relive that night. She would take this time for all its worth, not knowing when she would be able to get this kind of rest again.
The sun was already setting below the surface and night had quickly fallen across the continents.
Melody yawned, feeling the fatigue of all the hectic occurrences of the day. She felt for the bow that laid next to her on the floor where she still sat on her knees in front of the old man who had been patient enough to let her remain in silence.
“You are tired. If you like I can take you to the your room where you can stay, I’ll have the Priestess bring you clothes.”
“I can expect a Priestess do run errands after me. “ Melody said, having read up about the history of shrines and their priests and priestesses.
“And yet you are a Drakuemasu, much more highly ranked than any Priest or Priestess!”
“I’m only a normal girl!” Melody stated.
“My granddaughter would only be to glad to have another ‘normal’ girl living in the shrine.” The old man laughed. Melody felt her stomach rumble, and blushed.
“You hungry, why not join us all for dinner then after you met with the Priestess and freshened up.” The man suggested.
“I guess…” Melody sighed.
“Alright.” She accepted. The elderly man stood with a fluid singular motion, then held his hand to help Melody stand, immediately blood rushed to her legs, and for a moment she lost her balance, her legs feeling dead before felling a pain tingling its way beneath her skin.
Again the man laughed and Melody couldn’t help but to smile. He lead her to a another part of the shrine that was set apart for the woman, the Priestess being the only one in actuality.
“Sakura. This is Melody.” The old man introduced the two girls. Sakura had just exited her room to head to the mess hall help set up for dinner.
“Help her freshen up and get dressed is something more appropriate, I’ll have Shin help out in setting up dinner.” The monk said. And left the two girls to get acquainted. Sakura took a glance at the bow that was slung across Melody’s shoulder.
“You’re a Drakuemasu!” She smiled and wanted to bow.
“No! Please!” Melody stopped the Priestess; Sakura looked on in confusion.
“There’s no need for that!” Melody tried to think of something, anything that could be said to insure the two of them didn’t own up to the other according to rank or position.
“I want to believe we can be friends.” Melody said shy as a mouse.
“Excelent!” Sakura hugged Melody.
“Come on!” She pulled Melody into her room and through another door that lead to a hot spring outside, that was walled off from preying eyes.
“You can bath here! I’ll go get you a Miko.” Sakura bounded off out of the room. Melody slid the door close behind her and undressed, getting into the hot water slowly after testing the temperature.
 She felt the warm water ease the tension in her muscles and relaxed for a while longer, when she hear Sakura entering the room again, she finished up and grabbed a robe an unused robe that was neatly hung across a bamboo pole.
“You’re finished, great! Here this is for you.” She handed Melody the clothes, staring at it for a moment Sakura realized that Melody actually had no idea how put the Miko on.
“Here I’ll help you!” Sakura helped Melody get dressed, it was a lot easier than what Melody had though it would be. Sakura had Melody sit down, and braided her hair into two braids and then had it pinned form to circlets.
“There! You look beautiful!” Melody looked at herself, she could hardly recognize herself! She looked like a Priestess.
“Come one, we’ll miss dinner if we don’t going now.” Sakura grabbed Melody’s hand and with haste guided them through the corridors until they entered the mess hall where everyone was already taking their seats. Sakura slowed her pace, to a more elegant one, fitting of a Priestess, Melody followed behind, her eyes never leaving the floor, too afraid to be noticed.
Sakura took her seat at the head table where she had until now sat alone. Except for the occasion that her grandfather joined her from his seat as head amongst the elder monks.
“You can sit with me!” Sakura said and Melody went to sit next to the girl. Melody finally decided to take a closer look at Sakura, Her velvety black hair, and hazel brown eyes were filled with joy at the prospect of having a friend and someone to share her table with.
Everyone had taken a moment to notice Sakura and Melody, especially Melody. It was their first time hosting a Drakuemasu.
Melody enjoyed the stew that was served, it had reminded her of her mother’s cooking. She held back her tears, not wanting to gain more stares or ruin anyone’s good mood. Though the tears that threatened to spill was tears of joy not of hopelessness.
It was at the end of dinner that Sakura’s grandfather announced that they had the privilege to teach a Drakuemasu their ways. And that Yuu Takashi would be her instructor.
Melody tried to hide from everyone’s eyes and shied away when each had their chance to welcome her to the shrine, bowing respectfully. She tried to feel her bow next to her only to realize that she had left it back in Sakura’s room.
Only after everyone had left did she and Sakura stand to go retire for the night. They stopped at Sakura’s room only to get Melody’s stuff, the bow specifically, before Sakura showed her to her own room that was connected to its own hot spring as well. Apparently the other rooms all shared the other hot springs that could be found all over the shrine’s grounds.
Melody had no trouble falling asleep that night; she had no dreams which were good, as they often had turned to nightmares.
“Sleep well, my little youngling.” Came the Dragandhor’s thoughts, carried to her through the Drasondo.
 

