And here's the long ass final chapter. I just wanted everyone to know I loved all the reviews even though this was a short story for an unpopular pairing.

Once again, Enjoy!~

Chapter 8: Don't wake me cause I don't want to leave this dream…

"Lovino!" I turn around to see Fidelity bounding down a corridor. Ludwig hops off as Fidelity comes to a halt. Rage lets out a sad crooning sound and presses her head to Fidelity's. "Look, I know we've both been busy trying to prepare our factions for this fight. I just want you to know, even though I couldn't spend all that much time with you, that I still love you. And I want you to have this." He holds out a necklace with a jet hanging from its silver chain.

"I know you love me. Now kiss me one last time for I fear we're fighting a losing battle." One last time he bends down to my level and we lock lips. His thumb runs along my cheek as his lips move against mine and I squeeze his hand holding the necklace tightly before letting go and breaking the kiss. "Good luck and I pray to see you at least once more before I leave this world."

"I know it sounds strange but I think we should come up with something to remember each other by. A saying." He says, climbing in Fidelity's saddle.

"I have the perfect one. When you're lost here," I point to my heart. "I am forever with your soul." To add emphasis I place a hand on my chest. Ludwig mimics my move and kicks Fidelity into motion.

With Ludwig's kiss lingering on my mouth I rush over to Rage who looked ready to break. She lets out a heartbroken croon as Fidelity runs away to Ludwig's command area and I slip the delicate chain over my head. Straightening the flight captain jacket I had thrown on I lead her to where our assembled Bull, Glass, and Siren dragons with their riders were waiting.

"The enemy is upon our doorstep as I speak to you this very moment." My voice bounces off the walls of the already quiet hall. "We are few but we can constitute for a large sum of their army. I regret to inform you that if this goes successfully not all of you will return. But if we are not successful then we all will not return. I know this is not what you want to hear and from the least experienced Wyrm rider at that." Not a single head, dragon or human, turned to look at their neighbors. No one spoke.

Rage toward over my head and let out a loud roar as a challenge to which no dragon echoed back. "Just as a reminder we will be the driving force on the right. Dragon captains rally around me for further instructions." I turn to walk back down into the room I would be giving out orders in. Footsteps echo behind me and I turn to see Gilbert step up to the table.

"Lovino. I beg you to allow me to join your faction. I am needed nowhere else." A polite cough behind my back alerts me to the captains but I keep my gaze on the Albino rider.

"Fine." I say loud enough for the captains then lower my voice. "Thank you." The last face I see him make before turning around was something close to confusion and surprise. My eyes rest on the captains, Antonio whispering with an Asian girl with long, wavy hair.

"Sorry, the Siren captain hasn't showed up yet." The girl speaks up. I roll my eyes and motion to Matthew who was standing next to her quietly. She looks over and frowns. "I'm sorry but I can't see anyone in that direction.

"Matthew, say something PLEASE." Matthew jumps at the sound of your voice bringing his attention to the matter at hand.

"M-m-maple?"

I stare at him hard. "Really? Anyway, we have maybe ten minutes before we head out so I'll only say this once. Matthew, you will take the Sirens in and let out shrieks amongst the columns to confuse the enemy. Then- I'm sorry but I don't know your name."

"Mei Mei." The girl pipes up and I nod.

"Mei Mei, you will take half of the Glass dragons and half of the Bulls around one side and bathe them in fire. Antonio, the same for you just swoop in on the other direction. Before you all ask, Gilbert and I will be swooping in and out, attacking at random intervals and we'll be attacking first. Now, move out." The other captains nod with Mei Mei, Gilbert, and Matthew rushing out.

Antonio leans on the table next to me as I let out a shaky breath. "Will you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"What they wanted and why we wouldn't give it to them."

"They demanded that we kill all our dragons and give up on our mating rituals. The rest is self explanatory." Antonio smiles darkly at my words.

