A/N: Alright, alright, I am SO SORRY for the immensely long wait! I've been feeling stressed since the last time I published, and lost a bit of my creativity...I'll try not to have this long of a hiatus again.

Chapter 14

Not Quite Gone

I felt numb and fatigued upon awakening to the sound of familiar speaking. In a blurry vision, I noticed a red-pink sphere with two teal spots hovering over me. My mind was fogged over, so I couldn't identify, though it sounded like words were being spoken in another language – different, but understandable.

As my head cleared up slightly, another figure appeared in blurry sight, this one being more complex in shape. I painfully felt its limbs slip under me, making me squeal.

"It's alright, Lucky," her voice whispered, "We're here for you."

I kept my eyes closed for a moment, heavily breathing. My left wing burned so badly; I could barely move it. When I finally opened my eyes to a clean vision, I realized Chenoa was holding me, looking deeply concerned.

"Will he be alright?" chirped the voice in a different language.

"He's in a lot of pain, Pyxy," responded Chenoa, "It may take a while."

I then gazed to my side as best as I could to find the mother Lesser Doomer I met on the night of the Lunaflies. From what I could tell, she was just as concerned as Chenoa, if not more.

"What happened?" I moaned to Chenoa.

"You saved us from the great Nightmare Wizard, Lucky." She answered, not sounding all that proud, "But it cost you quite some energy. You must be truly wiped out…"

"I had to do it; all would've been lost if I didn't." I admitted.

"But Lucky, dear," Chenoa said, "You could've lost your life! Nightmare could've used your power to conquer more of the universe!"

"I know, but if I didn't, he would've used your great powers to do the same."

I then noticed a small tear well up in Chenoa's eye. "Lucky…" she tried to say, clearly trying not to cry further, "You're just so precious…one of the last things I'd want is to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either, Chenoa," I spoke, "Or either of your sisters. You three have been my caretakers ever since I lost my family."

Chenoa smiled, the tear in her eye spilling down her cheek. Whether I intended to read her mind or not, I heard her thoughts come in: Oh, little Lucky…you are the most precious son I could ever call my own…

I quickly started to feel a bit better until I remembered what happened before invading Nightmare's fortress. The demonic creatures invading the festival, Magolor falling into a great panic attack (despite not having one for the previous year), and the kitsune twins having-

"WAIT! What happened?" the words slipped from my mouth at the memory of Dahlia and Dianthus having their tails cut off.

Then came Aurora's voice: "We're afraid your friend is standing on an edge…"

I gasped, and without the strength to fly, I commanded Chenoa to take me to the two foxes. She and the Lesser Doomer did so, and I found Augustus, Aurora, and Rivara standing beside weeping Dahlia and nearly lifeless Dianthus. The foxes' rears were covered in blood. Rivara and Aurora looked over their shoulders at me, sorrow in their eyes. Chenoa crept over hesitantly and placed me on the ground beside Dianthus. I then notice that all three of his tails were gone, with his sister having just half of one left. I couldn't find words to say.

Dianthus, breathing heavily, opened his eyes and weakly turned his head to face me. And yet I thought I was left weak after all the chaos… He obviously didn't have the strength to speak, but it seemed he was trying to say something. So, I read his mind, feeling a bit hesitant to do so:

Lucky…please take…good care…of…her…

With this, his head lowered back to the ground and his eyes closed up. All auras I sensed around him went still. He stopped breathing. Dahlia couldn't stop crying. Tears streamed down Augustus' face. The mother Doomer let out a sad coo. All three of the Guardians' wings drooped as they sighed.

Despite all of this, almost sensed that Dianthus wasn't quite gone…just trapped in a lifeless body. I stayed silent, tears dripping down my face, only speaking in my head: What will happen to him? Is he really gone?

We all stayed silent for an immeasurable length of time. Before Augustus placed his hand on Dahlia's back. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered, failing to fight back tears.

The hole in my heart was gaping painfully, a reminder of the lost part my life that I'd never earn back. I was sure that Dahlia felt the same pain, as well as possibly Augustus. As for Dianthus…I couldn't quite tell. I mean, he certainly seemed gone, but I somewhat sensed that he was still here, frozen, silent, and numb.

I kept all of these thoughts to myself as we all stayed silent for everlasting hours. Dahlia eventually calmed down slightly, although the sadness continued to linger in her broken heart, as I sensed. The Guardians then made a brief announcement:

"We shall return to Halcandra briefly to announce the tragedy." "We will not give the presence of this place away." "Lucky, you shall stay here until we return."

I nodded reluctantly to them, wishing I could return to Halcandra and see if Magolor was alright. Then again, he might've gotten all anxious if he saw me in such an exhausted, worn down state. Maybe it was best to stay here for a bit and recover. I wondered what he'd think though to find out that a new friend of his was gone. And although he didn't seem quite gone to me…I'd have no idea how to explain it to him.

Unable to fly properly, I hopped over to the entrance of this rocky shelter in which we stayed, only to find the outline of a fearsome looking creature gazing at the nearby cliffs. Its head turned over its reptilian wing, unveiling a bright orange eye. I quivered a bit, thinking it was one of Nightmare's monsters that managed to make its way into this sanctuary of a world, which was meant to be hidden from the darkness of evil. Its body turned and walked over to me on two feet bearing three claws on each. Upon closer gaze, the shadowy hue faded, shining into jade-colored skin.

"Please don't tell me…I know he's been lost…" came a raspy masculine voice, the creature's jaw unmoving, but its eyes glowing with each word.