~~Sakura had left Melody to sleep at her grandfather’s words that she had had few peaceful nights and so she deserved this time to rest.
It was already midday when Melody awoke with a startle. She didn’t recognize the room she was on and neither was she in a bed, but instead on a thin roll up mattress, she tried to recall what they were called. Futons, she nodded, as she also recalled the previous day, which she had thought was all just a dream, but instead it was reality, she could safe her parents, she could safe Rin and Sai’s as well, and she could free the Dragon that she could feel a strong connection with, a connection that would grow stronger as time went on.
She quickly got dressed and hoped to find Sakura in her room, but no sound came. Melody wondered the halls until she came to the front entrance and saw Sakura sweeping the first of the fallen autumn leaves onto a pile, Shin was helping her along with a few others whose names she wasn’t yet familiar with. Sakura noticed Melody stepping out of the shrine, and dropped everything she was doing to go greet Melody.
“Mel!” Sakura called out, and for a moment Melody looked hoping to see Rin, instead of the Priestess running up to her.
“Come on I’ll make you something to eat. Shin Tell Yuu to meet his new student in the mess hall!” She ordered and dragged Melody off with her.
Within minutes Sakura had some placed a bowl full of rice and a fresh cut and boiled vegetables plated for Melody.
“Thank you.” Melody soft and tender voice had Sakura wondering what it was that had made Melody so timid.
“No need for thanks! This way I get to slack off from chores!” Sakura said with enthusiasm and both them ended op ‘giggling’.
“Are you ready?” Yuu asked with a bit of annoyance have waited for the girl since early morning.
“Yes.” Melody swallowed the last of her meal.
“Good, we’ll start off with a light jog, to work off that food!” Yuu said with a smirk.
“Yuu!” Sakura scolded.
“You need to get back to your chores as well! Also your grandfather is looking for you, he wants you to go with him, there is a matter in a nearby town that requires a Priestess’ assistance.” Yuu said with a smug of superiority.
“Not another purification!” Sakura complained.
“I guess I’ll see you I a few days then.” Sakura outed.
“See you.” Melody was disappointed, she had just gotten to liking the idea of having a ‘friend’ again.
“Don’t you dare kill her before I get back!” Sakura hissed at Yuu.
“Come on!” Yuu lead the way to the back of the Shrine and into the forest.
“I already know you have zero stamina, as an archer you’ll need it! Especially if you truly are that Drasondo’s Drakuemasu!” Yuu said as the two of them came to a stop.
“We’ll jog as far as you can go before you can lift your legs anymore, then do some stretching to make sure the our muscles don’t cool off too fast before we start jogging again! There’s a stream away in that’s where we’ll practice archery. I have a bow and arrows, it’s all we’ll need for now.” Yuu quickly summed up and then started jogging, Melody had to run to actually keep up, when he noticed he slowed his jog so that she could catch up and not over exhaust herself running.
They not gone very far, maybe about ten meters before Melody, tripped over her own feet, Yuu catching her just in time. He glared at her in frustration, he had not even came close to getting his heart rate up and already they had to rest.
He had her sit down and stretch to touch her toes, then as far right and then as far as she could left. It took her about ten minutes to get her breath back and by that time Yuu already decided he’d have to try something else, but for today he’d just had to be patient.
Starting to jog again Yuu made sure the pace was slower than before, though Melody was already at her limit, after the first ten meters; another five was all she could muster.
“I guess we’ll head back. There’s no need to go all the way to the stream…”
“No!” Melody said panting as she tried to get enough air into her lungs, having just stopped she started walking forward, she would go all the way, if she had to walk. Yuu lead her further into the forest towards where he planned to have her practice a few shot. They had walked quite a distance before Melody told him she’d try jogging again, he though shook his head and told her they’d take it a bit by bit until she could jog all the way to the quite stream.
“Besides we’re here.” He informed her, pointing out the stream that glinted with icy cool water.
“You can have a drink then I’ll see how good you already are with the bow.” He said and immediately saw Melody chewing on her lower lip.
“You’ve never fired an arrow in your life, have you?” He said with a sigh.
“No. “
“How in the world did you then did you end up with a Drasondo then?” His voice was fierce and Meldoy flinched under his sharp tone.
“I… Just woke up with it next to me and Dregandhor standing over me!” Melody decided to tell.
“Dregandhor?”
“The Dragon.” Melody said.
“So Dragon’s do have names!” He shrugged.
“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have lost it!”
“That’s alright.”
“So where are you from?” He asked trying to get to know the girl instead.
“From Lahar.” He looked at her quizzically.
“That is quite far away, I didn’t even know they opened trade routes to us already!” Yuu said amazed.
“Where… Where am I exactly?” Melody asked fearing what Yuu was about to say.
“Wait you don’t know where here is?” Confusion lurked for a moment.
“This is Senso, the eastern continent. You’re currently inland. You have no idea how you got here?” He asked.
“No, not really.”
“Not really. It’s either yes or no!” He snapped, but quickly calmed down again.
“The clothes you were wearing yesterday, they aren’t normal even for the north-western continent, woman don’t wear pants there, or so I have hear!” He stated, he had allowed them to talk, while Melody relaxed a bit more, to still her pounding heart. He could see her he fighting the heaviness from exhaustion.
“I’ve heard rumors of a Drasondo that can control time. Called Chronos, from what I heard, it is an elegant Daikyu, a longbow!” He eyed her quizzically for any hint that he was on the right path, unknowing that Melody was busy sorting her own thoughts.
“What’s your Drasondo’s Name?” He asked.
“Chronos.” She answered and looked at him puzzled.
“Why?” She asked in return. Yuu wanted to hit himself for not realizing he never had her full attention.
“You came here from another time.” He said, earning a playful smile from Melody.
“And what if I did?”
“Then that explains just how you ended up here!” Yuu exclaimed.
“So which era are you from?” He asked this time.
“Just less than ten thousand years from now I guess. But you should go telling anyone!” Melody gave him a stern look and failed miserably!
“It is best that as few people as possible knows.” He agreed.
“But you have to tell me one thing!” And there was the ‘but’ factor, Melody sighed.
“And that is?”
“Why do you seem so haunted, or rather I say destroyed?” He asked, he had seen exactly what that old man had seen.
“Master Genryo mentioned it, to me this morning, and even I could see it, it’s as if your mind has been tossed away and your soul torn apart!” He said trying to sound caring. Melody remained quiet for a moment and Yuu was about to give up, tell her that she could tell him some other time.
“I guess it might be best if at least someone knows, but you mustn’t tell Dregandhor! You shouldn’t know not know.” Melody told Yuu about her parents, how they were tortured for pure pleasure right in front of her. He could see her sorrow and how the memories she digging up to him opened still raw wounds for her.
“I’m sorry.” He said not knowing what to do to help the girl calm herself.
“Don’t be, I have Rin and Sai!” Her mind was still thrashing about, but her heart was determined! It was this determination of hers that made Yuu decide that he would do his own best to help Melody however he could, starting with teaching her archery, but first he’ll focus on her stamina.
“We’ll have to head back soon. Sun will set in a while, and by the way you jog, we’ll only arrive after dark!” He stood up and allowed Melody to set their pace back to the shrine, she had jogged a third of the way, mind it being an extremely relaxed and slow jog. She though refused to stop to rest and continued the rest of the why walking, panting as she went. Yuu had offered to carry, but she refused.
She had went on, her thoughts keeping her mind off of the pain her legs screamed off, she had finally met someone else she could trust as much as Rin! Both Yuu and Sakura and maybe, she thought, she could trust Shin as well...
 

