After finishing our meal, we gathered our weapons and stepped out of the base. The morning greeted us with golden sunlight and a gentle breeze, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and fresh grass. The sky stretched vast and endless above us, and the distant treetops swayed like waves in a silent ocean.
Kenji stood at my side, practically vibrating with anticipation. His gaze was locked onto the sky, his excitement a tangible force.
Seven minutes passed. The horizon remained empty.
Kenji shifted impatiently. "Do you guys see anything?" His voice carried a sharp edge, his eyes scanning the sky with an almost predatory intensity.
"Should be any moment now," I murmured, my senses sharpening. A faint, distant rustling carried on the wind.
"Yeah," Kenji said, tilting his head slightly. "Still far, but coming this way." His acute hearing had picked up what the rest of us couldn't yet detect.
Yushiro's gaze remained fixed on the distant clouds. His expression, as always, was unreadable.
Then, a deep, rhythmic sound grew in the distance—wings beating against the wind. It grew louder. Closer. The sky shifted.
Four massive silhouettes emerged from the horizon, moving with a grace that defied their sheer size.
A thunderous roar split the sky.
The force of their arrival sent powerful gusts ripping through the field, forcing us to shield our faces as dust and grass swirled around us. The dragons descended like storm-born gods, their scales catching the sunlight in dazzling hues. Their immense wings folded in, shadows stretching across the ground.
Truth sat atop a crimson-scaled dragon, his expression calm and confident. He patted the beast's neck before calling down to us.
"The red one's Scarlet. She's got a bit of a temper, so don't piss her off. You all ready to fly?"
Kenji's response was immediate. "YES!"
Within minutes, we were airborne.
Kenji's exhilarated shout echoed through the sky. "WHOOOAAA!!!"
I held tight to Miss Blade as our dragon surged upward, the wind rushing past me in a powerful current. Kenji, riding behind Truth, stretched his arms out, completely reckless and carefree.
The dragons accelerated, cutting through the sky with practiced ease. I tightened my grip on Blade's waist as the force of the wind pressed against me.
"Hey, not so tight," she reminded me.
"Sorry," I muttered, loosening my hold slightly.
Below us, the world blurred—fields, rivers, and villages shrinking beneath our flight path. The air was crisp and biting at this altitude, but the rush of wind against my face was exhilarating.
Yushiro, seated on his own dragon, scanned the ground below with unsettling focus. He hadn't spoken since we took off, his eyes locked on something unseen.
"Team 8, form up!" Truth's voice cut through the wind.
The dragons aligned in a sleek formation, their powerful bodies moving in near-perfect unison. Blade's dragon took the rear, its massive wings adjusting to match the others' pace.
I leaned closer to her. "What's happening?"
"We're approaching the border," she replied.
The dragons slowed, banking left.
And then I saw it.
The border.
A colossal wall of mist stretched from the ground to the sky, disappearing into the clouds above. It was like a living entity—shifting, undulating, exuding an eerie glow. Even from this height, I couldn't see where it ended.
It was endless.
A sense of awe—and something deeper, something unspoken—settled over me.
As we descended, the temperature dropped sharply. Despite the warmth of my Division jacket, the cold crept in, sinking into my bones.
"We're scanning the border," Blade said. "Stay sharp."
The dragons glided closer, their wings adjusting to the air currents. The mist churned below, its presence humming with an unnatural energy. A strange reverence filled the air.
Something about the border felt… alive.
Return to Base
By the time the sun began its descent, streaking the sky with hues of red and violet, our dragons touched down in the open fields beside the Division 4 base.
I stretched as I dismounted, feeling the ache in my muscles. Hours in the saddle had taken their toll.
"That was rough," Truth said, rolling his shoulders.
Kenji, still buzzing with excitement, punched the air. "That was AWESOME!"
Nearby, Yushiro approached Marko's dragon, running a hand along its scales.
The dragon stilled beneath his touch.
Completely.
Its golden eyes, usually sharp and aware, locked onto Yushiro with something close to… caution. The stillness was eerie, its chest barely rising as if holding its breath.
Yushiro's expression was unreadable, but something in the air shifted.
Marko, pulling off his bow and quiver, spoke. "Are you the only ones patrolling the territory?"
Marko shook his head. "Nah. Remember that guy who greeted you yesterday?"
Kenji scowled. "You mean the one who attacked us?"
Marko smirked. "Yeah, that one. He left last night to rejoin his team."
I frowned. "How many of us are there?"
Marko glanced up, thinking. "About thirty-seven."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that… a lot?"
A quiet laugh broke the air.
Blade.
She shook her head, striding toward the base without looking back.
"Did I say something funny?" I asked, watching her retreating figure.
"No," she said without stopping. "Never mind."
I didn't press.
Kenji, still practically glowing with energy, clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Taka! Let's go eat! Food, meat, meat, meat!"
He then glanced over at Yushiro, who still stood by the dragon. "Oi, stop bullying the dragon and let's go eat."
Bullying?
I blinked at the dragon's unmoving form, its stillness more unnatural now that I was paying attention. Yushiro turned, offering a harmless smile.
The dragon exhaled slowly. Deeply.
Then, without another sound, it took off, wings slicing through the air as it vanished into the twilight.
I watched it disappear, something uneasy curling in my stomach.
Kenji, oblivious, was already racing toward the base. "Come on! I'm STARVING!"
I sighed and followed, but not before glancing at Yushiro one last time.
He lingered for a moment, his gaze distant, his mind elsewhere.
Then, without a word, he turned and walked after us.