Yongsun slowly opened her eyes, fingers lightly grasping at the cold hard ground beneath her. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, warily surveying her surroundings in confusion. Towering gray walls hovered all around her, covered with a slight ominous fog that seemed to hide something which lurked in its depth. Where was she? The last thing she clearly remembered was being on a boat, inwhich she and Byulyi had a small argument. 

Byulyi. 

Yongsun perked up at her name and began to look around worriedly for the younger woman. She stood up, legs trembly and weak. An unnerving feeling settled in her stomach as she steadied herself, squinting into the distance. She took small steps, inching her way through the fog with her claws out in front of herself, prepared to defend herself should anything lunge out at her from the fog. She walked around for a while, trying to reach one of the walls in front of her. But the more she walked towards it, the more it seemed to be getting further away from her. Yongsun slowed down and took one more careful glance around the area. Something strange was definitely happening here. 

“Byul?” Yongsun called out hesitantly, her voice echoing around. She whipped her head around when a soft resounding call reached her ears, eyes wide as she tried to locate the source. 

“Byul? Is that you?” She called out again, walking in the estimated direction of where the reply came from. The fog seemed to swirl and thicken together in one whole mass, revealing shadowy shapes behind. Yongsun smiled when she saw the figure, assuming that it was Byulyi, and immediately dashed towards it. 

“Byul!” Yongsun cried out happily, the figure turning around in the fog to indeed reveal Byulyi. However, Byulyi showed no emotion as Yongsun slowed to a stop in front of her, prompting an expression of confusion to show on the dragonkin’s face. Yongsun reached a hand out towards Byulyi, whispering her name softly as if afraid she would disappear back into the fog, flinching when Byulyi stepped away with a disgusted look on her face. Yongsun let her hand drop back to her side, hiding the hurt in her eyes as they stared at each other. 

“What...What’s wrong…?”

“What’s wrong?? You. You are what’s wrong. Ever since you came into my life everything has gone wrong. I lost my kingdom, my people, my friends and my mother because of you. My father was murdered by your kind. You were right, it is way easier and much better to love a human rather than a murderous dragonkin.” Byulyi spat out venomously, the hate in her eyes shining brighter at every word that left . Yongsun froze at the words, her blood running cold as her heart clenched painfully at the unexpected reply.

Her gaze flickered to the side when the fog swirled and diminished to disclose Jeongyeon, who smirked at Yongsun as her arm slinked round Byulyi’s waist. Yongsun could practically feel and hear her heart breaking as Byulyi turned to place a long kiss on Jeongyeon’s lips. Jeongyeon lifted a hand up to cup Byulyi’s cheek tenderly as they kissed, the duo breaking apart seconds later, smiles adorned on each of their faces. Byulyi turned back to face Yongsun, the cold look returning to her gaze as she frowned at her. 

“You will never be the lover she needs.” Jeongyeon drawled out, taking great delight in the mix of emotions forming behind Yongsun’s eyes. Yongsun growled lowly, pushing away the pain that stabbed at her knowing that the words were true, taking one step forward with the intent of giving the other woman a nice little claw mark to the face. She barely moved towards them when something crashed against her, pinning her to the ground. Yongsun blinked her eyes repeatedly in disbelief as she stared into the eyes of Irene. 

“I-Irene…? How…?” 

“Nice to meet you again, traitor.” Irene snarled out at her, her bared fangs glinting. Yongsun hissed in pain as claws dug into her shoulder, biting deep into flesh. She thrashed about, dislodging Irene from above her as she rolled away from her. They both stood up and adopted defensive positions, Yongsun still in disbelief and shock as she stared at her former best friend that was supposed to be dead. She was there when she died, she had killed Irene herself with her own fangs and claws. How the hell was she alive?? Byulyi and Jeongyeon watched from behind, a sinister grin on their faces. 

“It’s past time that you pay for your sins, Yongsun.” 

Byulyi declared, Irene snarling as if agreeing with her words. Sensing that Yongsun’s guard was down and taking the chance, Irene leapt at her with claws outstretched. Yongsun ducked out of the way just in time, suffering only a small scratch to her shoulder as she whirled around to face Irene. Her breath seemed to catch in as she was yet again faced with someone unexpected. 

King Gualtiero stood next to Irene, sword unsheathed with a deadly glimmer in his dark eyes. Yongsun faltered in her posture, lowering her arms as she stared. This can’t be happening, this simply cannot be happening right now… Yongsun thought to herself as her eyes tried to take in and process the whole picture that was King Gualtiero and Irene standing next to each other, the two people that she personally had killed and watched die. 

“Farewell Yongsun, I wish you a painful death.” Yongsun’s throat seemed to constrict, tears pricking her eyes as Byulyi’s words engraved themselves into her breaking heart. She looked back at her with forlorn and regretful eyes, exposing herself and risking an attack from the King and Irene standing in front of her. But Yongsun could care less about whether or not they would attack her, she had nothing else to lose anymore. The only thing that had kept her going for so long was already gone. 

Byulyi met her eyes, turning to walk away together with Jeongyeon who spared her a wicked smile. The fog curled around them like a cat curling around its owner, enveloping them in its embrace and cutting them off from sight. Yongsun wearily turned back to face King Gualtiero and Irene, barely flinching when Irene flew past her to restrain her arms behind her back, claws gripping her chin roughly and forcing her to look up. King Gualtiero stode forwards with a patronizing smile, the tip of his sword scraping against the ground. 

“Aren’t you a sad little thing? Allow me to put you out of your misery.” Yongsun said nothing as King Gualtiero spoke, Irene’s claws slipping down from her chin to grip her neck tightly instead. Yongsun in a sharp breath, stuttering in her breathing as an agonising pain began to spread from her stomach. She barely saw when the King pulled back and his sword forward, only noting that the pain was somehow starting to fade away as she coughed, blood dripping out of and falling to the floor. The King pulled his sword back out, Yongsun jerking at the movement. Irene released her hold on her, letting her fall forwards onto the ground. They stood over her, Irene’s satisfied eyes and King Gualtiero’s bloodied sword imprinting itself into her mind as she slowly bled out. Her eyes fluttered close, her breathing growing shallow as the image of Byulyi walking away from her played over and over in her mind. 

Byulyi. Her Byulyi. The Byulyi she swore to protect and make happy. Gone.  

The ground seemed to shake beneath her, making her feel as if she was being tossed around on waves. 

Yongsun. Yongsun, Yongsun!

Who was calling her name? Was that Byulyi calling for her? 

“Byulyi?” Yongsun weakly mumbled out, fighting to open her tired eyes. The ground seemed to shake even more violently now, Yongsun uncomfortable with the excessive movement. 

Yongsun! Yongsun wake up!! 

“Yongsun!!!” 

Yongsun jerked awake, gasping and coughing as she thrashed about on the bed. Cool hands made to hold onto her, a gentle yet firm voice instructing her to calm down and take deep breaths. Yongsun managed to