~~Melody headed straight for her room. Searching for her stash of licorice she once again realized that this truly was the past, and that she just would have to make do without her sweets. Her muscles ached, making her decide against dinner. She slid the door open that connected her room to the hot spring outside. She noted that a fresh robe was hung out across a bamboo pole, sparing only a moment to wonder who would have brought her the robes.
She dipped her feet into the water and went to sit, the warm water instantly easing her aching body. She looked up and saw the first of the stars fill the night sky, the steam from the water hazing over their brilliance; as hot met cold. Deciding to close her eyes for just a moment she woke suddenly to a knock at her room door.
“Drakuemasu Melody? Are you alright?” A unfamiliar woman’s voice asked.
“Yes. Just wait a moment?” Melody got out and put on the robe, twisting the ends of her hair to get the water out.
She slid the door open and was met by a greying old woman.
“Excuse me for bothering you, I’m Hekima Mari. I often come from the village to help the Priestess with a few chores. The Lady being the only one here with all these men! Master Genryo told me to help you with what I can, if the Drakuemasu so wish for it.” The woman introduced herself, keeping her head down out of respect.
“Please misses Hekima, call me Melody. No need for formalities.” Melody told the woman, trying to not shy away. Hekima lifted her head and gave a warm smile.
“I’m glad to see that the new lady of the shrine is as beautiful and as kind as she sounded.” The old woman said now able to fully see the girl that stood before her.
“I hope you did not mind me laying out a bathing robe for your use.”
“Thank you, I was actually wondering who had brought the robe.” Melody bowed thanking the woman for her kindness, and noticing that Hekima was carrying some clothing pieces.
“Dear me, I completely forgot! I brought you some other clothes from the village to wear besides the Miko from the shrine. I thought you might try them on so that I could be sure they fit you properly.” Melody allowed Hekima to enter her room. The woman instantly went on to help dress Melody in one of the dresses, a plain yet beautiful dark-blue Iromuji. The color matched Melody’s eyes and she could see that Hekima was pleased.
“Excelent! Now that I know your size, if you ever need something new to wear you may ask me to bring it from the village.” The woman gave Melody a warm smile.
“Now I won’t hold you any longer! Dinner should nearly be ready and I should be heading back home.” The woman greeted and left silently.
Melody sighed and wondered if she even should go have dinner, if only to be polite as she wasn’t really hungry. She tied her hair with a ribbon, and headed towards the mess hall hoping she recalled her way correctly. Just when she came to a fork in the corridor and unsure which way, Shin came from the right.
“I was just going to go find you.” Shin smiled and turned around leading the way back from where he came in silence. Melody unaware that the reason for the silence being him hiding his blush after having seen her in the Iromuji. When she stepped into the mess hall everyone’s eyes were on her. She remembered what Sakura had told her about the seating positions and headed for the empty table at the far back of the room, the head table. Shin had already taken his own seat at a table and recalled Sakura telling her the previous night that it was for the Kannushi, those who were training to become priests, it was only five tables away from hers.
They were served rice and soup. Melody had spent most of her time staring at her food, feeling sick at the thought of eating, but had forced some down already. She swallowed and her winched, her throat was sore and scratchy. Yuu had noticed and had stood to ask Shin to prepare a hot pot of ginger and lemon tea with honey. Yuu went to take a seat next to Melody and eyes wondered in surprise.
“I thought that…”
“Yes we are seated according to our position in the shrine, but there is no specific rule or law that hinder me to take a seat elsewhere. It’s just considered disrespectful to do so without permission. So? Do I have permission?” Yuu interrupted her. Melody smiled and nodded, the others noticed and seemed suddenly seemed fine with it.
“You’re not feeling well, are you?”
“I’m fine. I’m just not that hungry.” She told him waving his concern away.
“Shin went to bring you some tea, it’ll help with you not having an appetite.” He laid. Ginger and lemon tea were great for flu and though the honey would sweeten it some, it would help for Melody’s sore throat.
Shin came carrying the pot with a cup. He too went to sit next to her before proceeding to pour her the tea. Not wanting to be rude, she drank the tea and found it went down easily. When so found her throat didn’t hurt so much anymore she ate some more of the rice and soup.
She finished and found that she was the last one still there, besides Yuu and Shin who kept her company.
“Sorry I kept you.” She apologized.
“No need for apologies. We joined your table. Leaving while you’re not finished is disrespectful. You notice that amongst the other tables, no one leaves until their entire table is finished eating. And when the head table has not finished no one leaves, though Master Genryo has already told everyone not to wait up for you specifically.” Shin told her.
“Now go sleep. You’ll need it for tomorrow, if you’re well enough by morning. Remember to bring Chronos.” Yuu told her, remembering the Drasondo’s name.
When she entered the room Dregandhor’s voice reached her, the deep vibrato calming her mind.
“How has your first day been?” The Dragon asked.
“I guess it was alright.” She said sounding happier even to Dragandhor.
“I’m glad that my little youngling sounds brighter than yesterday! Though I sensed some turmoil from you this afternoon.” The Dragon queried out of concern.
“I’m fine now, I was just a bit upset for no reason at all.”
“You Humans are strange to me. But so long you are alright now, that is all that matter to me. Remember, you can call on me at any time, I’m not far!”
“Of course, I won’t forget! But I have to tell you this! This lady Hekima, gave me the most beautiful blue kimono I have ever seen!" Melody decided to tell him of her newest fashion.

"Sure it is not just the first?" Dragandhor teased.

"No! I have seen some before!" She protested and ended up laughing a bit.
"I'll speak to you tomorrow again. I'm quite exhausted! Goodnight, Dregandhor!” She bid him fair well, having undressed into her undergarments.
She laid out the blue kimono and went to roll out her futon. She had no trouble falling asleep and even had another peaceful dreamless slumber.

