It was raining heavily outside.
"Hey. Lia wake up already."
I could hear someone calling my name but I couldn't see anything.
It was dark and the sound of rain was getting louder and louder.
I wanted to sleep forever.
"Hurry up and wake up!"
I could hear something cracking.
The sound of the rain seemed to get louder.
I could hear thunder in the background.
"This is the only way to escape."
The sound of the rain was getting louder.
"So do you wanna die with me or should I take care of this myself."
The sound of thunder was getting louder, lightning was crackling.
I could see a figure walking away from me.
"You don't want to die yet?"
I could hear a loud bang.
"Ahhhh!"
The rain stopped.
I opened my eyes to find Sapphire fighting. She was bleeding all over. Minerva was on her knees and Cecila and Cynthia were knocked unconscious.
"Why are you sitting like that?" Minerva spoke to me.
"Get up and fight! Help her!"
I couldn't understand what was going on.
"Oh. My. Lord." I was shocked.
There was no way I wouldn't be.
Sapphire was fighting a dragon.
All by her self.
How is that even possible?
At the same time a bright blue light flashed.
"Cuanon." A beautiful blade manifested in sapphire's hands.
She got a weapon of descension. By sheer power.
She swung her sword at the massive dragon.
It was then that my head started to hurt again. My heart went crazy.
The memories of a land far away returned to my head and were flowing rampantly.
The dragon was darker than black. I didn't know how I could see it in the dark. It was a resplendent shade of black. Its eyes were like molten gold and its wings were enormous.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared and the dragon flew up into the sky.
Sapphire fell down. She was lying in a pool of blood, her coral blade shining.
I wanted to rush to her but my legs wouldn't move. My hands were shaking and I was crying.
Strange sounds were escaping my mouth.
Once again lightning lit up the sky and the dragon came into view. Its brilliant eyes looking directly at me. It reared its head.
"I see."
It was preparing its breath.
White flame began accumulating around its mouth.
The rain was set on fire.
My memories of the Classrooms came to my head. When I first met Sapphire. Then Cecilia. Then Kathyln. Then Minerva. Then Cynthia.
The years we trained, our favourite arena, the stone forest, the lagoons we bathed in during training. The times we were caught slacking off. The punishments we withstood together. The times we spilled each other's blood.
The time I lost to Kathyln. The time when we saw a women from outside break into the Classrooms. The first time we saw a place other than the artificial environment we were raised in.
The first time we met people of our opposite gender. The first time we ate something that wasn't a nutritive formula stored in a packet.
Unknowingly, tears began flowing down my eyes. I wondered at that moment. Weren't Users meant to be war machines? Cold blooded stone faced killers? Why was I crying? What did we do for us to deserve this?
Why couldn't we grow up 'normally'? What was 'normal'?
Why were we training so hard? For whom? The Seven Demons who we've never even met and have only read about in books?
Why could we, unlike the other Users, smile and laugh?
As I accepted my fate and decided to let go.
"I really hate this damned dragon."
A great sword lit up the sky and a volcanic arc was drawn in the sky.
It was Arcturus.
The dragon's massive form collapsed from the unexpected hit and a loud roar of agony escaped its jaws.
But Arcturus didn't stop, he continued striking the dragon. Like a painter, his brush was his great sword and his canvas was the dragon.
Suddenly the dragon's eyes flashed and a blinding golden light engulfed the entire area.
Everything covered by the light could not move.
Chronomancy. It was the manipulation of time.
The dragon, as if defying gravity, with a powerful beat of its humongous wings launched itself into the sky.
Piercing through the clouds it escaped from my vision.
The golden light disappeared and we could move again. Arcturus looked at us.
"Hel-"
He too followed the dragon, he propelled himself into the skies with a loud rumble.
I was left all alone. Minerva, Cecilia and Cynthia had fainted. Sapphire was dying and I couldn't move my legs.
How pathetic. I was given a chance to survive and I couldn't even move?
How was Arcturus here? All the descenders had disappeared or died.
Or so were we told at the empire.
Was it just Arcturus or had the others returned as well?
Did this mean that another war was coming? Were we only taught lies? Why were we never told about our origins?
Were we truly Users? Or were we something else? What was the truth?
My head was hurting even more now. I wanted to save Sapphire but I couldn't move. Even now I remained frozen.
I heard footsteps.
I looked up to see a man in black approaching me.
A great sword was slung over his shoulder.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the same as you."
His voice was strangely soothing and warm.
He was wearing a black tattered robe. His face was hidden by the hood but I could see his long braided hair.
I could see his other hand holding something. It was a small blue sphere.
He stopped in front of me.
"Hey, you can stand up, it's dangerous to stay like that."
I could see his smiling face.
He extended his hand towards me.
"Come with me."
"What about my friends?"
"They're coming too."
I took his hand and stood up.
I didn't know what was going on.
I couldn't see his face but I felt no hostility from him.