Flavia slammed her locker shut, locking it and leaving the girls' changing room before freezing and looking down at her phone. There are still thirty minutes of class! She grumbled and went back inside and sat on the counters that held the sinks. She swung her legs and check her phone going through various different social media, answering the few texts she left unanswered before going to the one app she was dreading to open.

The News.

Her brown eyes scanned the article; sports, president, sports, celebrity marriage and others things she didn't care much about. Sighing she was ready to close the app when something caught her eye and she paled. She cursed herself for being so stupid as to think that it wouldn't be on the news. Of course, it would be on the news.

"Another of the Riders' lairs have been found right here in Miami, it seems this was the central hub for the Riders. There are locations to the others and only one is left. Once the locations are deciphered we will take it down. Inside this lair, there seemed to be more Rider and dragons. Riders and their dragons have been captured but some managed to escape, it was discovered that among the Riders and dragons, humans were also being held there against their will. The hostages claim that the Riders weren't harming them but doctors have confirmed that they are under a spell from the Rider themselves, antidotes are still being researched for this awful thing."

Flavia growled her eyes filled with fury as she read on. Of course, doctors would lie to get their way, A-Humans weren't under a spell.

"Sadly these aren't the only humans we have found in their lairs and all claim the same thing; 'Riders weren't harming them.' Doctors and Scientists are working together now to help these unfortunate souls and reunite them with their families. All humans that have been found inside the lairs are being held at a hospital in the respective places they were found in for their own good. Once they are healed they will be sent back to their families."

Flavia's hold on her phone tightened as she continued to read the article. She wasn't sure why she was doing this to herself but she felt a need, a must to continuing reading the lies humans made to feel better about themselves.

"Assurance have been sent to the families of the humans in the hospitals. The Riders who escaped will be found and sent to the Converting Camps to set them straight once more. So far every conversion has been successful but the Rider-turned-normal end up dying a few days sometimes weeks after. The ones who work there say it's the fault of the dragons, because of this they have to kill off any dragon they have captured in hopes that the Riders will see the errors of their ways and go back to being normal. To go back to being human."

Flavia felt sick at the last words and just managed to run to the nearest toilet before barfing her guts out. She grimaced at the smell and quickly flushed it before heading to one of the sinks and cleaning her face and hands. She had never been happier that her school had an obsession with hand sanitizers and quickly rubbed some on her hands. She looked at the mirror in front of her taking in her appearance.

Is it too late to apply make-up? She grumbled once she noticed that her sunkissed skin was paler than it should be, her eyes were bloodshot and she was shaking. Her hair wasn't so troublesome as it was short and all she needed to do was brush it to make it look normal. I look dead. I feel dead.

Her eyes landed on her phone that laid on the floor, she hadn't even realized she dropped it. Picking it up she wiped the screen with her shirt not trusting that the floor was clean before unlocking it. She knew that wasn't the end of the article, there were always pictures. Swiping to the next page she stared at the pictures trying to see if she recognized more Riders who were captured or managed to escape.

Her eyes scanned the screen as she looked at picture after picture until they landed on the first of the last three.

The first was slightly blurry but the face of the Rider could be seen perfectly, his black hair and she would recognize that pair of blue eyes anywhere. She didn't want to believe it and she didn't believe it until she saw the dragon he was climbing. Black, like the dark moon his white teeth were bared in a snarl towards the one taking the picture. The Rider's hand was grasping one of the many purple spikes that run from the dragon's neck to his tail. Flavia was aware of how powerful the dragon could be and the picture showed it, he was crouching ready to break the body of anyone who dared come close.

She knew that dragon just like she knew the Rider.

Tribetron and his Rider, Drake.

Her hands began to shake as she went through her contacts until she found Drake.

Ring.

Ring.

Rin–

"Flav?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She was glaring at the mirror knowing that if she didn't she'll end up yelling. "Why didn't you tell me that you were seen?"