"It'll be a pleasure crushing them then." I allow myself a cold smile of my own as Antonio stalks out of the room. Gilbert returns a moment later.

"They're ready."

"Good. They need to be."

~5 Minutes Later~

It was not the easiest task of getting around 70 dragons to walk quietly but somehow we managed. I motion for the sirens to pull forward along with Gilbert and Umbra. A moment later they shoot up into the air and I give the signal for all the others to attack as yell, Rage leaping into the sky one heartbeat later.

The Siren shrieks echo off the rocks as I clear the hill top, letting Rage have free reign and bearing down on the armor clad army below. But something went wrong. The Sirens didn't clear away fast enough and the troops below launched a volley of arrows that tore through them. For a fleeting second I see Gilbert flash past, screaming bloody murder with tears fresh on his face.

A moment later as Rage circle around, burning large scars into the land I see what had made my fellow rider react so violently for right below was the body of and indigo-sapphire Siren dragon, glints of silver shinning in the flames burning on the ground. The dragon, Oasis, had belonged to Matthew.

I no longer got time to pray for my fallen friend as a dozen black arrows buried themselves into Rage. Pain ripped across my chest and down my side and a stinging sensation on the right side of my face destroyed my vision from that eye. And just as Rage dipped down to unleash another onslaught I witnessed a single arrow fly at my face. Right before it killed me.

Unintentionally I feel my body spring up from the bed I was resting on. Something was wrong. This place was unfamiliar and by all rights I should be dead. "Fratello?" Swinging my head to the side frantically to see my brother sitting next to the bed. Panic sets in as I finally notice all the tubes hooked up to my body.

"Brother calm down. Everything's all right." Feliciano says as I scrabble around. Had I been dreaming? But it was so real. As I remember all the times I had flown on Rage's back a tear falls on my face. None of that… had been real? My hand flies to my neck, hunting for the necklace Ludwig had given me after our first mating season. Our only mating season. But my hands come up empty.

Just then another person walks into the room. "Good, you're finally awake. I think this means we'll be able to release you soon." He says, taking off his glasses and polishing them.

"What's going on?" I ask quietly.

"Brother you've been in a coma for two months." My skin turns cold as I turn back to Feliciano. So nothing… had been real after all.

~One Day Later~

I stare out the window as Feliciano pulls the car into the driveway. It had slowly come back to me, this world. Not a full day being back and I already hated it. Not only had I lost my best friend but I had lost my soul mate as well. Feliciano doesn't say anything as I get out of the car and walk through the front door, trailing my hand over everything I passed.

And as I touched each item my disgust only deepened. I walk inside and stare at the pictures lined up next to the door. Slowly I make my way to the stairs. "Fratello are you hungry? You refused most of your food yesterday." For a reply I waved my hand through the air. Opening my bedroom door slowly I find myself staring at a large sketch book propped up on a stand.

Sitting down at the solitary stool I turn a pencil once in my hand then put it on the paper. And watched my hand fly across the paper almost as if by itself. In about ten minutes I had an unshaded picture of Rage, every deatail of her face etched into the paper. Almost automatically I start shading in every individual scale. "Ve~ Since when did brother become so good at drawing. He looks so lifelike."

"She."

"Huh?"

"The dragon. It's a girl. She delivered eight eggs at noon on a bright Tuesday and died a month later in a battle to protect her species." I hear Feliciano put something down on a dresser by the door.

"And you're also a story teller? What else have you not told me fratello?" He sits down on the bed as I draw out a person on her back who gave the impression that he was talking to her. The scene was familiar, it had taken place two days after Rage's eggs had been laid. She had made a comment about why the sky was blue and I had turned it into a light hearted argument.

"It's not a story. It really happened." I whisper to the paper, remembering how the argument had ended. She had shaken her head and gave up the victory to me saying she couldn't argue with her other heart.