~~Melody woke up surrounded by darkness. She could hear the chirping of a cricket somewhere just outside. She always wondered how they were able to make such sounds just by rubbing their wings together. She decided to get some fresh air and got dressed in her Miko, grabbed her bow and headed towards where she remembered she saw some people practice shooting arrows.
“Morning little youngling.” Dragandhor’s voice reached her mind.
“Morning? It’s still pitch black night, though.”
“The sun will rise in another two hours or so.” He told her. Melody mentally sighed, she was so used to waking up after just an hour’s sleep that she was sure it was still nearer to midnight. She looked to the moon and saw it sinking into the depths of the edge of the world.
“Where are you off to?” Dregandhor asked sensing her wondering about.
“I thought I’d so long try and practice shooting my first arrows.” Melody said as she finally found the range. Wooden targets at the far end. She grabbed a quiver filled with practice arrows from those that were supplied for everyone’s use. Placing it on the ground she took one and nocking it on the bow’s string holding the arrow still between her thumb and index finger as she desperately tried to draw the string, think she had drawn the string far enough she released it…
The arrow fell a foot away, dipping into the soft ground.
“This is harder than I thought it would be.” Melody told the Dragon, sighing in disappointment.
 “You just need to practice, is all! But practice drawing without an arrow for now.” The Dragon suggested.
“Is that really a good idea?” Melody asked skeptically.
“Just try it.” The Dragon said knowingly.
“Fine.” Melody gave in. She grabbed the whole string with her hand and pulled on it, slightly and then slacking it again.
“Good! I was just about to tell you that you should still do it as if there was an arrow nocked!” Dragandhor stated knowingly.
Melody held the sting with her index, middle and ring finger and pulled slightly, instantly a black form appeared nocked.
“That is the arrow.” Dregandhor informed her.
“It’s made out of pure energy, gathered and willed into an arrow, another perk of a bow being a Drasondo.” Dregandhor explained.
“The thighter the string is draw the more solid the arrow will become, and like any other arrow you still need to keep it in place until you release it! You can will that arrow to do just about anything!” Dreghandor told her.
“How do you know this much?” She asked the Dragon.
“As soon as my soul become one with that weapon I knew all I need to know about it an me as a Drasondo. But I’m not allowed to tell you everything, you as a Drakuemasu must learn to use you Dragon and weapon yourself; there very little I can tell you.”
“You couldn’t tell me that drawing it without an arrow would cause an arrow out of energy to appear, but you could tell me to just draw it without an arrow...  You can tell me it can do whatever I want, but not what that itself means. Sounds more like you’re can’t tell me what abilities and power comes with a Drasondo.” Melody rolled her eyes.
“It’s just how it works, I’ve tried a few times to tell you what Chronos can do, but I can’t, it’s like a force prevents me to.
“That’s fine.” Melody waved off his bothers.
“Let me just continue practice.” She said and drew on the string a bit more, the arrow still appeared to look like a mirage, but she just could draw the string back any further, she released the arrow and again fell a foot away and disappeared leaving no trace of where it had dipped into the ground.
“So I’m not the only one who decided to start early with practice.” A voice spoke. Melody turned to see Yuu take a quiver filled with arrows and sling it over his shoulder. Pulling an arrow from the quiver her nocked it and drew back on the bow’s string as soon as it was fully drawn he released and the arrow flew straight and true towards the furthest target, sinking in deep dead center.
“It didn’t even look like you were aiming!” Melody said shocked.
“I aim as a draw. To hold it takes a lot of strength to do so, so I release it as soon as I can and I’m sure that it will hit its mark. Now you try again.”
Melody drew on the string and again the faint black of an arrow’s outline appeared.
“That could be useful. Never running out of arrows.” Yuu sounded impressed.
“This is as far as I can draw it, it won’t go further!” Melody told Yuu.
“It can, you just don’t have the strength to do so the way you’re drawing right now.” Yuu went to stand behind Melody and placed his hand over hers, helping her to draw the string as far back as possible, the black arrow was nearly completely solid in form now. Yuu held the string for a bit longer, the weight straining to be released to propel the arrow forward. He helped keep the arrow in position as he told Melody to aim and to simply let go of the string once she was ready. She tried to aim, to align to tip of the arrow on the center of the target where Yuu’s arrow was dug in. Simply opening her finger curled around the string the arrow, that was resting between her index and middle finger, was launched forward, it flew soundlessly through the air and struck the very top of the target.
“That is a complete mis!” Yuu said smiling.
“You should at least be inside the last circle. But at least it struck the target board and not the retaining wall behind, our Priestess still can’t hit that target board.” Yuu said with a smug on his face. As the arrow vanished no trace remaining of it having struck the target.
“A phantom arrow.” He shrugged.
“Why is it different from the other targets?” Melody asked, looking at the target that was lined up, they were all round this one she was shooting, the one Yuu had shot at, was larger and was square with circles painted on .
“We had it put up for her, to give her a larger surface to aim at, should she missed the actual target, we thought at least it would hit the outline of the rest of the target. No hope for her though in archery. But the fact this was your first aim, there is still hope yet. We just need to more on your stamina and strength, so that you can draw it on your own.” Yuu’s encouraged his new student.
“No let’s get to jogging. I already have breakfast and lunch packed for us.” Yuu said and turned to head to the back of the shrine towards and towards the forest; picking up a bag he had dropped on the ground at door that lead back inside.
“Are you coming?” Yuu asked noticing Melody still staring at the target.
“Yes! Sorry!” Melody snapped back to reality from wherever she had been for that split second and followed Yuu out.
 

~~Melody refused to stop moving as she jogged through the forest, though to say she was jogging was a huge over stated opinion! She was so slow you could say she was just walking, which Yuu was doing!
Her lungs burned with each breath she took of the cold morning mist that dewed the leaves of grass, trees and the delicate white flowers that could be spotted dotting the forest grounds. Yuu left her to go as far as she could, this would improve her stamina indefinitely! The hardest part about going through the forest was the matted roots of the age old trees that protruded from the earthy soil, it was due to this that Melody’s foot got caught on one of these roots. She face planted, her forehead hitting something sharp. Yuu was there ready to help her up, but as exhausted as she was she had jumped to her feet within seconds before Yuu could reach her.
Seeing blood spilling from just below her hair line, Yuu took out a clean piece of cloth, a bandage he had stashed inside the bag and an ointment of some sort as well.
“I never know what might happen, so I always make sure I’m prepared.” Yuu told her.
“And yesterday?” She asked not having seen him take anything.
“Even yesterday.” He said as he suggested her to sit down while he cleaned the cut with the cloth before putting some of the ointment on, she hissed as it stung, but it soon cooled the wounds burning. He proceeded to wrapping the bandage around her head to keep the wound from bleeding further.
“It’s a nasty cut. But it’ll heal quickly, and don’t worry it won’t leave a scar!”
“I’m not worried about scars!” She laughed and stood up from her seat on an old fallen tree’s stump.
“We’re another twenty minutes from the stream. Do you feel up to it?” He asked the sun already warming the crispy cold air and the mist starting to lift, leaving a fresh musky smell. Melody took in the scents, it was pleasant, and strange as it sounded, it warmed her.
“Yes. I’m sorry it takes so long!” She said, touching the bandage she remembered she hadn’t thanked him yet.
“Thank you.” She mumbled and Yuu just shook his head.
“You’re too shy for such a lovely a person that you are! You shouldn’t have to crop your emotions into a tight spot anymore! You have friends here now, whether you wanted them or not!” Yuu said with a sense of pride and lead the went on to lead the rest of the way.
As soon as they got to the stream, Yuu grabbed two buckets from behind a bush and filled it with water.
“We’ll start immediately! Just getting here from now on is your stamina exercise, holding these will help build strength!” Yuu said and gave her the filled buckets after showing her to hold them while her arms where stretched out to her sides. She could barely lift the two buckets though so he had some of the water dumped back into the gentle flowing stream.
She stood ‘T’ to the ground, her arms felt heavy and was starting to shake.
“Spread your legs some it’s help your balance some, if you have more balance the strain won’t be so much!” Yuu advised. Melody did as he said and felt the weight lift just ever so slightly to her core, but her arms still felt as if they were being torn!