Drake sighs from the other end, "Didn't want you to worry–"

"Didn't want me to worry?" She hissed, "I was going to find out anyway! Did you honestly think you could keep this from me?"

"No, but I was hoping I could." He chuckled nervously, "Don't worry I'm staying at Dragon Mountain."

"Good."

"You–" he cleared his throat, "you haven't seen the rest, right?"

Flavia's eyes narrowed and instead of answering she went back to the app she had been on and went to the picture of Drake and Tribetron. Swiping to the next her eyes widened and she was sick all over again. Dead dragons laid on the floor of Haven Central their blood stained the grass and their scales, none had their eyes closed. Flavia could see just how lifeless they were. She didn't want to see more but she found herself swiping to the last picture.

Tears fell down just as the warning bell rang, the last picture was the worst. Pocketing her phone, she slammed the door to the changing room open and ran out, ignoring the cries of protest and worry from the people behind her. She needed to get away from them. From humans. She wasn't aware to where she was running until she stopped in front of a dead end. It was one of the abandoned hallways in the school. Choking on her sobs she slides down against the wall and curled up.

Her shoulders shook as the pictures of the last two pictures replayed on her mind. She knew that if the dragons were dead, with a bond or no bond established, the Riders destined to be with them would die by the end of the week and vice-versa. The very thought made her sick. Riders and dragons were dying all around her and she and Fawn were alive. Alive and breathing because they hid. They hid from the world afraid of what they would do to them. But is that even living?

It's surviving. She sobbed silently, I'll be an experiment, and Fawn would be nothing more than just another creature to kill.

"Flavia?"

The voice sounded far away as she let herself drown with the pictures and the destroyed haven.

Footsteps neared her but she didn't move. "What happened?" The voice was male, he touched her covered arm but she flinched away.

It burns. Her eyes stung with tears as she tugged on the sleeved of Julian's hoodie. My marks burn. Why must you inflict pain? What did I ever do to you?

"Hey," the voice whispered not going nearer. "Look up sis."

"Adam?" She whispered slowly raising her head. "What are you doing here?" She asked once her eyes met the brown eyes that were so similar to her own.

Between them, it was the only thing that would show they were siblings. While Flavia took more from their mother, Adam took from their father. Like, father and son, they were pale in complexion and had unruly curly brown hair. The only way to know that the two were siblings was by their eyes. It was a certain shade of brown that was different from any other.

"I heard someone sobbing," Adam told her. "I was looking for you actually. Nalia called said you ran out of the changing room crying, the other girls sounded worried as well. What happened?"

"Nothing," she muttered and tried to keep her voice calm but even she knew when lying was useless. Her voice was quivering and she knew that any reminder of the most recent events would send her crying once more.

"Flavia." His eyes narrowed and the tone of his voice made it clear he wasn't playing around. "What happened?"

"Don't tell mom and dad," she whispered. "Please. D-don't tell them."

"Flav, if something or someone made you cry I have to tell mom and dad."

Her eyes widened and in seconds she was on her feet her breathing speeding up. The pictures she saw flashed in her mind. The dragons bleeding and the last one. The last one... "No!" Her voice echoed but she didn't care, "No! They won't help! They won't understand! T-they'll–they'll–!"

"Flavia?" Adam and Flavia turned to see Julian, Markus, and María staring at them. "Hey, what happened? Are you ok?"

The little resolve she managed to rebuild was shattered at the words because she wasn't ok. She ran towards Julian as he caught her in his arms. She clutched his shirt as new tears began to fall. She didn't care that Markus, Adam, and María were nearby. She needed to feel safe and Fawn was too far away and Nalia was who-knows-where, but Julian was here. He knew her secret. He said he would keep it safe. He could be her safety too.

"What happened?"

"Gone." She whispered against his chest so only he could hear, "They are gone, Geo." She felt him tense but he relaxed before she could read into it, "I saw pictures. They– oh god." She chocked and the hold on his shirt tightened.

