Within the continent of Xaphire sat two unified nations: 

Dragora and Humesa. 

The relationship between the nations began with the simple camaraderie of two intellectual adventurers: one who lived with the primary purpose of ensuring a prosperous future; and another who desired to uphold the tranquillity of their ancestry and heritage as they pass down through future generations. Albeit their different ideologies, the two formed an unbreakable friendship instantly. During their early years, the two adventurers journeyed though the vast open reaches of Xaphire's two nations, understanding the depths of each culture as they were eclipsed with a new ambition – to establish a bond of respect between Dragora and Humesa that would thrive for endless generations. 

As years of journey and research pressed on, the two companions eventually gained the support of leaders throughout the nations, many expressing interest and support in this quest. Others were not so keen on the idea, overly critical in the execution of this ambition and hesitant to throw forward their support. Regardless, the companions continued with their ambition, believing success would soon be in their grasp. Although the journey was riddled with trials and tribulations, their decades of hard work eventually paid off. The two nations succeeded in establishing a transnational agreement, expressing satisfaction in the numerous journals created by the two – now famous – adventurers. By this agreement, both Dragora and Humesa had the opportunity to connect and build upon their foundations as they looked on towards a bright and promising future – ultimately retaining their individuality in the process. 

From that fateful day, the two companions were forever engraved into the history books, recognised universally as saints soon after their passing. Established as the 'United Nations of Xaphire', the two species of Dragora and Humesa continued retaining a mutual respect over the next several centuries, supporting one another in building their thriving societies. Admittedly, disagreements and conflicting ideals arose on several occasions during the initial years of the newfound agreement. A considerable portion of the population cited the agreement as an 'insult to their established traditions' and a 'breach of their cultures'. 

However, these expected discrepancies fizzled out gradually, allowing eventual understanding and rising interest in the opposing cultures. To the majority, this new-found lifestyle was their ideal utopia, believing nothing would break the 'omnipotent' unity of Xaphire. They were comfortable with their lives, ignorant of the many looming flaws the nations' established bond imposed and any indication of war was brushed aside without concern. 

And yet, certain individuals saw through this display of smoke and mirrors. They felt nothing but disgust and contempt for the blind society who denied their constant warnings, chasing them underground for their 'conspiracies' and 'lies'. Whilst their numbers dwindled, the bitter individuals never ceased to exist. They were patient, waiting for the inevitable storm to break the unity apart. 

All it required was the fallout between two comrades. 

*** 

It all occurred in a matter of seconds. It started with a silent, blinding light. As it connected with the earth, it consumed the entirety of the human city immediately. Every organism in the vicinity were unable to escape its warpath, their bodies dissipating into the light upon instant contact. They had no time to scream, no time to embrace their loved ones, and no time to reflect. They were reduced to atoms in an instant.

ScrrrreeeeeEEEEEEEE-!!! 

What followed was an ear-splitting, blood-curdling screech, tearing through the atmosphere like a raging bull. As nanoseconds passed: buildings, areas of land, and everything else in between were rendered to mere dust and debris. The devastation was witnessed from hundreds of miles away, forming a large, illuminating ball as bright as the sun. Additionally, its impact was so strong that it caused a wake of ferocious, hurricane-level wind to rage throughout the remaining land. Surrounding buildings and forestation crumbled, clouds parted, and immense quantities of debris hurtled across the sky. It was the single most catastrophic event witnessed by the world. 

And yet, it was a mere snippet of a series of traumatic events that occurred on Xaphire's soil throughout the past few weeks. The reason: Dragora and Humesa were at war. 

*** 

An hour of ominous silence passed. The once lively human city and its outskirts were left in irreversible ruin, no evidence of life to be found whatsoever. 

However, underneath the crushing rubble of a collapsed building, a lone soul finally emerged. With no one else to assist, the female survivor was alone in her fight through the unmovable weight that trapped her body. At first, she was fighting a losing battle, unable to shift herself in an optimal position to slip out of the crushing debris. Although she was conscious not to panic, her movements were restless and frantic with every attempt to break free from her prison. And then, after several failed attempts, she squeezed through a narrow gap in desperate haste and emerged onto the open landscape. 