“Becoming a warrior, so matter whether an archer, a swordsman or with fist alone, one does not just need strength in muscles or stamina, neither do they require much technical skill, power, speed or dexterity, but rather strength at heart! When someone has a selfless reason to fight, they can become your greatest opponent because often the reason lies in that they are protecting something or someone!  I can sense that you have a reason other than just wanting to become stronger for yourself and yet I also sense it’s personal.”
“I’m doing this to safe my family! As well as some very close friends of mine’s family as well! And to free Dragandhor!” She told him her determination giving her strength. She adjusted her grip on the buckets and tried to ignore the pain, willing herself to not yet dropped the buckets.
“Selfish and selfless… You want to safe your parents because you yourself miss them and can’t stand the torment of your memories!” He said with something that hinted towards disappointment in her reasons.
“Don’t try to sound like you know better! I already had to live seeing them die for times even though I only remember the latest! First they drowned, then they burned and then we were separated through war! Now they were tortured in front of me…” She dropped the buckets tears stringing her eyes, but she refused for them to fall. Anger swelled in her heart, no one had the right to tell her, her actions and reason were selfish!
“Four times…” The pieces fell in place for Yuu, understanding to why she felt so familiar to him.
“There is a reason they keep dying! When fate decided something to be, no one can stop it from happening! You don’t remember the other three times, because you prevented fate to have them die in that manner, but fate then just went on to take them in some other way! Don’t you see? You're being selfish! Your parents’, I’m sure, only wanted you to go on living! Why go through all this just to safe them over and over again?” Yuu raised his voice. Something lingering in the depths of his eyes that should have told Melody to be careful of what she was going to say next… but…
“You don’t know what it is like? Losing the only people I care about! It’s the worst! I can stand the pain from this cut, I can handle the fact that my arms feel like they’re being torn just to become strong enough to become an archer I can handle my legs feeling numb, but I can’t… I just can’t stand knowing that my parents, my mother and father is dead, and I’m not! You don’t know anything about me!” She screamed and gritted her teeth together her tear having fallen and dried up in that moment.
“You don’t know anything about me either.” Yuu said, the life within him appearing to have faded away.
“I lost my family as well. In fact I killed my own brother, not wanting him to suffer as he choked on his own blood… A Drakuemasu had killed them! One of you!” He locked eyes with Melody and Melody stepped back, all she could see was hate!

“You said you have friends that are very dare to you, they are the same friends that looked after you when you lost your own family. You didn’t lose everyone you cared about. I did…” The anger and hate disappeared.
“I was taken in by Master Genryo after he found me living off of trash in a town near the coast, when he and the Priestess had gone there to take care of a possession, four years ago, just before my own fourteenth year... I became an archer to help people! Not to undo what has already been done!” He finally said. Melody stood staring unable to move, she was still petrified at the the hate she had seen in his eyes, but something about that hate tugged at the corners of her mind.
Yuu left her then as he wondered off back in the shrine, not caring whether Melody followed suit or not. He left the bag that was lying halfway under the bush and even his bow and the quiver filled with arrows, that he had laid against a tree.
Strength of heart… Melody thought.  Yuu, he was going forward with his life, but she was still caught in her past…
She had a reason to get stronger, but was it really her heart that was guiding her?
That hate… She clenched her fist tight, her nails digging into her palm.
“I hate that man! I hate him! For everything he did! Torturing my parents! Forcing me to watch!” She screamed grabbed her bow and left in the opposite direction!

~~She trudge off not knowing where her chosen path would lead her, she was furious. But not just at Yuu, no she was mad with herself. How could she have been so stupid not to have recognized the pain in his own eyes when she spoke of loss? And then she went on about how he didn’t understand and wouldn’t know how she felt. He didn’t just watch his family die, he was partly the cause as well… She pierced her lip as she bit on it, trying to force away her anger with pain.
She wondered on for a while until she was surrounded by the thick forest trees ahead, unable to make out left from right or which way she had come from.
“Melody!” A deep thundering voice finally got her attention.
“What’s wrong?” Dregandhor asked.
“I’m a horrid person! I only end up hurting those that I get close to! Yuu, he lost his family and killed his own brother who was suffering, dying himself…” She choked on the last words as Yuu’s words struck home. His brother was choking on his own blood… Tey were murdered, just as hers, and not just by anyone, but by the very type of person she wanted to become, the Drakuemasu.
She dropped to her knees, sulking in her own misery.
“I’ll come to take you back to the shrine.” The dragon spoke through his soul bound to the bow.
“No.” She cried, softly.
“I don’t deserve to be anywhere near him!” She shouted and her breath hitched on the sob that escaped her. She clutched at her chest, her heart was pounding viciously and she felt hot, unbearably so, as if she was standing in a fire.
Standing up she continued wondering her tears never stopping to flow down her cheeks. She would get away as far as possible; she’d train herself to use the Drasondo.
“Why are you so determined to punish yourself?” Her dragon asked, but no answer came.
“You aren’t a horrid person. If you were you would not have cared for that boy’s own feelings as you do.” The Dragon tried a different approach. Again she ignored him. She focused one disappearing, she didn’t want to be noticed, she wanted to hide, like she had been hiding in her apartment for the past three years. She didn’t even want Dragandhor to come after her.
She went deeper into the forest, her feet often stumbling over rocks and roots that stood out above the ground. Far above her a thundering roar filled the sky. And the heavens were torn asunder as rain started to pour down.
She hated this feeling of uselessness! She hated her life and how she was only a burden to everyone around her…
Her head felt heavy, but she was determined to make sure she vanished for good this time; maybe it would be for the best if she never returned to her present self, and rather died wherever her soulless body now laid near ten-thousand years into the future… Then she wouldn't be a burden to anyone anymore!
She steadied herself against a tree, her head was spinning and she could no longer feel her tired legs that somehow still held her up standing.
“Where are you?” Dregandhor’s voice echoed in her mind.
“I can’t sense you? Are you alright?” She heard another thundering roar above Dregandhor’s calls to her; but it was different, it sounded alive.
A memory flashed, the last memory she had from that dreadful night. A roar that was alive somehow…
Then more memories flooded her mind, a memory of drowning and hearing a roar that vibrated through the waters from the world above.
A memory of fire surrounding her and of suffocating smoke filling her lungs, a living booming roar had greeted her ears just as she lost consciousness.
Finally a memory of her standing over her parents’ dead bodies as bombs rained down and explosions filled the night with their brilliant flares. A blue lightning streaking across the sky and destroying a towering building just behind her. People screaming and running about, some though had resigned themselves to the fact that they would die and pointed out to the horizon where a new kind of weapon stood tall and full of pride, the source of the blue lightning the weapon her parents had work on before they married and had her… Then suddenly a enormous black dragon stood before her, protecting her from the weapon. as it discharged another blue lightning.
“You… You saved me each time…” Her voice sounded far away as she spoke to herself.
“I should have died each time, but you saved me… Why?” She asked knowing that the Dragon would not hear her, having cut their link so that he wouldn’t come after her.
More memories flashed through her mind, memories from her past life, memories from before the tragedies. They felt lonely and sad to her, unlike her memories from time spent with Rin and Sai before that dreadful night. She didn’t have friends to help her through her grieve, not like she had now. Her parents having gone where there was work for bio-engineers as them.
“I’m sorry Dregandhor, but I can’t go through with living this dreary life!” She gently tucked on the bow’s string, a black arrow taking on a ghostly form. She willed it to solidify and took it from the string. Staring only a moment longer at it, she pushed her leaning form from the tree and stalked on forward. Determined to get away from everything; to go as far as her weak and tired body could carry!
She dragged her feet along, all she could feel now was the pain from every breath she drew and every beat her heart took.
“Sorry Yuu! I didn’t mean what I said, I didn’t mean to hurt you with my misery and self-pity!” She took another step, and peered around, but the way she had come from had already been hidden from view by the endless forest.
“Sorry Sai! Sorry Rin! I only always end up making life a bit more dreary for when I’m around, but I really did love being around the two of you! You’re the only people that made me feel like I can go on living and now I even ruined that by coming to the past. I might end up losing both of you just to safe my parents!” Her words gave her some more strength to go on, to move forward, not ready to give up just yet.
“But I have to do this on my own!” She said with all the strength left in her breaking voice. Her foot caught onto an entanglement of roots and she found herself tumbling forward and then falling…
 

