If someone had told me a few weeks ago that I'd be traversing Windshadow Canyon with a group of dragon riders, I would have kissed them full on the mouth.

I heard it first from Lydia, who ran into the engine room holding her blaster in her hand. I turned to face her and was faced with a look of fear. "Dragons...! To the Southeast!", She sputtered out, her chest rising and falling in an attempt to catch up. I quickly stood, grabbing my blaster and pushing past her.

"Make sure this train doesn't derail, Lydia. The Crown will have our heads if we show up with one piece less than what they expect!" I tell her, loading my gun and adjusting my goggles. She nods, quickly taking the controls and setting us on course.

I rush back through the train, shoving over workers and vaulting over crates. Once I reached one of the open train cars, there I saw them. Seven dragons, all armored in brass and bronze. Their wings casted shadows over the train car, and they swooped down. I fire my blaster, sending blue sparks towards the scaly beasts.

Two swerve away, one of them using its tail to swipe at my body. I duck, rolling under one of the tarps as the dragon and its rider soar back up into the sky. Roars fill my eardrums, singing in tandem with the sound of wind within them as fire beats down at the tarp, setting it ablaze.

I quickly escape the fiery prison, shooting at the dragon riders as they swoop down for the gold and silver. I had seen the fate of those with one piece of scrap metal or one Clover less than what The Crown needs for this damn war against the Enscryllia Empire. I'll be damned if I show up in the Capital how they did.

Suddenly the train shakes, and I hear a scream from the front of the train. "Lydia!!", I call out, shooting at the riders as they swoop down. They fall from their mounts, the dragons fleeing frantically. I look to the front of the train, wind beating against my goggles.

Lydia was on her knees, a golden sword through her chest, her crimson blood trickling down the edge of the blade as is protruded from her chest. As quickly as I had saw the spectacle, the sword was drawn from her chest, sending her to the floor. I locked eyes with my sister's killer: a tall woman, with red hair shaved on her side. She bore a Crown Empire General's coat, tattered and bloodstained was the once pearly white satin.

Anger boiled in my chest, moving throughout my body and soon erupting from my vocal cords as a guttural cry of anguish and rage. Lydia, my little sister. She would pay. I ran towards the woman, shooting at her. She moved in tandem, dodging each of my shots as she did. It was almost as if she were dancing in a ballroom.

She swung the pummel of her sword at my head, sending me down to the ground. Blood gently trickled from my head as I fired my blaster blindly, hitting her in the shoulder. She growled, kicking the blaster from my hand and grabbing my shirt. The woman lifted her blade to my chest, staring daggers into my soul.

"Diana! We have the supplies all set!", a male voice called. She turns to the exit of the car, then back to me. "This one will die if we let her return to the Capital...", she says, lowering her blade. "She's riding with me. Let's get back to the den, boys."

The man goes to object but Diana points her blade at him, and he falls silent. She looks to me, pulling me close. "You're dead to the Empire. Best bet is that you stick with me, and we don't get caught. Less you wanna join the little girl behind me...", she muttered softly. I look down to Lydia's corpse, gulping softly. What could I do? I nod, looking down and closing my eyes.

That was a few weeks ago now. Diana and her crew have been hospitable, which is nice. But why do I feel so cold? It must be the guilt from losing Lydia. I just hope she's resting well. For now, I guess I should just keep on going. For her sake.