"Hmm? I hate to cut our talk short but I have some cleaning to do." And with those words he gets up and leaves closing the door behind him. As soon as he leaves the pencil falls from my hand and I break down. Grabbing a pillow off the bed I cry into it, letting it muffle my sobs. Why did it have to be like this? Why?

~Two Weeks Later~

I hum out the tune that had been in my head for a bit over a week now. But the song never got old because it fit me so well. "Don't wake me, 'cause I don't want to leave this dream. Don't wake me, 'cause I never seem to stay asleep enough…" I sigh and lean against the wall, listening to my brother's footsteps as he ran up the stairs.

"Fratello! Come and meet the new neighbors! They just moved over so I thought I'd invite them for lunch." I frown at him, easily faking the expression.

"And you invited them without fucking telling me?" I yell at him but not really putting force into my words. Stomping out my door I start marching my way down the stairs but halfway down someone runs out from the kitchen area.

He was taller than I was with pale blonde hair, hopeful blue eyes, and a sense of urgency surrounding him. As we lock gazes I move slowly down the stairs, reaching ground level in half a minute. The man's hopeful gaze turns guarded as I approach. We stand a few feet apart from each other. He was the exact copy of Ludwig but I couldn't be sure.

Seemingly dissatisfied he turns to walk away and I open my mouth. "When you're lost here…" I let my words trail off and I turn back to the stairs, dejected. He couldn't be Ludwig. Life was that cruel.

"I am forever with your soul…" He lets his words trail off and without knowing why I did it I swing my body around and move to slam my side into his.

He mirrors my move and we take a step back, then turn away and line our backs up. With every move we made I slowly realized it was a dance. Something from ages ago that took place between a black dragon and a green one in a land filled with ice and snow. The courtship dance. As we draw to a close we step up against each other, nearly touching.

I stand on my toes and reach up while he bends down a little and we connect foreheads. Both of us push up gently and connect our lips. A moment later his arms loop around my waist and I deepen the kiss. As I break away I can only come up with one word in the form of a question.

"Ludwig?"

"Lovino."

We stand there in the hall, so close that it was getting hard to breath. "Bow chika wow wow." That was a voice I would never forget. "Wow brother, making moves on the neighbor before I can-" The albino stops, starring at my face in shock. "He- he looks just like… Isn't he that guy you wrote about? You know, the one with the dragon."

A thumb brushes over my lips and I look back up. "He's the very same. I thought I would never see you again." He says, his brow furrowing a little. I hook my fingers with his and give them a squeeze to make sure God wasn't playing a cruel trick and I was once again dreaming.

A moment later the doorbell rings and I immediately detach myself, taking a step back. Feliciano gets the door to reveal another face I thought I would never see again. Matthew Williams gives Feliciano a bright smile before his eyes move to me. "Hey Lovino! Finally out of the hospital I see. Sorry I couldn't come to see you sooner. I was attending my brother's wedding."

So I had known him before my coma? I don't get time to say anything however due to one enthusiastic albino nearly running across the room to meet the somewhat startled Canadian. "Hi there! Are you a family friend? Well, that doesn't matter much now does it? Say, would you like to go get lunch or something?" Next to me Ludwig lets out a small snort of laughter. This proved to be infectious because I started laughing. Everyone averts their attention to us as we share knowing looks.

"Mind enlightening us?" Gilbert asks with an annoyed scowl.

"Ironic that Gilbert and Matthew actually might hook up in the real world isn't it?" I ask. Then a thought occurred to me. "Say Matthew, your brother wouldn't happen to have married someone by the name of Arthur Kirkland would he?" Matthew gives me a nervous look.

"Yeah, but I never told you my brother's fiancé's name or the fact that he was a guy."

Ludwig and I shared a look. Maybe this world wasn't as different as the one we had just left.

~ Four Years Later ~

I kick the door closed behind me, shuffling through all the crap tons of mail in my hands. "Hey loser! More fucking mail to clutter our table." I call out into the spacious hall, making my way to the dining room where we chucked our ridiculous pile of mail every once in awhile.