~~Yuu easily stepped over rocks and tree stumps, from where the trees had broken under their own weight, their corroding form unable to support them any longer. He had calmed down the moment he had said his say and turned to look for something to eat other than the rice he had packed for them.
Something pleaded with him to try and understand her reasons for doing what she did, he understood the consequences of time and having the power to change the past, but only after learning she had come from the past did he start thinking of all the possibilities, he should have guessed she was here trying to safe her parents after she had told him of everything that had happened, but why she had come so far back in time… He thought there was some other reason to it, maybe even a mistake.
Whatever his thoughts were he’d ask her, once he was back. The bit of sky he could see past the tree tops were dark and he wondered if winter had finally decided to grace them with its presence, the heat from the summer seasons having just recently decided to subside.
The thought of snow brought a new train of thoughts to him, a question demanding an answer.
“Why does she feel so familiar, like I should know her?” He voiced the question as he was unable to answer it.
“Here! I brought you some fruits!” Yuu said as he stepped from behind tightly spaced trees.
“Melody?” He called out when he didn’t see her.
“Melody?” He called out louder, but no one answered.
“Melody!” He screamed. Panic quickly taking hold. A roar thundered from above and rain started pouring heavy with dread!
“Melody!” He called out again, his voice drowned out by the lighting that stretched across the skies.
Before he could sprint off a black beast crushed through the canopy of the trees.
“Where is she?” The Dragon sneered, baring his razor sharp teeth.
“I don’t know!” Yuu said, fear filling his voice, but not because of the threat that stood before him so suddenly, but rather that Melody was in danger.
“She ran off upset, because of you!” The Dragon to hissed smoke bellowing from his maw as his anger became more evident.
“What?” Yuu’s look of confusion and fear growing with each passing moment.
“Because she thinks she has done you wrong with her actions, her choices and how she confronted you with them!” The Dragon’s anger slipped away some, and anxiety taking root for the girl’s safety.
“What is it?” Yuu asked as he noticed the Dragon’s sudden change.
“She’s going to kill herself!” The Dragon said his eyes scanned through the trees hoping to find her.
“You can’t be sure!” Yuu said following Dregandhor’s searching eyes.
“I felt her will an arrow into existence, not one that would soon just disappear!” The Dragon confirmed.
“She didn’t shoot it, though, but I felt her take it from the bow! You have to find her!” The Dragon begged, but Yuu had already run off deeper into the denser forest, having heard something…
“Melody!” He called as he ran, hoping she would answer.
“Melody!” He called and stopped at the edge of a cliff, surprised he hadn’t found her yet, knowing she couldn’t have made it this far in the short few minutes since he went off byhimself.
He scanned the area hoping to find some trace that she had indeed came this way. He spotted her bow laying scattered in the muddy ground a little ways further along the cliff’s rim. Hoping that she didn’t fall from this height, he scanned to ground below, finding the faint sight of the white and red Miko.
“Melody!” He ran down the slope at the end of the cliff and jumped the last distance down to reach the girl faster. He fell beside her and quickly lifted her head onto his lap.
“Come on Melody! Wake up!” His panicky voice ordered, but no response came from the girl. He looked her over for any sure sign of a serious wound from the fall and found the arrow still firmly gripped in her hand.
“Melody!” He tried to get her to come to, pulling her closer to his chest. She was cold and her wet clothes didn’t help her any!
“He lifted her up into his arms and started climbing back up the steep slope, slipping a few times from the muddy surface, once at the top he picked up her bow and slung it over his shoulders, keeping his hold on her. He placed his hand again in the bent of her knees and carried her back to the stream.
The Dragon having waited right there unable to follow after Yuu.
“You have to fly us back!” Yuu said as soon as the Dragon spotted them, and he the Dragon.
“Get on!” The Dragon held out his leg to help Yuu get himself and Melody onto his back.
With one strong beat of his black wings Dregandhor lifted himself into the air and flew straight and fast back to the temple landing on the steps, unable to pass beyond the archway into the shrine grounds.
The roar from Dregandhor had alerted everyone inside and one of the elder monks had rushed to help when he saw Yuu cradling Melody against his chest.
“What happened!” Shin asked as he reached Yuu and the Monk, watching the Dragon pace on the steps beyond the Torii Gates.
“She fell from the cliff!” Was all Yuu dared to say, too focused on Melody’s already too slow heartbeat against his chest.
They rushed through the shrine and into the nearest empty room they could find. The monk having shouted orders for warm water and any clean cloths, blankets and even to call for Hekima and her husband, who was the local doctor.
The monk then ordered Yuu and Shin out the room as he tended to her few scrapes and bruises as well as the cut on her forehead that had started to bleed again after her fall.
Hekima and her husband and made their way to the shrine in haste and the monk left them to further tend to the girl.
“How is she?” Yuu asked when the monk stepped out of the room.
“We’ll know by tomorrow morning. Though it’s miracle that she didn’t break anything with the fall, she only has some few bruises and a nasty cut on her forehead in her hairline.” The monk said his voice calming.
Yuu slumped back onto the ground as in the corridor as he waited for more word from Hekima and Norio.
It was a long day and the night was even longer, Norio had done what he could and had went for a walk through the shrine to stretch, allowing Yuu to go in and keep Hekima company and help watch over the unconscious girl. Shin had fallen asleep on the floor, having waited along with Yuu in the corridor.
The rain storm had turned to snow fall a blizzard quickly brewing as the winds started to pick up again. The black Dragon had not left his spot on the stares up to the shrine. Norio feeling sorry for the beast unable to step onto sanctioned ground, being a Dragon… It was indeed strange that beast that were often referred to as holy creatures was treated as Demons.
“Misses Hemika?” Yuu kept his voice low and as silent as possible.
“Yes?” The woman gave permission for him to speak further, her wise, kind and gentle smile and knowing eyes now focused on him.
“If you had the chance to go back in time to safe someone, would you?” He asked.
“I don’t know.” The woman turned her gaze back to Melody.
“I haven’t lived through what you and this girl has, her eyes when I first saw her, told me all I needed to know! That she had lived through a terrible occurrence, just as you! Only you and she could answer that.” The woman advised giving her answer.
“I would like to have had the chance, but at the same time, at least now, I wouldn’t take it.”
“And why is that?” Hekima asked.
“I’ve come to terms with the fact that sometimes certain things aren’t meant to change! Everyone lives and then dies; it isn’t for us to decide otherwise.”
“And yet here is one girl who had taken the chance!” Hekima said sparing Yuu another comforting glance and warm smile.
“I’m not old just for any reason! I’ve come to understand some things in my life!” Hekima told him.
“She’s going to change her entire future, good and bad, just to safe her parents, because she thinks she lost everything, and apparently it isn’t the first time. She has friends back in her own current time that has taken care of her, why would she risk losing them, just for her own selfishness?” He asked unable to understand.
“Maybe she hasn’t realized that yet, maybe she doesn’t know what it means to change one aspect of her past… If she has gone back in time before to safe her parents, then help her soul to remember what her mind doesn’t! Maybe then she’ll see her wrongs and even come to terms with her loss as you have come to terms with yours.” Hemika said, her wisdom showing off her age.
“I already tried telling her!” Yuu said a bit dissapointed
“I guessed as much, perhaps that is why she ran off.”
“How?” Yuu gave a surprised look.
“I told you I didn’t grow old for just any reason!” Came the wise reply that only those who has lived a long life could give.
“But it’s not your fault. Speak with her again about it when she comes to.” Hekima said as she took a wet cloth from Melody’s forehead and rinsed it in the warm water, twisted out the excess water and placed it again on the girl’s forehead.
“Her fever’s letting up. She’ll be fine!” Hekima informed him, and relieve flooded him.