Julian looked at Markus, Adam, and María who were watching the exchange with curiosity, worry, and suspicion. He wasn't sure why Adam was looking at him like that, it's not like they have ever talked before. Julian knew of Adam, everyone knew of Adam, but he didn't know his connection to Flavia or why had a feeling he would be seeing more of him in the future. Looking back down to the girl in his arms he pulled her closer, ignoring the glare from the other boy.

"What did you see?"

She seemed to shut down at the words before pulling away, "I–I." Her eyes were red from crying and for a moment she seemed at loss with words. "They–" she shook her head and took out her phone.

Julian watched her swipe picture after picture only stopping to stare at one with a boy before swiping to the next one with a shaky hand before Julian could ask her about it. Her eyes began to water once more, her skin became paler and her fingertips began to spark dangerously. Julian grabbed the phone before she dropped it and stared at the picture. His eyes widened at the sight of the dragons and looked at her but she didn't meet his eyes, instead, she did a swiping motion and he swiped to the next picture.

His breath caught.

His throat burned.

His stomach twisted.

"Flavia."

She took back her phone and tugged the sleeve of his hoodie, "Monsters." She whispered, "Monsters."

"Flavia?" She ignored the call of her brother, she ignored the 'comforting' touch of María, and she ignored the looks from Markus.

"Monsters." She whispered one more time as the last image flashed into her mind once more. "Monsters. Kill." Without a second thought, she left the hallway and nobody went after her.

Adam was confused and glaring at Julian.

Markus was concerned but wasn't sure how to approach it.

María was ready to level cities if it meant finding out. She was glaring daggers at Julian as if she could penetrate his thoughts.

Julian was frozen. He saw the images. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to help her but he couldn't. Because, unlike her, he was safe to live, safe to wear short-sleeved shirts. He wasn't hunted down for having marks on his skin. He wasn't a Rider. He was human and humans were safe.

"What did she show you?" Adam asked him, "What made my sister cry?"

Sister? Julian turned to look at Adam, Are you...? He looked at the arms of the boy to see them mark less, No. You are not. He turned to look back at the direction Flavia went to. Then you don't know.

"Not my thing to say," was his response. "Shouldn't have been my thing to see either."

Because it truly wasn't. He was a human, not a Rider. He had no right to see the images but Flavia showed them to him, Flavia trusted him with what caused her reaction. She trusted him. He gulped as the images went through his mind.

Dead dragons. Blood. Corpse.

The dragons were a horrific sight but nothing could top the last image. Nothing.

Riders filled with bullet holes, weapons from medieval times in their limp hands, a glow fading from them. It was clear they died fighting, died trying to escape a fate much worse than death. But it was their eyes that caused shivers to go down his spine, it was the eyes that made him sick, that made him be filled with guilt and anger. Because their eyes were wide open, their eyes weren't one of a dead man. They were the eyes of a dying man of a dying child. For the Riders in that picture weren't adults, no, they weren't even High School Seniors. They were children. Ten to fourteen-years-old bleeding to death because of marks that covered their skin.

Ten to fourteen-years-old bleeding to death because of a bond with a creature once thought to be legends, myth.

Ten to fourteen-years-old bleeding to death because they were different.

And Julian felt ready to curl up in a corner and cry for their fate. Julian a human felt ready to cry for the fates of a Rider, a fate he would never have to fear because he was human. If a human felt that way, how would a Rider feel?

A Rider who lives every day of their life in hiding. A Rider who could have had that same fate if she hadn't been dragged out of the place.

If a human was ready to cry and feel anger towards the actions of other humans. A Rider was ready to level cities, ready for murder. A Rider was ready to do whatever it took to survive and avenge.

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It doesn't necessarily need to be in that order :)

~Dani

P.S.

Also, happy early Halloween!! Are you guys dressing up? Going to get candy? Or are you the prankster of Halloween? Or will you be staying at home watching scary movies all night long?