"Urrgh...! Hack! Koff-koff...!!!" 

With her throat severely dry and full of dust, pained coughs escaped the lone girl as she attempted to breath out in relief. Although her muscles were weak and damaged, she found her footing eventually. She struggled to hold her balance as she stood up, relying on the surrounding debris to support her stance. At the same time, she breathed out once more, wiping the dust from her eyes as she struggled to focus on her surroundings. The young woman – around her mid-twenties – regained her composure steadily, easing her mind from the overbearing shock. 

With focus returned to her, she observed the area around her gradually. Her gaze then widened in horror, grasping the extent of the immense devastation. Her breaths were calm, yet her heart raced at the unbearable sight. With the fiery red sky above casting an amber glow, all she could see was a war-torn battlefield. Death, blood, and decay were prevalent, the total body count of innocent lives found from visual alone was beyond comprehension. The young woman searched every direction, praying for any hints of remaining life. 

And yet, she had no luck. From her position, she was the only known survivor. 

"Tsk...!" 

Reacting with a disgusted tut, the young woman proceeded to hobble forward. Her objective was to gain an overall viewpoint of the desolate ruin, praying there were other confirmed survivors after the explosion. The dusk light dawned upon her as she shifted to the clearing, showing the extent of the damage her body had sustained from the crippling blast: her long, jet-black braided hair was now frayed and woven with dust; her young yet matured face was covered in scrapes and moderate lacerations, so much so that blood could be seen trickling from her forehead and cheek; her long-sleeved, armour-layered attire were severely torn and bloodied, numerous pieces of the fabric and armour flaking off as she moved; finally, the entirety of her left boot was missing, exposing a bruised, bloodied bare foot which struggled to sustain stability. Additionally, there was an aspect to the young woman that would be seen as inhumane: a pair of extensive, sapphire-scaled reptilian wings sprouted from her shoulder-blades. Powerful in appearance and as large as her own body in individual scale, these wings gave her an angelic yet also ominous aura that would send shivers down the spines of any unsuspecting opponent. For this young woman was not Human – she was a member of the proud, battle-born Draiken race. 

And so, regardless of the injuries she had sustained, she took another hobbled step. As she placed immediate pressure on the damaged foot, she winced as she was unable to hide the pain. She could only guess the extent of the damage in her foot, assuming there was at least a bone fracture or two. However, it was not the time to worry about such inconveniences. 

She then reached behind her lower back, checking that an important aspect of her attire was still attached to her. Sitting behind her lower back – stowed safely within their leather-bound crossing sheaves – were a pair of long, elegant battle-knives. With the sheer madness the young woman had endured throughout her time in the warzone, losing her trusted primary weapons would be an immediate death sentence. She could not risk searching for potential survivors when there was still a chance her enemies were out to slaughter her. With a brief cast of relief upon feeling the battle-knives still connected to her back, she sighed out before proceeding to stagger forward. 

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the young woman was able to climb and reach the ideal viewpoint of her crumbling surroundings. 

"Oh ... shit..." 

She gazed on in indescribable disgust, barely able to utter the words as a pit of dread formed in her stomach. What was left of the once-thriving city was a crater of death and devastation. Not a building was left standing, the majority either reduced to rubble or a skeleton of their former structures. Any other notable features were nowhere to be seen, ravaged to the point of unrecognisable dust. And to top it off, there was no hint of life in sight. 

The young Draiken woman had tensed up in grief, feeling as though she failed in her duty as a warrior and protector. All she could think about were the plethora of lives taken away too soon and too abruptly. And yet, all she could do was continue her observation and pray that survivors would miraculously emerge. 

...Whoosh...! Clash-clash-clash...! 

The Draiken woman's bright-green eyes shot open in sudden alert, noticing a flash of sparks ricocheting nearby the centre of the newly formed crater. Whilst the two figures causing such spectacle was too fast for the naked eye to follow, the woman could easily assume their identities. Without delay, she lowered her stance. Opening the entire span of her wings, she locked her sights towards the swift targets. For one mere second, the young woman stood gazing towards the clashing sparks like a falcon ready to strike down on her prey. 

