True Dragon? What does that mean?

"Sulli?… Sulli?" Raiden muttered, but there was no response.

While the notion that he had become the true dragon left him confused, he was beginning to grasp what was actually taking place.

Before, he'd been drawing on fragments of Ash—her heart, her soul, her very essence. While this had granted him the title of moon dragon, his actual dragon nature had never been fully established. Now what?

Sulli had offered no explanation about what it meant to be a "true dragon," leaving him completely in the dark about his transformation.

But a far more disturbing realization gnawed at him. His advancement had only come from landing that blow on the Huntress, and she clearly understood this—she could have ended him at any moment but deliberately allowed him to wound her.

Had orchestrating his transformation been her goal from the beginning? And if so, what did she stand to gain from creating a true dragon?

The path forward demanded their full focus now. Raiden had anticipated that Mr. Black and his associates from Smiling Sanctum would dispatch hunters to track them down, but strangely, no one had come.

"Don't you think the Huntress will come back?" Nico asked, his body drenched in sweat with his entire face turning crimson from the scorching sun above.

Jolted from his thoughts, Raiden looked at Nico and briefly wondered if the child had somehow glimpsed into his mind. The notion made him exhale heavily. What was he thinking?

They'd been wandering aimlessly for nearly a full day, and he'd been practically silent the entire time. Of course it was clear he was preoccupied with the Huntress and how her actions had brought them to this point.

"No, Nico… I don't think so."

Nico's eyes couldn't settle anywhere, jumping frantically from one patch of desert to another while his mind was obviously consumed by dark, worrying thoughts.

His hands betrayed his inner turmoil, constantly fidgeting and pulling at his clothes as if seeking some physical comfort his mind couldn't provide.

"Should we head back to Dark City?" He asked, his voice slow and somber. "I mean, you can get us something from the Apex Circle."

"No," the word left Raiden's mouth before he could even process what Nico said.

Though he had no memory of the Apex Circle, something deep within him recoiled at the thought of returning to that place.

Nico paused and met Raiden's gaze with his blue eyes. "Then what? We can't be walking forever."

Raiden paused, staring directly at Nico, as he could tell his frustration was boiling up from his gaze alone.

"You don't want us to go to your kingdom either… so what should we do?"

Raiden let out a sigh. Nico was right, but returning to his kingdom would wrap him up in a war he wasn't interested in. What's more, he believed he was a different person now, and still, his mind would have recalled who he used to be if it wanted him to. The source of thɪs content is novel·fıre·net

But still, they needed a destination, and his unusual preference wasn't helping in the slightest.

"We are going to Dark City." Nico said with finality and turned as he began walking.

Raiden remained motionless, watching as Nico casually walked off. He couldn't remember what exactly he was abstaining from, but it was as though there was something or someone his body didn't want to remember. Hence, he wanted to stay away from his past.

He clenched his fist as Nico continued walking into the desert without turning back. All he wanted was to be happy, and he could feel that with Nico, so why go back?

After a brief moment, he shook his head, trying to get himself back from his daze. They couldn't walk in the sun forever, and if he had learned anything from the Smiling Sanctum in the past two months, it would be smiling through everything; happiness was bound to find him regardless.

"Okay… let's go to Dark City." He said and began quickening his pace to join Nico.

From the moment he joined him, there was an awkward silence that followed them, but after a brief moment, Nico spoke with his usual cheerful demeanor.

Now, their journey was filled with everything except obstacles. They had their moments on their way, playing and enjoying duels, something the old Raiden would never have found himself doing.

Before long, night had fallen, and though Raiden still found himself thinking about his strange battle with the Huntress and the dread that lingered within for going to the Dark City, he still managed to sleep soundly as they rested in the desert, finding Nico in his sight come morning.

"We are a few hours away from Dark City," Nico said, stretching his smaller frame with his eyes still feeling heavy. "We have to get some food, though."

Raiden pulled himself from his drowsiness and rose to his feet. He reached for his stomach, lazily rubbing it as it rumbled. Indeed, they needed food.

***

Their journey began once more, the morning sun rising behind them as they took heavy, steady steps into the sand. Their movements were slightly sluggish as they both moved like drunkards, their bodies leaning from side to side.

However, a while into their walk, about an hour away from Dark City, their dry mouths anticipating the clean water and decent meals they could find in the city, something caught Raiden's attention.

He halted abruptly. Caught off guard, Nico followed suit, his blue eyes following the direction of Raiden's golden eyes. But Raiden was just confused.

He could see someone approaching them from ahead, and considering how much their aura was fluctuating, their rage was unmistakable. However, his danger detection remained dormant, as though the person wasn't a threat at all, but his intuition spoke otherwise.

"What is going on, Hero?" Nico asked, trying to get a glimpse of what held Raiden captive, but his sight couldn't reach as far as Raiden's eyes could.

"I think someone is coming for us, but I'm not."

Sweat began forming on Nico's brow that instant, his legs shaking. "Is it the Huntress?"

Raiden glanced at him; he could feel the fear in his tone. He was certain this wasn't the Huntress, but whether this person also wanted him—he wasn't sure, though he knew it was possible.

"No, I don't think so."

"Do you think this person also thinks you are the Black Raven?" Nico's voice was low, barely audible.

Raiden scoffed. It was possible. After all, the Black Raven had caused a stir in this kingdom, and it's only natural those from the Smiling Sanctum wanted him taken care of.

Still, he remained surprisingly calm despite the supposed threat before them.

He patted Nico on the head. "Don't worry, I will take care of this."