Awaiting The Dawn

20: Tragic Lives Of Blue Dragons

It was him. Hisa was absolutely sure it was him.

The blue dragon.

She was prepared for the vision flood that happened when she met Kija. For her blood to boil and the visions to continuously change, but there was nothing.

Maybe the vision flood in Kija's village wasn't triggered by the dragons? Was it a coincidence?

No.

She felt something course through her. A deep ache in her chest. The burning of her blood and an increasingly sharp pain in her eyes.

It was happening again.

Oh no, it was happening again.

Hisa struggled to keep herself from crying as the pain seeped to the core of her eyes. Even when she closed them it didn't stop. The visions. The feelings. She felt the same confusion as the blue dragon. The same fear.

      "Listen Ao. Never use your power, and stay away from the villagers."
      "We're monsters to them."

      "Get away! My momma said you're cursed!"

Feeling the thick sadness, loneliness, and bitterness was like swallowing a hot stone, burning in her throat, choking for air.

      "That's a cute bird on your finger. Tell me how someone as foul tempered like you can attract small animals."
      "Abi. Hey, are you even listening?! It's rude to ignore someone, you know."

Abi? That was the first blue dragon. Who was calling him? 

All the visions blended until she only saw blurry figures against the dimly lit caves. The voices were the only thing distinguishable. 

      "Why must we live with this curse? Haven't our families suffered enough?"

'He isn't a curse,' Hisa wanted to defend, but couldn't find the strength in her voice.

      "We can't even kill them because a new monster will only take its place."

      "Don't you ever go near that boy! His eyes can paralyze you. He's dangerous."

The voices. The pain. The burning. They forced her to lean against the wall. Her breath unsteady.

      "The blue dragons live such tragic lives. It's a shame. To hide those beautiful eyes."

Only this voice was kind. Warm and comforting, like the sun. And it was the last she heard before her senses were taken away all at once.

.

A gentle hand pressed onto Hisa's forehead. It pulled away and another one offered her some water.

Someone was trying to hold her up. The feeling was familiar. Warm.

Eyes tightly shut, Hisa focused on her jumbled hearing.

She couldn't understand the words at first, but Hisa recognized that Princess Yona was speaking very close by, practically in her ear.

She had a lovely voice. Very nice to listen to even when explaining how she was rescued by the blue dragon.

"Curse them!" Kija's outrage jolted Hisa out of her thoughts. "First they disrespect you, then they try to trap you underground! Are they trying to incur my wrath!?"

Opening her eyes to the noise, Hisa repeatedly blinked as her blurry vision started to clear.

"Kija, your face!" The princess yelled.

By Hisa's side was Yoon and Princess Yona. They were surprisingly close, and Hisa blushed as she finally realized that one of her arms was being bandaged, likely because it scraped the tunnel's stone.

"Calm down." Hak said with a face that looked ready to murder someone. "You're such a sheltered punk. You want to kill normal villagers? Grow up."

"That goes for you too, ex-general." Yoon finished wrapping the bandage and let go of Hisa's arm. "You okay now?"

His voice was also very nice.

"I'm fine. Don't worry." Finally her breath evened, and the pain in her eyes subsided. "It wasn't as bad this time."

"Maybe 'cause he ran away. Wonder why though." Hak grabbed Hisa's bag and slung it over his shoulder. He wouldn't let her take it back no matter how many times she attempted to.

"The blue dragon...the villagers." Kija whispered aloud. "What's going on with this place...?"

"They're both dragon villages, but this one's the complete opposite of the white dragon's village." Yoon glanced to Kija, who needed further explanation. 

"Because we saw your village first, this place seems unnatural. But if we think about it, maybe the white dragon's village was the weird one. These people don't worship red hair. And they don't see the dragon's power as something from the gods. In fact, I get the feeling they think it's abominable. Not just the villagers, but the blue dragon himself might just see us as intruders."

Kija objected, "That's ridiculous! The four dragons must join their master as soon as possible! When I met the princess, I didn't hesitate to leave my village!" 

"You were way too quick. See, definitely not normal." Yoon deadpanned.

That was one of Kija's good traits. He was headstrong and loyal.

"This place." Hisa smiled and exhaled. "They treat them like monsters. The people think they're cursed by the blue dragon."

"That can't be." Kija paled, repeating in a lower voice, "That can't be."

Hisa couldn't help but echo the words from her vision. "The blue dragons lived tragic lives."

"Then let's rescue him from those ungrateful villagers! Wait for me, brother!" He marched away before Hak pulled him back by the robes.

"It's not that simple." Hisa sighed. "He's been alone for a long time and doesn't trust people. Yoon is right. We're intruders to them."

"Still, I'd like to speak to him." The princess smiled down at her palms. "He saved me, and his hands were so gentle."

'Gentle hands.' Hisa blushed as she rubbed her forehead.

The princess, Kija, and Yoon would go back into the maze to search for the blue dragon. 

Hisa was forced to stay behind with Hak because her companions insisted she rest. Thunder was assigned to keep an eye on the villagers.

Both the thunder beast and Hisa didn't agree with the plan. Hak especially. He really didn't want to leave the Princess Yona's side.

Thinking she'd learn more about the dragon village in her visions, Hisa curled into the guest room's stone bed and went to sleep.

Unfortunately, she didn't get to see what she hoped for.