Flap...! VROOOOOSH!!! 

However, as another second passed – she was gone. 

*** 

Clang-clangclang! Whoosh! Screeeech...! 

The piercing clash of metallic weaponry echoed throughout the battlefield. They ricocheted at gargantuan speeds, barely visible to the naked eye. With each collision, shockwaves could be seen erupting – causing the crater-bound arena to shake uncontrollably like a quake. With firms grasps on their deadly weapons, the two combatants stood their ground without so much as a stop for breath, using whatever means necessary to overthrow the opposition. They continued to swoop in and strike without acknowledgement of their surroundings, concentrating solely on the impending demise of the other. 

THRASH! Boom-Boom! SLICE!!! 

In the rare opportunity of the dust settling, the identities of the two rivalling combatants finally became clear: 

The first of the clashing warriors was a young Draiken male wielding a heavy curved broadsword spanning the entire length of his body. His wings were a sheen of pure silver, engulfed from top-to-bottom in indestructible florescent scales that easily illuminated the rest of the body – giving off an impression that the male Draiken was a celestial deity in appearance. Whilst his wings were unscathed, the rest of his body was another story. Significant portions of his battle-attire were non-existent: his bare torso was engulfed in deep lacerations and gashes of plenty, completely engulfing his body in blood and sweat; His ruffled light-brown hair and fair stubble were unkempt; His expression filled with frustration and exhaustion, his night-blue eyes barely able to hold his consciousness. And yet, he was still fixated on his opponent, refusing to waver no matter the cost of his own wellbeing. 

Opposed to him was a slender-built Human man of similar age, his contorted expression overwhelmed with fury and betrayal. He wielded a deadly spear-like halberd, complete with an immensely large blade attached to its top end whilst forming a pointed dagger-like spear at the bottom. Just like his Draiken foe, the young Human's attire was in complete disarray: areas of cloth and armour was seen hanging by mere threads as large blood-curdling gashes covered his body; His once silver faux-hawk hair was left ragged and stained with blood, his fringe matted to his forehead as his face was engulfed in immense sweat. Even though his exhaustion was beyond comprehension, the fury and adrenaline burning in his maroon glare was enough to continue his pursuit. 

Without a moment if pause, the two continued their fight. 

Swipe! CLASH-CLASH-CLASH! Swing! SLASH!!! 

Their blades repelled each other continuously like a ricocheting pendulum, acting as though both combatants predicted each other's attacks ad nauseum. The Draiken relied on constant pursuit with his approach, swinging and striking relentlessly to rush the Human into submission. Alternatively, the Human prioritized distance in his retaliation, utilising the length of his weapon in his attacks whilst leaping back in constant momentum. The two combatants knew the other's strengths, weaknesses, and fighting preferences, using everything at their disposal to throw off the opposition. No matter the consequence, the two were hell-bent on fighting to the death. 

Swipe! 

Timing his execution efficiently, the Human launched a wide yet swift sweep of his halberd, creating a large spiralling arc in the process. In immediate reaction, the Draiken leapt up over the incoming halberd, using his forward momentum to create a fluid somersault. 

Whoosh! CLANG! 

The Human switched his tactics hastily and parried the propelling blade in a flash, causing subsequent sparks to fly as the blade connected with the shaft of the halberd. The two weapons ricocheted in an instant, forcing both combatants back in the process. With the momentum of his somersault broken, the Draiken had no choice but to regain distance from his enemy with a swift beat of his wings, his mind racing as he thought about his next approach immediately. At the same time, the Human skidded back due to the sheer force of the colliding weapons, firmly holding his balance in prevention of creating a fatal opening for his opponent. 

Step-step! VROOSH! 

With only a passing second, the Draiken propelled forward with a boost of his wings, his sights locked on target as his blade aimed to pierce his opponent. In retaliation, the Human prepared to swipe his halberd in a rising arc, attempting to parry the large blade before it could even close in on his body. 

Skid! Swing! Whoosh! 