With this, I sensed that this creature probably wasn't the monster I was expecting, but the question continued to urge me to ask…

"Who are you?"

"A soul feeling just as lost as that vixen," he answered, "For I have lost a loved one to personal actions years ago."

"I don't understand." I responded.

The beast turned back to the cliffs. "I don't think I do, either, young one." He admitted with a sigh, "It seems that the worst hit us both, although either of us knows not the reason why life can be so cruel."

I paused for a moment, trying to let his words sink in. "Are you from around here?" I asked.

"I was at one point, when I lived with my rescued family." He turned back to me, "They absolutely cherished me; despite the fact I was a different beast. My rescue mother found me to be her best friend, praising me whenever I helped her in battle."

"Was she a Galaxy Soldier?"

"Janno." he responded.

"Janno?" I echoed.

"You'd say 'no' in your language." He replied, "But I don't understand what happened one day, when she was hosting a special gathering…and because of me, it was ruined."

"What happened?" I gasped.

"It's bothered me for all these years now. Without a reason, I seemed to lose my mind in an instant. I felt angry enough to tear my rescue mother apart. All I remember is thrashing out at the crowd, her people screaming, and all without a reason for it starting. I still deeply regret it."

"You can't think of why it happened?" I asked, feeling a mix of shock and confusion.

The beast turned to me slightly, his head facing the ground. "All I remember happening right before the incident was something sharp hit my shoulder, but I doubt it had anything to do with what occurred. But whatever the reason was, I was left on my own for what felt like the longest of time. Even my fellow dragons seemed afraid of me. Then one day, six young souls took me far from the kingdom, claiming they were rescuing me. I was then released in another world, never seeing them nor my second mother again."

A small tear welled up in the creature's left eye. "I miss her unbearably, but I feel somewhat afraid to go back to her…if she's still alive, I'm sure she's bonded with another one of her dragons. Even then…what will she think of me for doing such a thing?"

"I can understand," I managed to speak, "I lost my entire family several years ago…but I'm certain that they didn't survive. I'd do anything to see my own mother just one last time…"

"I'm sure she loved you dearly, as my creates caretaker did. At least, until the incident…"

"I know she did…but I wish I recognized it a bit more when I was with her." I sighed. The giant hole in my heart was gaping painfully, remembering that my family was something I'd never earn back. Yet I didn't appreciate it while it was with me…

…As for this dragon, he knew what it was like to be loved dearly, even before losing his own family. But if he held it in his heart as dear as I now did was beyond me.

He turned to me yet again, this time revealing a loose string around his short neck with a giant red jewel on it, which was adorned with a few scratches. "…This garnet is the last gift she gave me, on the day of the incident…she said it was to give me a nice appearance for her gathering…and since then, I've refused to let it come off. It really is all I have left of her…"

The two of us then stood in silence for a while before the mother Pixie Doomer and the Guardians came to check on me. The Guardians seemed a bit surprised at the sight of the dragon.

"Jadorus?" they exclaimed at once.

The dragon gave them a gaze of disbelief. "How'd you know my name?"

"We knew Dory for many years, even before she first took you in." stated Aurora, "Such a beautiful, brave ruler she was…ever since early childhood."

"She and her son truly cared for you and your fellow dragons with all their hearts could offer…" added Rivara.

"We know by the distant stars that they still miss you incredibly…every one of them."

finished Chenoa. She then turned to me. "Lucky, do you mind if we talk to Jadorus in private?"

I nodded in agreement, and then the mother Pixie Doomer invited me to stay in her nest for now, giving me a place to recover in peace. With that, Chenoa carefully carried me to the nest, flying back to her sisters and the dragon. I managed to crawl in, careful not to wake her sleeping Doomerlings, all huddled together. She lay on top of them to protect them from the chilly breeze on the cliffside, as would many birds. I hopped over and sat next to her, still feeling exhausted, yet a bit restless at what the dragon told me. He had a treasure to remind him of the one who loved him…but all I had were memories.

Then Dianthus' death occurred to me next, thinking that now Dahlia lost someone else special to her. And Augustus, for that matter, who lost his love and his sister. Yet he didn't mention that his sister was gone, necessarily…just removed from his life ever since he left his people. So, was it possible that she might've been alive? If so, was she thinking about him, too? Was she wondering if he was quite gone? Even if I had the strength to fly over and ask, this certainly was not the time.

"Is something bothering you?" the mother Doomer's chirps pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, I'm afraid…" I chirped back. "I was thinking…well, Ms. Doomer-"

"Please call me Pyxy." She interrupted.

"Well, Pyxy…did you ever lose someone important to you?"

"Yes I have," she responded in her way of speaking, "I lost my mate about two moons before you first visited us; at least that's how it seems. He went out to find food for the little ones, but never returned."

"Do you know what happened?"

"He never turned up, and I found no trace of him after that evening. Since then, I've been having to feed my seven young ones without him. I'm just thankful the Augustus has helped at times."

"Do you suppose he's gone?" I questioned a bit hesitantly.

"I'm not sure. Deep down, something tells me that he's not quite gone, but I might never find an answer. If he isn't gone…I just hope he's okay."

I stayed silent following this, now thinking about Magolor and what he told me about Stella. I mean, from how much he was crying two weeks earlier, along with in that nightmare I had with Midnight dying, it must've been so much more painful for him. But whenever I'd return to Halcandra, I hoped that he'd be relieved to know that I was not quite gone.

A/N: I know that this new character's dialogue might be a bit confusing right now, but trust me, it will be covered in another story I'm currently writing.