~~In the three days that passed, Melody still sleeping, a fever coming and going, snow had filled the streets. This made it sure that the Sakura and Genryo would not be back anytime soon. Yuu had taken it upon himself to take care of Melody when either Hekima or her husband Norio wasn’t there.

In between watching over Melody, Yuu had talked with Dregandhor. Turns out that Dragons are forbidden by Yggdrasil to wonder the surface world after the first Drasondo was made, and is why Dragons no longer can pass through human made spiritual artifacts, a means to punish Humans for their foolishness.
Yuu had also found out that the Dragon already knew of Melody’s cruel fate, but would rather keep it a secret.

“Why is it you know her as you do?” Yuu had asked surprised that Dragandhor knew everything about Melody.
“After three times of her being sent into the past and now again, my soul remembered what my mind shouldn’t. It is something you Humans call Deja-vu. Her soul and mine resonate strongly with each other, and so it is why I saw her past selves, I also saw all of her futures, all of them. She must make her own choices and I will not tamper with time more than is necessary. Her current self is the one that would be better off to continue life. She has friends now, family, that she hadn’t had before. I’ll allow myself to be captured again and again, so that she has a means to return to the past and move towards the future to ‘safe’ her family, because it is the only way to safe her as well!” Dregandhor sounded convinced of what he had to do.
“What do you mean by that? Why not just send her to the exact moment in time where she needs to safe her parents why so far into the past?” Yuu asked unsure.
“She should have died each time along whit her parents, but I, my future self, saved her. She can only be send into the past where the Drasondo, Chronos, exists. Right now that is the bow my soul lives in, it though will be destroyed in six years from now, that means my own death as well. All Dragons can see their end the moment their souls are taken to make these ultimate weapons, I was terrified and pleaded to be saved summoning her from the future by myself for the first time. This was only possible because our souls are so closely enterwined with each other, but that would not work a second time.”
“But wait if you were supposed to die, how did you safe her the first time?” Yuu asked, ignoring the growing cold and the darkening skies over head that was tattletale of another blizzard.
“Because most of our actions have already been written across time, I had already allowed my soul to be used as the material to recreate Chronos after she was born. My Drasondo’s time travel magic only works if it exist at all the times; meaning it has to exist in the future if the master; my youngling, Melody; wants to go to the future and can return back to the present time as well. For traveling back in time, it has to exist in the past, but there are two difficulties, I cannot send her to a past where she exists, no matter her age, nor can I return her to the present, meaning she can never return to her present time from the past. She has to go further back and live through the years up until she exists, her body then would start to fade the closer she comes to her present self until only her soul remains, she must then find her present self and return or she would die… But changing her past also means her new current self is not her and so her soul returns to her by itself, her never to remember the past…”
“Because it never existed…” Yuu interrupted.
“Yes. But not knowing this myself I thought she had returned to her own time the moment she freed me the first time. I had made a promise with her to meet her in the future as a free Dragon. Not sure though when she is to be born, I came to the top of the world a second time, and again was captured. I called upon her again to safe me so that I could fulfil that promise! This might sound selfish to you, but it is how it was. She helped free me again and for the third time again I was captured. It was around then that I had found out about the curse on the master of my Drasondo, and the only Human who would ever be able to use my Drasondo that would forever be called Chronos was her… I feared for her life. I had went to find her, warn her not to ever wield any weapon that has my soul in it, to safe her from Yggdrasil’s fury! Turned out she didn’t exist yet and that my desire to see her called her back to me from her own time, and it was then that I learned of her fate, I decided I’d not tell her, and that I would find some other way to safe her. I can see the future as clear as day now! Something I shouldn’t be able to do until she would make the journey back into the past for the third time. I’ll keep my future though as it is, for her sake!”