I curse myself for the fucking policy I had come up with for checking all the fucked up to hell mail. As I sit down Ludwig walks in and shifts through the pile. "This is ridiculous. I'm done with the new chapter if you want to proof it." I rest my elbow on the table and place my chin in my hand, giving him a smirk as I do so.

"Oh please. You're a fucking Grammar Nazi when it comes to your chapters. It's not like I actually have to comb over it." Ludwig's only reply to my comment was to lean down and kiss the top of my head. Allowing myself an indignant pull away, I flop down on the table, playing with the necklace I held in my hand.

Ludwig picks up one of the letters and opens it. "Hey look. A book signing invitation. For the series and your art book." I feel myself roll my eyes as I pick up a few letters.

"People want your autograph. All I do is draw up our dragons and characters." About two years ago Ludwig compiled a story from his point of view from the coma world and it was almost immediately published. I had refused to be part of this little venture, not wanting to unbury the sorrow I still had for a dragoness who hadn't existed in the first place. But all the illustrators who tried to hire themselves out to Ludwig were shot down and I finally agreed to sketch and paint out everything.

"Why is it that you never hired anyone for the illustrations?" I ask, tracing a finger across a dragon that was carved into the table.

"Because you and I are the only ones who know exactly what they look like. Here's something interesting. Looks like someone wants to come up and deliver some statuary inspired by your art. I think it's a good idea." He says, walking off. I scowl at the entry way he chose. Damn bastard knew I hated it when he walked off in mid conversation.

"Get back here fucker! I'm not done speaking!" I declare, climbing from my seat to stomp my way over to where my boyfriend of four years was busying himself with the phone. As I got closer he pulled me over and placed his hand over my mouth.

"Hello? May I talk to Mrs. Liesmas please? Ah yes, this is Ludwig Beilschmidt informing you that I received your letter and me and my partner would be more than happy to accept your gift." After a few more minutes of useless chatter and being unable to get my boyfriend's hand off my mouth I simply just go limp against his body.

"Tomorrow is great. 1:00 in the afternoon it is." Ludwig finally releases me probably because I was dangerously close to biting his hand. But I wouldn't have bitten that hard. I head back to the table and notice a fancy envelope amongst the pile. Picking it up I flip it over. The whole thing reeked like a wedding invitation.

"Looks like your dumbass brother is getting married. Lucky him." I mutter the last part under my breath. Too bad Ludwig was right behind me and leaned over me, pressing his body into mine. I gave a surprised yelp and the envelope dropped back onto the table.

"You're cute when you're jealous." He whispers into my ear, making my skin crawl in a pleasing way. Just as I turn to him, about to protest, he places his lips to mine. Slowly he turns me so I was facing him then he proceeded to press my back onto the table.

"Oh come on." I whine. "Do you really want to fuck up the fan mail?" Ludwig chuckles as his lips brush against my neck.

"I guess you're right." With these words he lifts me back off the table and starts walking to the stairs. Just as we reach the bedroom door Ludwig's cell phone went off. He rolls his eyes as I snort at the ring tone obviously set for his brother. But I'll digress, it was fun to hear Gilbert protest to having the ringtone 'I'm awesome' by Spose to label him by.

Ludwig flips it open impatiently and I flop down on our shared bed, swinging my legs in the empty air. "What now bruder?" Since Gilbert was so loud when he was on the phone I could hear what the dumbass albino bitchtard was saying.

"So did you get it? You know, my wedding invite?"

"Yes Gilbert. Now if you don't mind, I'm busy."

"Fucking your boyfriend?"

I sit up and glare at the mobile phone. Next time I saw Gilbert I'd strangle him.

"You had better not. What did you promise last time?" Gilbert's voice comes over the phone when Ludwig didn't reply. Now Ludwig looked embarrassed rather than just mildly ticked off.

"Yes, I know. No more sex until I married him. Gott I hate you sometimes." Gilbert's stupid laugh came over the phone and Ludwig slams it shut.

