At long last she had arrived. Although it was not the first time she found herself wandering amidst the wilds of Albion, it was the first time she had returned since her ascension as the Monarch of Dragons. Even now Ryuko felt a certain quietness in her heart, even as the peaceful scenery of the forest tried to put her mind at ease, she knew that once she left this place she would have committed a taboo for her kin. To devour a fellow dragon was unheard of, but it was the only way how Ryuko would be able to attain the powers of the Fae. Through the sacrifice of one of her kin would she be able to grow and evolve further... all for the sake of her ambition: To see the Age of Dragons renewed. She recalled the rumors that Albion's resting place was somewhere in the depths of the forest. But that was about all she knew so far.

She continued her march, a single goal in mind, but the longer she walked the more she wondered if it had been wise of her to come here. For there was only one reason as to why there was not a single creature in sight. It was as if nature itself knew her arrival in this place was wrong. But the time for regrets had long since passed, the only path ahead was forward.

"What a pity, I had thought you could prove to be an obstacle, but I guess the rumors about you are nothing but a bluff," she stopped for a moment, taking notice of the voice, "Oh? It seems I'm not the only intruder here."

Ryuko turned her gaze back, the figure standing before her was no doubt another Dragon, though it was hard to believe this was one of her kind, with her pale, white skin, a pair of horns adorned her head, her eyes, a cold golden yellow. She was also quite the tall one, a head above her, and her breasts, while smaller than Ryuko's, were still a fine pair. A smug grin was on her lips, it was clear she was expecting something from her, and yet she dared call Ryuko an intruder when they both had the same goal.

"If I were you, I'd be careful about what you say next. It's true, I came here for Albion's power, but you must have heard the rumors as well," Ryuko took a step forward, "I'm the one who is responsible for the tragedy that befell her kin."

It was a lie, of course, the only dragons she had devoured before were the shades in the Void. It was hardly fair to even call them dragons at that point. But the other was quick to catch on.

"A bluff? Well then, why don't you show me if there is truth to these words?" She was confident enough to walk forward and stand before her,

"Or are you going to tell me it's true, and you just can't help yourself because you're that hungry?"

Ryuko was starting to feel a little offended, though she didn't show it. "Very well, have it your way. You'll make for a fine snack."

She lunged forward, the other meeting her halfway and catching her arm mid swing. For a moment she merely grinned as she shoved the Dragon Knight slightly backwards. Ryuko was quick to regain her footing, glaring in anger at the stranger as she extended a hand forward. "Arise my legion!"

The pools of darkness started to manifest, quickly rising into the shape of the armored soldiers yet the stranger merely hummed softly. "Letting others do your dirty work? You grown soft 'Monarch'." The woman chimed as she watched the soldiers charge toward her. Yet it was a charge that never met its target. Instead the woman raised a hand and channeled some torent of magic through the air, bolts of white lightning surging as they impaled her knights and forced them to dissolve into nothing.

Almost instinctively she was about to call upon her champions, but then the realization hit her. Lancer had been send to the North of Fiore to prepare a meeting with the guild leader of Paradise dawn. Meanwhile her three other servants were currently aiding the Dragonborn in their first mission... Had she truly grown overconfident? Fine, if it was a fight with a dragon she wanted, then this woman would get one!

Ryuko dashed past her defeated soldiers, her arm distorting into the massive claw of a dragon as she swept toward them, yet for all their bravado the woman was truly strong, as evident in the fact she took the blow head-on! She could barely believe what she was seeing: The woman's body started to become covered in the familiar scales of her kin, and almost as if answering in return Ryuko transformed into her obsidian-scaled form. The two soon took flight, rocketing away the trees around them as the two dragons were locked into a clash of kin. Their magical breaths were even matched, the speed at which they moved seemed equal and the strength and fury of their attacks was akin to clashing blades. But why did Ryuko feel she was being ridiculed? As if this dragon was not showing her true power.

"What is the matter 'Monarch'? Surely you got more up your sleeve! Don't tell me this little display of strength is enough to deter you. It would be a shame if these dragons in the void lost their lives for no reason~"

Yet hearing these words only enraged Ryuko further: "DO NOT SAY ANOTHER WORD!" She roared in anger, recalling the sensation that ran across her being as she had consumed the void-tainted dragons, they were barely a shade of what they once were... but once upon a time they had been her kin. Was that why she was so angry right now?

WC: 1000

Ryuko's anger was perhaps the very reason she was about to lose this confrontation. It was because she was blinded with rage that she had not noticed the incantation her enemy was preparing, the invisible spears that were forming over the battlefield and when Ryuko thought she was an opportunity for an attack the dragon lunged forward, jaws opened and too late did she realize the amused reaction from her enemy: Got ya~

The rain of projectiles showered down from above, and while individually they were nothing she couldn't handle, the sheer overwhelming amount of them made it that she was rapidly plunged back into the forest. She could feel her entire body aching in pain as she transformed back to her human form, while the white dragon descended onto her, transforming back into her humanoid form as well while grabbing toward Ryuko's throat, pinning her down both with the weight of her body and the strength of her grip.

"You're not ready to lead our people Ryuko. A Monarch who hides behind the power of her subordinates is a fool, a weak one at that as well." Ryuko's defiant glare only amused the woman further as a deep voice suddenly boomed through the air. "What do you think you are doing to my guest 'Tiamat'?"