“So if she has to return to her own time without your help does that mean…” Yuu tried to think of the right way to tell the Dragon of what he suspects.
“Yes. She won’t age at all.” Dregandhor voiced Yuu’s thoughts.
“And at this very moment, though she is one being, she is of four souls. But the soul that is her current self is the one that rules dominion over her for now, that is until I call for her the second time around to free me. The soul that would remain is the one from her parent’s first death. And I would like to ask you to protect her for me as long as you possibly can!” Dregandhor pleaded with Yuu, knowing something Yuu has yet to come to realize.
“I will.” Yuu nodded, the wind cutting through the layers of his clothes as the blizzard came to life.
“She’s waking!” Dragandor sensed, a crooked joyous smile flitted to his previous serious face.

~~“Norio!” Yuu said and bowed slightly as he greeted the elderly doctor that had stepped out of Melody’s temporary room, the warm orange glow of a lantern burning inside and Hekima sitting next to Melody in the corner of his eyes.

I was just going to find you, she’s awake, but doesn’t want to speak with anyone. Hekima said that perhaps you would get her out her shell.” Norio said stepping aside so that Yuu could go in.
“I’ll let Shin know as well. He was just as worried about her.” Norio said bowed and headed down the corridor towards the main hall, where he knew Shin would be praying right about now.
Yuu stepped into the room, Melody’s eyes quickly taking in his form approaching before averting her gaze towards the lantern.
“I’ll leave the two of you alone.” Hekima dropped the wet cloth back into the warm bucket of water, dried her hands and gracefully stood up from her kneeled seated position.
“Melody…” Yuu half whispered unsure what to say.
“I’m sorry! All I ever cause his trouble!” Melody said fast, her voice cracking under her silent cries and hoarse sore throat.
Yuu kept the silence unsure of what it was he wanted to say now that he was with her again. He opened his mouth and saw Melody flinch as if in expectation that he was going lecture her or shout and scream, even blame her for his brother’s death since she was a Drakuemasu. She remembered all too well the hateful fury in his eyes the last time they spoke.
“You’re no trouble at all. I shouldn’t have lost my temper and I shouldn’t have left without telling you were I was going. I’m sorry as well.” He saw he shake her head wanting to tell him something, but he was about to let her have her way so easily.
“Just promise me you won’t ever run off like that again! You nearly died, and I don’t know what I would have done if you did!” He said the words leaving him before he could even register what he was saying. Melody turned her gaze to him her eyes glassy and red, so very red.

“I just don’t want to see you lose the people you do still have in your life even though I know nothing about them, or you, for that matter! It’s just the rare few times you had mentioned them you actually smiled, and I could see how much they mean to you, they’re just as important to you as her parents were… was… is… to be… This is so confusing!” He scratched his head trying to figure out how to actually refer to her, her friends and family in the future.
A laugh escaped her, gaining Yuu’s attention. She quickly slapped her hand over her mouth.
“I’m sorry!” She said afraid that she might have offended him.
“Why?” Confused he went to sit next to her still laying form, orders from Hekima and Norio not to get up perhaps.
“I don’t… know. Ren’s been the only one to get me to laugh since…” She stalled then. Not wanting to see the hurt in Yuu’s eyes, the hurt she had missed the first time.
“Ren’s like the overly protective best friend that won’t take no for an answer. Sai, well he is what he his. He’s Ren’s big brother, and well he’s like the brother I never had or would have…” Her bit of joy was vanquished with that idle thought.
“You could still have a brother though, maybe even a sister!” Yuu tried to cheer her, knowing that her goal was to safe her parents. If she did she could still have siblings. Melody shook her head, new tears starting to bubble to the surface of her heart.
“I remember.” She whispered, Yuu took her hand in his.
“I know. Dregandhor he knows as well.” Yuu told her, but she didn’t fully understand what he meant by her Dragon knowing. Knows what?
“Dregandhor saw the your future, or all of them. He has been waiting outside the the past few days for you to recover.” Yuu tried to say as little as possible.
“But… He should know…” Melody said a bit frightened.
“He shouldn’t, but he does. He told me everything, he said he would not change his future, he’d keep it as is so that you can find your happiness.” Melody looked on confused, her memories of her past selves rushing through her mind.
“I was completely alone after my parents were killed the first three times. But now I have Ren and Sai and… and…” She turned her head so that Yuu would not see her tears streak down her cheeks and down her neck.
“I don’t know what to do!” She screamed as she forced herself to say it.

“I’m afraid to lose them if I change the future this time!” She said unable to avoid Yuu’s gentle touch to turn her head so that he held her eyes in his again.
“You’ll know what to do when the time comes. Until then you just have to live. I’m sorry to have called you selfish before. You’re not; you’re brave, kind and caring, you’re strong and only want to safe as much people’s lives that you can, starting with those dearest to you! If you weren’t you wouldn’t have been crying now that you know the truth.” Yuu told her knowing that she now understood the consequences of traveling back in time and seeing her doubting herself.
“But I’m just as good as a fiend! I ended up making you suffer, and I’m sure Ren and Sai are just as worried right now!”

“But you’ll see them again and then you’ll find a way to make yourself and them happy. Maybe even a few more people along the way.” Yuu tried to show her a path that she had not thought about before.
“You’ll tell them how much you care for them, you’ll train just as hard as you have been until and from now on forward. You can become some else’s ray of hope, guide them through their own hardships after you’ve overcome yours so that they can help even more people! Just clawing onto the past, it’s not healthy!” Yuu said, a new smile forming, and her eyes lighting up with something Yuu could only explain as hope.
“You sound just like Ren!” She laughed, wiping the last of her tears before trying to sit up. Quickly supporting her head the felt heavy. Her vision blurred and she lowered herself back down, with the help from Yuu.
“I don’t feel so well.” She said, her hand moving to cover her mouth, nausea taking over her thoughts. Yuu placed the back of his hand against her forehead.
“Your fever hasn’t let up quite yet. I’ll go find Norio or Hekima, they should be able to help you more than I.” He stood up with one smooth motion, lacking only the grace of Hekima.
“See you in a bit.” He said as he left.