However, the Draiken switched his approach at the last second, his foot planted on the ground as he forced himself to circle the Human and catch his off-guard from a viable blind spot. Albeit rushed, the Human twisted and parried hastily with the spear-end of his halberd, saving himself from certain death just in time. This immense clash was followed by further swings and collisions of metal, each more ferocious than the last. At the same time, their bodies began to dart throughout the battlefield more erratically, both bodies and blades a blur when seen with the naked eye. 

Clang-clang-clang-CLANG!!! Swoosh! CLASH!!! 

Such insane movements seemed impossible for mortals to perform, blades cutting through the air at speeds faster than fired bullets. Both combatants threw themselves into the reaction relentlessly, barely even touching the ground as they executed their next attack or parrying the opposition. 

"Ngh?!" 

In that moment, the Draiken slipped up on his approach abruptly. Though the series of blade swings and constant ricochets, the Human had taken the opportunity to take an unpredictable risk. As sword and halberd caught each other from a low angle, he stabbed his weapon down against the ground, causing his winged opponent to lurch forward. 

WHAM! 

"GACK!" 

Finding the ideal opening, the Human struck the Draiken with an unrelenting punch to the face. The Draiken staggered back, a spurt of blood breaking from his nose as he almost lost his balance entirely. Thankfully, his blade broke free from the halberd's trap, allowing him to separate himself from his enemy's proximity. However, his eyes were stuck in a blood-soaked daze. 

Swing! 

Yet, despite the setback, he could still hear the incoming halberd. 

Swipe...! Whack! 

The Draiken deflected the inbound halberd with a swift flick of his left wing, throwing the Human off his momentum. With this renewed opportunity, the Draiken was able to recuperate his footing and regain his sights. He tightened his grasp on his weapon hastily, his heart racing as determination was set in his mind as he locked onto his enemy. However, this brief second of optimism was short-lived. 

The Draiken caught a glimpse of the opponent's halberd soaring towards him in a high-arching motion. In haste, he leapt off the ground with a significant boost of his two wings, evading the attempted strike entirely. The wide-eyed Human was taken aback, witnessing his opponent rise high during the midst of his swing. Due to placing all his might in his swing, he had barely any chance to recover in time for his winged-opponent's retaliation. All he could do was watch on in a gasp of terror. 

Swing...! SWOOP! 

The Draiken twisted his body side-wards as he propelled above his opponent, drawing back his curved broadsword. With a thrust of his wings, he proceeded to execute several successive swings without so much of an interval. The Human switched to bracing in a panic, realising that his had no time to escape the flurry of attacks. 

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Shriiing...! 

"GYAAAAH!!!" 

The Human roared out in agony, his entire body hurtling back across the obliterated battlefield from the immense pressure of his opponent. Whilst the Human parried most of the incoming strikes, he was unable to keep at pace with his opponent's horrendous speed and unpredictable shifts in movement. Before he realised what had happened, he found himself tumbling uncontrollably across the gravelled, dusty ground of the battlefield. 

Bang-bang-bang-bang! Skiiiid...! 

...Step ... step. 

Watching his opponent tumble away from him, the Draiken landed with both feet firm on the ground, letting out a sigh of rejuvenated relief. He could feel his muscle aching and tensioned after the constant clashing, feeling a slight sense of fatigue setting in. However, he had no desire to end the battle just yet. 

Leap! VROOSH! 

With a sudden kick off the ground, the Draiken flew into pursuit of his downed opponent. At the same time, he drew back his colossal blade. The blade began to emit a streak of blinding-white light, increasing its impending devastation as he prepared to unleash the ultimate blow. With everything set, he took aim. 

Although he was able to halt himself finally, the Human was seen struggling to return to his feet. He was clutching the enlarged, blood-soaked laceration that crossed down from his left shoulder to the centre of his chest. It was undeniable that he was left in a critical condition. 

"Nn...! NNGH!" 

The Human wheezed in unrelenting agony; his breath stuttered as he desperately attempted to force his body up. He then noticed the Draiken closing in on his position, causing him to scream internally for his body to do as he commanded. And yet, no matter how hard her tried, the muscles in his body refused to comply. 

Seconds away from him, the Draiken swung down his weapon. 

SWOOP! CLASH!!! 