The words made the woman click her teeth in frustration as if she got caught red-handed. "Che~ should have known it wouldn't take long before he would notice us playing in his domain." As the woman let go of her Ryuko climbed back onto her feet, glaring at the stranger called Tiamat. "You call that playing?" to which Tiamat merely chimed softly. "What, would you have preferred for me to get undressed and play with you like you do with these pointy-eared ladies?" The words made Ryuko avert her gaze in frustration while the woman merely shrugged her shoulders. "Go on now, Albion is waiting for you deeper inside the forest." And with these words the woman spread a pair of pure white dragonic wings and flew away, leaving Ryuko to ponder about the events that had unfolded.

Quietly she traversed deeper into the forest, contemplating what in the world was going on. Who was that dragon just now, and why was she willing to back off the moment Albion noticed them? So many questions plagued her mind currently.

As Ryuko found herself traveling deeper into the forest she came upon a disturbing sight to say the least. A dragon's corpse, or at least one in the midst of decay. "Do not look at me so Ryuko, I at least preserved my essence to honor our bargain." The voice called out to her, and soon Ryuko saw the spirit of the mighty Albion hovering lightly above its corpse. "You... were able to preserve your heart, even as the rest of your body is decaying? How did you even accomplish such a feat?"

Albion's voice laughed at her words. "It is nothing too outlandish, a practice quite similar to that of a Lich and their phylactery. But it did demand all of my remaining strength to preserve it for you." Ryuko nodded her head as she walked past the pools that were formed around the carcass. It was a tragic sight to say the least.

"Why are you willing to go so far Albion? While I understand you desire to see your kin again, surely there could had been methods to let you go to them while still remaining alive?"

The spirit shook its head lightly. "But what would that do for our kin Ryuko? The dragons are still hesitant to return, and I would be able to do little to convince them to return to Earthland. Nay, ever since the Ancients left and Bahamut disappeared, our age was truly over."

Once more the talk of the Age of Dragons... She scoffed for a moment, yet found herself surprised when Albion laughed. "That is why I am entrusting my heart, my very powers to you Ryuko. To do that which everyone else among us considers impossible to accomplish: Show us the ability to dream of a brighter future, a future where dragons roar and fly across the sky of Earthland once more. Bring back the Age of Dragons."

Ryuko nodded her head somberly, reaching the center of the corpse where a small magical barrier was concealing the still beating heart of the dragon. "Are you sure Albion? If I do this you will cease to be." Yet Albion merely chuckled at these words. "Nay, I will continue to exist as a part of your legend: Carry on and hold your head high little Monarch."

Ryuko jabbed her hand through the barrier, lifting the dragon's heart as she allowed herself to transform back into her true form, consuming Albion's heart while she started to rapidly ascend toward the sky: higher and higher till at last she could see the entire area where Albion's corpse laid. She took a deep breath and then expelled a stream of fire, engulfing the ancient dragon's corpse and granting him a dragon's respite.

"Farewell guardian of the Fae." Ryuko muttered as she transformed back into her human form and started to approach the outskirts of the forest.

badum... a sharp pain coursed through her entire being... badum... her heart was beating intensely, a heat coursed through her entire being as she collapsed onto the ground, writhing in pain. She could barely keep her consciousness intact as something seemed to be devouring her existence from the inside out, yet the last thing she recalled was the sound of footsteps and a familiar voice whispering softly. "I told you- you weren't ready for this burden yet."

And then darkness consumed her...

How long had passed since she fainted? Opening her eyes Ryuko found herself lying in the comfort of a tent, a memory that almost instinctively made her think back about Maple, but that joyous thought was quickly cleared when she spotted the woman at the campfire outside. "Tiamat..." Ryuko muttered weakly, still too weakened to do anything but sit upwards, to which Tiamat spoke softly. "Stay down, you can complain all you want later, but your body needs to adjust." Her body? Ryuko couldn't really understand what Tiamat was trying to say, and seemingly noticing her confusion the woman continued. "Your body is attempting to purge the traces of the void from your being, replacing it with the powers of the Fae that were once part of Albion."

The woman sighed loudly. "Consuming a fellow dragon to adapt their properties to yourself. You know why that is called Taboo right? It is the very reason the Devourer Dragon went mad with power during the War among the Ancients!"

Ryuko remained silent, understanding what she had committed was a taboo, but she was neither going to regret it or apologize for it. She had done what needed to be done, for their kin's future. "At least unlike him you seemingly are retaining your sanity, for what it is worth. But you will need to rest for at least a few days before you can move properly again."

She watched Tiamat enter the tent, holding what appeared to be a bucket and a towel. "Now stay still while I take care of you." The woman's words were harsh, but there was kindness in her actions. "Why... are you helping me?" Ryuko asked, to which Tiamat answered: "Same reason Albion did, just don't think about eating me next! Anyway, we all seek the same thing: The return of our kin. For that reason we are willing to put our future, the hope of our kin even in the hands of a little Monarch like yourself."

While she didn't like being called 'little', Ryuko had to admit the honesty. She closed her eyes for a moment, recognizing the fact that the traces of the Oblivion Dragon's power had truly disappeared in their entirety from her. Did that mean her efforts had succeeded? Did she properly ascend into a Fae Dragon? She wasn't sure yet, there would be times to put that theory to the test but for now she clearly needed to rest and regain her strength. Not just for her own sake, but for these who followed her...