"Fuck your stupid ass brother. Just tell him I forced you. You won't be lying."

~ Next Morning ~

"Lovino, wake up." Ludwig says, shaking my shoulder. I give him the middle finger and roll up into a ball. Recently Ludwig was just asking for me to stab a pencil into his face. He knew I was not a morning person.

"Go away." I mutter into the pillow.

"But it seems our fans arrived early. The ones with the statuary." I sigh and sit up, shooting him a nasty glare.

"Fine. I'm up and they better be fucking ready for a bitchy Italian because I'll rip them a new one if they aren't. Now go away so I can get dressed." Ludwig chuckles and hurries out the door and I roll out of the bed. Fuck, I forgot to do my laundry and the last article of clothing I had which was clean was a costume I had worn to Ludwig's first book signing.

Sighing I pull out the clothes that hurt so much to wear. Not because they were uncomfortable. No, it was quiet comfortable to wear, even in hot weather. It was because when I wore them I felt the urge to run out into an open space and summon Rage for a pleasure flight. Pushing my thoughts into the back of my mind I get dressed and head downstairs to come face to face with a woman who brought those thoughts rushing back.

She was taller, with pale skin and black hair. Tied off sections of her hair that hung on the front of her hairline had segments of orange gold coloring. Her eyes were a brown that looked close to being red. But this wasn't what caught my attention. What did was what she was wearing. It was my flight captain's jacket. It was exact down to the last stitch and the last chink of chainmail. I was certain I hadn't released pictures of the flight captain's garments yet. As far as I knew they were still under development.

"Hello. You must be the esteemed Lovino Vargas. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Renée Liesmas." Instead of offering me her hand she gave me a bow, making her earrings give off a tinkling sound. "My husband is conversing with your partner at the moment I do believe. Aminon can get a little carried away."

~ Sundown ~

After spending hours talking to Renée and watching eleven dragon statues being erected in our back yard I was a little tired. I could also credit waking up early. The eleven dragons weren't life size, they wouldn't have fit. But the craftsmanship on each one still made me think they would come to life at any given moment. They were arraigned in a column, flyers on one side, fighters mirroring their partners.

The first two looked to be the oldest. Plaques adorned their front. Remus, the Northern Star and Leviathan, the Noble Barbarian stood bowing to each other. Next came two half turned statues with plaques that read Shrike, the Dancing Whirlwind and Liron, Heaven's Song.

The next two snarled at each other. Umbra, The Frozen Fire and Tyrannous, The Sky Demon.

But none of these statues caught my attention as much as the next tow who weren't placed opposite. Instead their bodies twined in a dragon's dance frozen in time. Fidelity, The Loyal Guardian and Rage, The Untamable Wildfire. Reaching out my hand I brush it along the stone Rage's tail fins. Turning around in a circle I notice the last three statues which had not been graced with plaques.

A Glass dragon stood to my rightand a Siren dragon to my left and placed right behind Rage and Fidelity was a statue of a Bull dragonraising its head to the sky. Two hands wrap around my waist and turn me round. Ludwig places me before our dragon's statues and carefully gets down on one knee.

"Lovino Vargas, Dragon Hearted, will you marry me?" He asks, pulling out a simple gold ring.

"Took you forever." I say as I allow him to slip it onto my finger.

And thus this story comes to a close. I'm very pleased to see that this story did so well for and everyone can thank Lumoa for badgering me on deviant art for updates. If any of you were curious as to see what a Winged Grand Wyrm looked like you can see it on my deviant art account here. .com/gallery/#/d36a2cg

And a picture of Lovi's captain jacket. .com/gallery/#/d37j0k4

And for everyone who read Of Priests and Pirates (its Spamano so I don't expect all of you to have read it) as a little extra something for ya guys. .com/gallery/#/d36a1ve

If you enjoyed this story give me a shout. And you all should know who Renée and Aminon are.

Ciao!~