With no other choice left for him, the Human threw up his halberd, grasping it with both hands as he braced upon impact. Sparks erupted from the colliding metal followed by a shockwave of light rays that exploded from the Draiken's weapon. What followed was a thick dust cloud of gigantic proportions, engulfing the two in blinding fog. A few seconds later, the dust cloud evaporated, revealing the positions of the two combatants. 

"We're done here." 

The Draiken stood hunched over the downed Human, bearing his fangs as he growled out at his opponent. Placing full force in his weapon as he pressed down against the struggling halberd, he was certain that he had overpowered the Human. With blood streaming from his open wound and muscles shaking significantly, the Human continued to glare back at his enemy in distraught. 

"I won't stop...! I won't ... stop until you've d-drawn your l-last breath!" He spat in rough retort, his throat dry and hoarse as he struggled to speak his words. 

Hearing this response, the Draiken further pushed against his weapon, closing the distance against the Human. 

"Don't you get it?" The Draiken questioned bitterly, a hint of desperation in his voice. "You're done. You've lost! There's nothing left for you in this fight, you stubborn fool!" 

The Human continued to glare at his opponent with nothing but sheer contempt, expressing refusal to back down. 

"There's been enough death and bloodshed already." The Draiken continued, reminding his opposition of the overall situation. "Why be another dead body on top of countless others?" 

"You have no right ... to talk about death and bloodshed ... not after everything YOU'VE done!" The Human then spat back in disgust. "So many innocent people ... died because of you. So many lives were ruined ... because of what you did to them." 

The Draiken fell silent upon hearing the Human's words, unable to find the best response to such accusations. 

"I..." He murmured quietly, doubt engulfing his mind. "They weren't supposed to..." 

However, during his wandering thoughts, the Draiken had not realised his pressure on the blade had lessened. On the other hand, the Human noticed immediately. 

Swipe! 

In a brief snap, the Human shoved the Draiken away in haste, causing the Draiken to stagger back unexpectedly. The Human rolled onto his front, forcing his body to stand regardless of the immense pain emitting from his open chest wound. Driven by overwhelming adrenaline and fury, he was prepared fight and accomplished his goal – regardless of his survival. The moment he regained his footing – albeit shakily – the Human struck forward with the blade of his halberd. Upon swift recovery, the Draiken noticed the incoming weapon, giving him a mere second to react before risking being skewered. 

Swipe! CLANG! 

In subconscious retaliation, the Draiken threw up his large blade, connecting with the bladed-halberd and sending both weapons skyward. The Human lost his balance, stumbling from the unpredictable counter. The Draiken found his opening and leapt forward with a definitive swing of his weapon. 

Swing! SLICE!!! 

"AAAAARRGH!!!" The clean cleave of the Draiken's blade disarmed the Human from his shoulder joint completely, separating his weapon arm as a spray of blood appeared from his new wound. 

Clump! 

The Human fell to his knees, his remaining hand clutching the bloodied stub of where his weapon arm used to be. 

"Aaaargh...!" 

He was seething out in agony, his halberd on the floor next to him. The Draiken gazed down upon his fallen opponent, showing a pitiful expression to his former ally. 

Swish! 

The Draiken stepped forward, flicking the blood off his large blade. The Human glanced up at the towering Draiken, glaring at his former friend with utter disdain. 

"Sorry ... buddy." 

As the Draiken mouthed his final words of apology, he raised his weapon in preparation of landing the death blow. The Human watched; his jaw clenched as he witnessed the blade rise. 

"I'm not..." He muttered lowly, hunching his body forward to act as though he accepted his fate. "...the one you should APOLOGISE TO!" 

In that moment, the Draiken's colossal blade swung down. 

SWOOP! 

...Shunk! Splutter! 

"URK!!" 

A voice coughed up in shock, blood splattering onto the dust-covered ground below. The world halted, as though time had stopped completely. Crippling silence engulfed the surrounding battle-zone, both combatants as still as statues. Within the centre of nothingness, it was apparent that the definitive outcome was set. For it was not the Draiken who dealt the fatal blow – it was the Human. 

