Life was good.

In the time since Xyaban had met Hacesh and they had become mates, Xyaban’s mental state had in fact stabilized somewhat. Even while she had drive the older dragon mad, broken him and then replaced his own personality with one that suited her and loved her as much as she did him. It was a twisted little family they made up, with the addition of Kirin, but truly, and sadly, it was the best that Xyaban had ever had. With all the abuse she had taken when she was young that eventually drove her mad, all the bad she had done since then, to have what to her was an actual family, was amazing.

She knew exactly where Hacesh and Kirin would be in the forest so as soon as she finished up what she was doing she could gate to them. What Xyaban was doing was slowly moving all of her horded treasure from her cave over to Hacesh’s horde cave. If they were going to be mates they could also share their hordes. Hacesh’s cave was larger than hers anyway so it made sense to move everything there, and they could use their combined magic to create new rooms as needed deeper in.

With everything moved that she wanted to move for now Xyaban smiled and quickly freshened herself up. After that she opened a gate to the location her and Hacesh had picked to meet at, and they been together long enough now that she knew Hacesh would be ok with Kirin on his own.

Opening the gate Xyaban stepped out and looked around. ”Hacesh?” She called, not seeing him in the area, that was odd. Sniffing the air she caught the scent of blood and frowned, that was Hacesh! Following the scent she came across the scene quickly enough.

An ear-piercing scream echoed through the Valley as Xyaban saw her mate dead on the ground, while her baby was ripped in two a little way off. ”No no no!” Xy wailed as she ran forward to Hacesh, stumbling part way and crawling the rest until she was next to him. ”Hacesh?! HACESH!” She screamed shaking him, but no use, he was dead.

He screams and wails could be heard for miles as she cried and mourned the loss of her family.

This went on for some time before Xy’s throat became raw and scratchy. She rubbed her eyes as she leaned up from Hacesh’s body and looked around. This was murder, someone had killed her family! Feeling like a drunk, her mind was spinning and starting to crack, the only two things she had in her life that she loved had been taken from her, she now truly had nothing to live for.

Getting to her feet the dragoness moved around in a stupor as she collected Kirin’s little body up and started to dig a grave for him and another for Hacesh. As she did she caught a scent she didn’t recognize, but one that she would remember. It had to be from the murderer, who else could it be?! She’d find them and make them pay!

A few hours later Xyaban had buried the bodies and now laid between the two graves, tears welling up again as she started to cry once more. She would spend the night here and most of the next day curled into a ball on the ground.