Chapter 23: Sky's Resolve 2
*************
CHAPTER 23
A twig-like substance flew straight up into the tree, masking off every evidence pointing to it.
Sadly, for Azra, the next thing that fell out of Sky's lips wasn't one of pity for his predicament as she came undone, bursting into an uproar of laughter before him.
"Hahaha... hahaha…"
Feeling like he was ganged up on, Azra stopped scratching his back and sent a cold glare her way.
Now more than the pain he felt, he felt a sharper one in his heart at the fact that she did that to him.
"Sky!"
"Hahhaha…" She made to stop herself from laughing but no matter what she did, it was useless as the sounds kept rolling out of her.
To make matters worse, when she finally calmed down, he could still see the mirth in her eyes as she forced her lips to calm.
"You think I do not know it was you!" Azra bellowed in rage.
"Oopsie," Sky giggled out quickly. "No. For real, I am not the one."
At the same time, she saw a similar twig like the one from before coming straight down at him from behind but at this point she was tempted to let it happen again.
Of a truth, he deserved every bit of it.
"Tell her if she tries what she did again," Sky and Astra heard him roar from deep within. "I would burn her to cinders."
GULP!
"Oopsie dassie… Azra is mad, Astra," she quickly informed. "I guess you should retreat now."
Suddenly Sky felt his gaze darken as he sent that rage directly at her once more. "So, you knew?"
"I didn't. I only knew after she had hit you but then you cannot blame me or her. You have yourself to blame for speaking badly about the Dragon King."
0_0
Shaking his shock away, Azra attacked, "And why would she side with him?"
"Because she knows I am right and you are wrong."
"No. She is being partial once more."
"Look, you got the concept wrong, but perhaps when you see him, you shall ask one day. Or maybe go rogue and let the kingdoms have you sealed. Then after ten thousand years, tell my generation how you felt when you awaken."
Unclenching his fists, he let his anger spiral free. No longer did his eyes hold that intense rage as before.
All that remained was his concern for her.
"It isn't funny, Sky. He could hurt you or take you as a hostage."
"No. For all I am worth, I know that he won't."
Sky straightened her back, puffing out her cheeks slightly before smiling at him.
"Do not try to stop me. I would succeed and come for our people. We would be reunited with our true king and bring glory back to Drakenflare."
Without saying much, she turned around on her heels, transformed before him and flew away, leaving him behind.
"No, wait, Sky…" Azra called out.
Ignoring her warning, he too transformed and was about to chase after her.
However, before he could take a step forward, a big twig in form of a rope circled around his waist and dragged him back, bringing him to sit on the tree.
"Huh?" He turned his head from side to side before fixing his gaze on the divine tree's core. "Astra, I must go."
Plop!
A golden fruit dropped on his thighs right at that moment as the tree leaves shook in response.
"You are bribing me huh?" The branches shook as well. "No? Okay, what is this, an apology gift?"
He felt the air around him change, whipping off a different scent. "Fine, I accept your apology. However, I am worried about her."
The leaves and branches shook again, disapproving of his worry.
"Okay. I would believe in her. May the ancestors of our house protect her."
'Huh? What about me? Can't I protect her?' Astra fumed out in his mind, shocking Azra.
Before he got the chance to apologize, he was thrown down from her tree and fell face down to the ground.
'Hahahaa…'
He pursed his lips, twisting them about as he rose to his feet and picked up the big fruit while placing his right hand on his hips and sending her a disapproving stare.
"Funny, huh? Sky leaves and you speak to me. To make it worse, you are making fun of me. Tsk. Like tree, like Sky. What was I expecting?"
He shook his head again and began dusting the leaves off his light green robe.
Once he felt clean again, he lowered his gaze to the golden fruit in his hand.
Azra tossed the fruit from side to side while pulling his lips in a pout and nodding his head in approval.
"Well, if you keep bribing me like this, perhaps you and I can become good friends, even best friends and I would let go of all of your maltreatment."
No sooner had the words fallen out of his mouth than another whip landed on his butt.
'Ouchie… Aish! Astra, what has Sky been teaching you?'
'Hehehe, how to bully naughty dragons like you.'
"That's for the kids and not me."
'I saw a kid and I spanked him. I am simply living up to her expectations.'
The second she stopped speaking in his head, he felt a certain presence in his mind, followed by the bone-chilling laughter Sky usually gave when she was about to do something mischievous to a naughty child.
He trembled slightly recalling that eerie thought.
"Aish goosebumps. I better go do something else or you and Sky become the death of me," Azra finalized and walked away scratching his butt while keeping his attention locked on the fruit.
As compared to the lashing he got from the divine tree, this fruit was a hundred times better.
Astra only gave her fruits to those deserving of them. Aside from that, each member of the village got to have a taste once every month to help nourish their bodies and cleanse their blood.
'She would be safe. I would be with her even there. It is time for the reunion after all.' Astra calmly thought.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone