Draco cried... and roared... and screamed as his mind began to fragment and deteriorate. His hands were bloody and scraped from punching the wall until his energy wouldn't let him change. He still had enough energy to regenerate, but only his broken hands could fix themselves before he broke them again. Every rock he pulled aside and every chunk he smashed out of place didn't seem to help him progress. Draco let out another roar before throwing his body mindlessly at the wall, tears flowing down his face.
"YOU WOULDN'T HURT HER!" Draco cried, bashing his head into the wall. "YOU. WOULDN'T. TOUCH. HER. FIGANTI!" His wrist cracked as his bones pushed into his arms, but he continued flinging himself into it. "NYLA! NYLA!"
Each shriek went unanswered, just as every shiver Nyla let out couldn't be heard. Her body temperature had dropped over the day, threatening to shut down her body. The little energy she still had left waned out to her partner. He couldn't feel it through his mindless urge to make sure she was still there. Her claws sluggishly dug into the dirt beneath her, shoveling some as she pulled herself towards the wall. When she was close enough, she weakly placed her claws against the solid rock and tried raking it. Sparks flew, bouncing off of her as she leaned against it and tried again.
I... I might as well... pet it... Reku'un... please, reach for me...
The emptiness inside of her told her to give up. Draco wasn't there, and she had no purpose anymore. She was a Nerök (Meaningless Nera'ak). Her only fate would be to take one final move before turning to stone for eternity. This wouldn't kill her... no, it would preserve her til the ends of time, a statue to remind other Signa to never abandon one another. Her petrification would encourage and scare young Nera'ak and Signa to train and fight their hardest. A martyr like the countless dragons before her that died away from their home... away from their partners.
She slumped against the wall, sliding down until her head was on the floor.
...what are... we supposed to do? Suffer... until we... we find a solution?
Nyla coughed out an ember, which made her chuckle to herself.
Embers... a maturing... Nera'ak... and all I can spit... are embers... embers... ember... Ember
Her eyes would have widened, but instead her lips tugged at a grin and she lifted herself from the floor. She focused on Draco's memories of his loved one. At the same time, she swung her head back and bashed it into the wall. Rocks tumbled down her snout, and she pulled back before doing it again, shaking her head to clear her bleary vision.
I'm... still... here... but... even... if I weren't... you'd have to go on... Reku'un.
She felt a spine pull loose, making her grunt in pain as it dislodged completely. It didn't matter; she would grow a new one.
If this is what awaits me... then so be it... but if I'm gone... you can't stop... you can't... surrender!
She roared as her head smashed into her hole, then pulled her claws into it and pulled groups of rock out.
I will always be your friend... but you have more... you have family! You have... Moon! Ichima! Limir! The ponies, Reku'un... you have a Nera'ak that will love you forever... and a child that will adore its father.
Her breathing was erratic from how hard she pushed her already weak body. Color was draining from her scales and her spines were going grey. She looked up at her work on the wall, panting out a sigh when she saw it wasn't leading anywhere. Her claw shot out, pulling another clump of rock loose.
You can't hold onto me in death... you don't have to suffer... not for me... I won't be... that burden!
She focused Draco's most precious memories into her head, reaching out to him in hopes of feeling him connect.
I won't make your heart ache!
A boulder slammed into the ground, her body climbing into the small tunnel.
I will not make you grieve!
She felt her tail go limp, a sign she would shut down any second to wait for a recovery. With another hard shove, she felt her hand reach open air.
BECAUSE I WILL TRY MY HARDEST TO NEVER LEAVE YOUR SIDE!
"NYLA!"
Draco pulled the rocks out of place around her claw, then managed to open up a hole the size of her tunnel and tried to pull her out. His strength was nearly gone, so all he could do was tug in vain.
"Nyla!" he called, tapping her snout and shaking her. "Nyla, look... look at me!"
Her eye lazily lolled around, going in and out of focus.
You're... bleeding...
He smiled as fresh tears cascaded onto her snout, and he nodded quickly.
Yeah... but it's okay. We just have to connect.
Reku'un.
We should have... Nyla, keep trying.
Reku'un.
Please, keep trying. Nyla!
Reku'un!
What?!
...you're... my only friend... and I know... we are not as close as we should be... but... I need to... to know... would you mourn me?
He clenched his jaw as he hugged her snout as tight as he could. "I'm not going to mourn you because you're staying with me! We're strong! We're strong, Nyla! We're living or dying together!" he shouted. "You're my friend! Moon isn't any better, and neither is Ember! We're on the same boat! I love you all... damn it, Nyla, I love you."
Her smile made him clench harder.
...that's... good...
...
...
...
...that...
...
...makes me... happy...
...
...
Nyla?
...
...
Nyla... Nyla!
...
"NYLA!"