As he watched the Draiken's colossal blade fall towards him, the Human released his remaining hand from his limbless wound and snatched up the halberd. Without thinking, he stabbed the weapon skywards, praying it would land on target. The shift in movement was so abrupt that the Draiken had no idea what had occurred until it was far too late to react. One moment he was landing the death blow on his enemy. The next, he could see a devastating halberd blade pierce deep through the left-most side of his abdomen. Due to how easily the blade passed through his body, blood was soon gushing from the newly opened wound. The dark-red liquid flowed freely down the length of the halberd, dripping profusely onto the weakened Human that knelt below. 

Shink! 

In that moment, the Draiken's great blade separated from his grasp, striking the ground in an instant. 

"Mn...!" 

With a pained yet anger-fuelled grunt, the Human rose to a secured stand. Although lacking an arm and a considerable amount of blood, he continued to show his fiery glare on his life-drained opponent. 

"Ngh!" 

The Draiken clenched his blood-stained teeth as his body was shifted back against his will, uttering a pained grunt of his own. The two met eyes with one another as the levelled their stances: The Human's intense, rage-filled gaze against the Draiken's shocked, dismayed stare. There was no strength left between the two, giving off the possibility that death's door was upon them. Regardless, the now victorious Human strengthened his hold of the halberd's grip triumphantly, expressing dominance over his opponent whilst ignorant of his own fatal wounds. Finally, the Human heaved with all his remaining might, dislodging the lifeless Draiken from the bloodstained halberd as he forced his opponent onto the ground. 

Thump! 

The Draiken's body laid motionless; his eyes barely conscious and muscles limp as he could feel his life draining away by the second. He could only watch helplessly as his nemesis towered over him, his halberd hanging loosely from his remaining hand as he watched the pool of blood form on the ground behind the Draiken. At this point, the Human muttered in a ghostly, whispering voice. 

"Why did it have to end this way?" He questioned the Draiken, his expression full of conflict and disdain. "We were a team ... all of Xaphire relied on us." 

Now standing over his winged opponent, the Human eyes were wild, reflecting the bitter flame that consumed the entirety of his heart brightly. The halberd aimed at the Draiken's throat, the Human's desire to end his opponent's life was finally coming to fruition. The Draiken was helpless at this point, clutching his fatal wound in unbearable agony as he could only watch the last moments of his life end. He was far too weak to defend himself now, his consciousness drifting towards permanent slumber. 

"But, no ... you just had to go and screw up all that good faith." The Human continued in spite, his body shaking in fury and pain. "But that's fine now ... because they'll celebrate as they watch YOUR LIFELESS CORPSE BURN!" 

Unable to hold back any longer, the Human struck down with his halberd. The Draiken closed his eyes as he braced for death, accepting the reality of his impending demise. And yet, his demise was interrupted. 

Shink...! SLAM!!! 

The Human lurched back abruptly, colliding against the ground abruptly. Hearing the sudden noise, the Draiken opened his eyes in alert. He could hear a struggle breaking out close beside him yet struggled to focus on the details of the situation. He shifted his bodyweight carefully, wincing as he attempted to gain a better visual of the situation. In that moment, he caught a glance of two distinct silhouettes, one overwhelming the other with a pair of blades lodged deep into the chest of the fallen body. Eventually, the Draiken was able to focus enough to grasp the full detail of the two silhouettes: the one on the ground was the Human; whilst the other – perched on top of him with her battle-knives lodged deep into his chest – was a female Draiken. 

As she continued to pin the Human against the ground, the male Draiken caught a glimpse of her expression: She was berserk. Her vicious bright green glare was focused solely on her target, devoid of any mercy nor hesitation. Her body was shaking wildly, every ounce of her strength concentrated on gouging the Human with her deadly battle-knives. She was oblivious to the fact that the Human was lifeless. 

"T-Terra..." 

There was no response. With the last of his strength, the male Draiken called out to her with a loud, raspy voice. 

"TERRA! THAT'S ENOUGH!" 

