Chapter Text
The forest consumes all. It's the best place to disappear after people thought you died. Especially when you can stalk your prey. After all, in the forest, we're all prey.
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A short, black haired woman lay on the ground, almost dead, being battered by a group of rouge bandits. They were sure to beat her, they had stabbed her.
A tall, slim, red-haired, rouge-like woman watched carefully from the tree, Like she had for years. Wondering if this was the day she should hop down, and show herself. She knows this one won't recognize her. So she jumps.
*SLAM*
A huge sound-wave blasts the bandits back, somehow keeping the small woman in place. Now, the two women stare at each other, alone in this part of the forest.
The taller woman speaks first.
"Get up."
"Wha.... Who are you?"
"You new dragon riders are so weak. Now, I told you to get up."
"Where did you come from? And how did you know where I was?"
"No thank you? I just saved your life. Now get back to the academy before the bandits come back."
"Can you help me out here? You literally jumped OUT OF A TREE, blasted away the bandits with some crazy magic thing, and don't look hurt!"
"I'm a dragon rider. I know that you can get yourself back to your "home". I cannot help you, as you don't need it."
"How come I've never seen you in the academy?"
"I'm part of a different graduated company. Now get up, use your magic."
"You fail to see that I am a decay mage. No healing in sight. You might need to help me out a little bit darling."
"Not much I can do for you sweetheart. As a sound mage myself, I don't have much movement."
"You can pick me up, no?"
"Just get up."
The decay mage fights her way up reluctantly, stumbling from side to side. She falls, the dagger digging deeper. While bleeding out, she pleads with the sound mage for help.
"Would it kill you to help me?"
The sound mage picks her up reluctantly, and starts walking towards the academy, hoping to leave as soon as possible. The decay mage talks her ear off the entire walk. After complaining for a long time, the sound mage introduced herself.
"I don't even know the name of my knight in shining armor! Care to tell?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Not talkative are we?"
"Well, you won't see me again. So does it matter?"
"You live around here, of course I will see you again. Oh! And my name is AJ."
"... I know."
"What. How do you know? Uhh... Well say something about yourself. I'm bored."
"My name is Mae."
"Finally! Something about you!"
"Gods, you really are desperate. Go ask your girlfriend."
"Of course I a- wait. How do you know that? I've never even seen you before. Did you just assume I'm a lesbian??"
"I've seen a lot. You never know what's lurking in the forest AJ."
That shut the decay mage up for the rest of the walk, which wasn't that long, maybe 5 minutes. The sound mage, Mae, carried AJ back to the academy, dropping her off right outside the main doors.
"Can't bring me inside? I was quite enjoying you."
"AJ. Stand up, walk inside, and never speak of me again."
She states, while staring at the door, almost like it's bringing back memories.
"What? Do you need to stay so mysterious? Just come inside, we don't bite!"
"Your dragons do. But I won't go back to the academy."
Mae looks like she's almost fighting back tears.
"Wait! But surely you would like to see the academy again! It's certainly changed, and you might meet some people you know! ... Plus I have a damn knife sticking out of my side."
“You are fine. Go find Violet or Ros. But I will never set foot back in the academy, at least not yet. My dragon company is dead. I dont know if anyone is alive still. Even if someone lived, it would only be one of them.”
Mae knows she's lying. She has seen the other alive rider. Within the academy in fact, but she can't bring herself to face them again, at least not yet. They left her on the battlefield.
“Wait, what dragon company are you a part of? And who's left?"
AJ never got a response. Silence coated the staircase as she watches Mae hop away on sound waves, never answering her question, letting AJ bleed out on the staircase for hours.