𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓵𝓵 𝓑𝓮 𝓜𝔂 𝓠𝓾𝓮𝓮𝓷 (BNHA/BKDK Fantasy AU) [EDITING]

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Dragon King

How was sleep supposed to be possible in a situation like this?

The night was cold, created by a chilling breeze and the fire long gone. Midoriya wanted to light it up again, but that would disturb the sleeping adventurers around him. They all appeared so peaceful, each calm in their own dream.

It almost seemed foreign.

The swordsman tossed and turned around the grass he was lying against, trying to close his eyes and clear his mind, but it was fogged up like an early morning. He was growing restless, his eyes refusing to close for more than a blink, his body rejecting the idea of staying still, even though his body was nothing but exhausted muscles and fragile skin.

He suddenly stood up.

Midoriya examined the group, watching their movements carefully. He tiptoed over to where his sword rested. The shiny metal was tucked away in the holster.

He took it and stepped away.

Midoriya didn't stop until he reached elsewhere in the forest, far from the group, but not so far that he would lose himself. He found a particularly large tree, but mushroom and fungi were crawling up the trunk like spiders. The tree was close to dying.

Midoriya unsheathed his sword, setting the holster against a different tree. The metal glistened against the distant moonlight. Midoriya gripped the handle as he cautiously stepped closer to the dying tree.

Being here suddenly reminded him of where he was just a year earlier. He remembered getting this sword for the first time. He remembered relentlessly slashing it against several items for practice, including dummies, poles, even trees that were just like this one. He spent ten months training himself, strengthening his body and teaching himself the art of swordsmanship.

Midoriya felt his throat tighten up. His skills were impressive, but they haven't saved a single person...

"Grah!"

With nothing but rage and shame, he slashed at the tree. Pieces of bark and moss flew all around him.

Grunting, he pulled his sword back. The tree had a large slash mark in it. The inside of the tree was a creamy color compared to the tree's dark brown.

He slashed again.

Midoriya gasped, his heart rate steadily increasing, but he couldn't stop. His body wouldn't let him. He slashed again and again and again. Each attempt of an attack was sloppier than the last. His lungs started to burn from the amount of energy he was putting in.

He should have seen it coming. He should have been quicker when Draconia was being attacked. Maybe if he was, he could have caught up with the others in time. Then, they would have been able to stop the sorcerer just before he cursed Draconia.

He should have remembered the dagger tucked away in his belt. He shouldn't have let his feelings for the Draconic prince get in the way of his focus. He should have felt for any extra weapons against him before allowing himself to be tied up. Maybe then, he wouldn't have been able to escape, and he wouldn't feel like such a burden to his friends.