In that very instant, as though upon reaction, the female Draiken – Terra – separated her blades from the chest of her prey. With her blades at her side, she returned to her feet with a calmed sigh, acting as though a great burden was lifted from her shoulders. She gave one last glance towards the motionless Human, showing no remorse for the former ally as she confirmed his death. And then, she sheathed her blades before turning to the male Draiken, rushing over to his side regardless of the pain that emitted from her injured foot. As she slid to a kneeling position beside the male Draiken, she proceeded to rip off various loose fabrics from her clothing. Without delay, she folded the cloths in a layered bundle, pressuring the fatal wound firmly as she prioritized the prevention of any further blood loss. 

"Nngh!" 

The male Draiken winced, holding back the excruciating pain that shot through his body. He jolted, acting as though he was rejecting the assistance subconsciously. Regardless, Terra further pressurized the wound, using every ounce of her strength to hold the cloth in place. At the same time, Terra glanced at her close ally with a tired yet firm expression, unable to hide her sorrow for the pain he endured. Upon noticing her concerned gaze, the male Draiken fell into a pained chuckle. 

"What are you giggling about?" Terra grumbled bitterly, taken aback by his odd reaction. 

"... N-nothing." The male Draiken shrugged back in a cool yet whispery tone. "I j-just find this whole situation rather ... inconvenient, that's all." 

"You must be joking." Terra scoffed in response, rolling her eyes. "You're dying and you just think it's a mere 'inconvenience'? I swear ... you're so damn careless." 

"Heh! I guess t-that's true..." He then murmured in cheeky admittance, unable to deny the comment. "Then again, I guess you c-could say it's all ... part of the charm." 

Nudge! 

"-Ow!" 

Just then, the male Draiken jolted in abrupt agony as he felt a sharp nudge of a knee catch him in the side. He continued to give a pained chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood on his dire predicament. 

"Just shut up and let me concentrate." Terra growled irritably, her focus set on the wound.

The male Draiken grinned at her in silence, believing there was no gratitude large enough that would suffice for her saving his life. He was in her debt. Furthermore, he was relieved to have her by his side during his last moments. 

"Urk...! *Koff-koff-koff*!" 

However, his positivity would not last, for the male Draiken lurched forward suddenly – choking up blood. By reaction, Terra transferred a free hand to support the back of his head, holding him up carefully to prevent potential blockage in his airway. And yet, the male Draiken's eyes lost focus entirely. No matter how he fought back, it was apparent he was losing his fight to live. With his heavy breaths weakening by the second, any hint of conscious response had dissipated. 

"No...! No-NO! Virion, don't you dare fall asleep!" Terra demanded in her sheer panic, noticing his eyes drift. "Dammit! You've got to resist that urge!" 

It was no use. The male Draiken – Virion – had fallen into shock. He had lost all functions in his body: his limbs and muscles fell limp; his gaze now blurred and hearing void of sound. Struggling to think of any other effective method, the desperate Terra resorted to shaking him.

As a result, Virion blinked. His gaze was faint, barely able to identify the blurred silhouette peering down on him. 

"Virion...? Virion...!" 

He could tell Terra was calling to him, yet no sound reached his ears. He assumed she was demanding him to stay awake, yet he was left uncertain. 

He blinked. Blinked again. And blinked once more. After that, he never blinked again. 

*** 

There was no true victor of the war. Sorrow and despair fell amongst the people from both sides, sending both Xaphire nations into uncertain chaos. In quick response to the chaotic discourse of the public, both Dragora and Humesa broke contact from the other. They rushed to seal off any means of access to their nation, blocking potential opportunities to enter their land without immediate obliteration by their indestructible defence systems. Additionally, the unfortunate souls who were left behind after the mass lockdowns were executed on sight. As the news of the two fallen warriors spread throughout Xaphire, the War of Nations ultimately fell dormant with no definitive conclusion. Both nations mourned for the fates of their respective champion, certifying their champion as a hero etched into the history books. 

Years had passed since the fated war. And yet, neither nation attempted to rekindle their once-unbreakable relationship, feigning complete ignorance of the other's existence whilst focusing on development of their thriving nation. Even so, many individuals within both nations yearned for the bond that once intertwined them to be restored. However, they could only wait for the ideal individual to accept the mantle of Champion and rebuild the alliance between the two nations of Xaphire. 

It was a 20-year long wait.