"Sirius!"

I screamed as smoke and fire surround me. The sky is filled with so many writhing monsters and through the debris, we were able to take cover from various attacks.

"Sirius, answer me if you can hear me!"

My eyes were watering from the smoke, but I couldn't close them, afraid that I'll miss something if I did.

"Jillian, you have to stop." Lydia looked at me as she tugged my clothes. "We have to regroup, our team leader can handle himself."

I tried protesting, but Lydia wouldn't let me go. "I know you're worried for him, but we have to gather our members again." She gripped my wrist and I felt a slight pain from it. "You're the vice-leader so act like it!"

I was immediately doused with cold water by her words. She was right, I am the vice-leader so I had to take responsibility for my position. With one last look at the raging battlefield, I turned back.

"Jillian!"

Lydia screamed as something flew past us. I took one look and was immediately brought into panic.

"Sirius!"

"Team Leader!"

Both me and Lydia shouted towards the person that was slightly embedded on the ground. We ran towards Sirius to see him covered in blood. Whether it was his or his opponent's, we weren't sure.

"Lydia, take his right, I'll take his left." Lydia nodded at my command and together, we lifted Sirius. With this small movement, Sirius grunted.

"Sirius, are you okay?" I asked while still on the lookout for incoming danger. "Don't worry, we'll regroup in a few more minutes. If you feel anything wrong, just tell me, Lydia and I are here for you."

I tried reassuring Sirius a few times but unlike the usual, there wasn't any response from him. Usually, he'd be joking with me right now, making fun of how I'm too paranoid and worried.

It might be that he's too exhausted so I didn't talk anymore. Just as we were about to reach the corner, the ground shook. I immediately clutched more on Sirius. When I did so, I heard a small laugh from him.

"Sirius?"

"We have to go, Jillian!" Lydia suddenly shouted and I looked at where she was looking at.

Sirius' laugh grew louder, and so did the interest of the creature in front of us. Sirius raised his head and looked eye to eye with the creature. "Alright, I'll take your fucking bet!"

The creature, a gold and black dragon, spat out a golden fire that surrounded us. I looked at Sirius who was still looking at the creature. There were no fear in his eyes. Rather, it looks as if he's challenging the creature.

I tugged at Sirius but he wouldn't give me notice. "Sirius, what are you doing?!"

I kept on tugging and I didn't know what came over me but I looked to where the dragon is.

I shivered.

The dragon was looking at me.

Not Lydia, nor Sirius who was challenging it.

It was looking at me.

I moved closer to Sirius and it was then that the dragon spoke.

"Your friend wants to make a bet with me." The dragon said with mirth. "Do you consent?"

"Jillian, say yes." I looked at Sirius who just spoke. "Sirius...?"

"Jillian, do you trust me?"

Before I can answer, the dragon spoke. "Why would your friend trust you? You'reー"

"JILLIAN!"

I didn't know what to think but this is Sirius that we're talking about. I didn't have to think, "I trust you, Sirius."

Sirius smiled at me, like how he would. "Thank you." He looked back at the dragon. "Ask him again."

The dragon laughed. "You truly are shameless. Well then, Jillian, do you consent to the bet between me and this person?"

I looked back at Sirius, who says "say yes." I looked at Lydia who was also as bewildered as I am. I then looked at the dragon and did what Sirius told me to.

"Yes."

The dragon unfurled its wings and the golden fire surrounding us grew in intensity. "As you wish."

The golden fire was too hot and too cold at the same time. Everything was confusing and before I knew it, I was no longer holding on to Sirius. Everything changed and I was no longer standing.

The light was so blinding that I had to shield my eyes from it. I felt so weak and thirsty, and my whole body feels so uncomfortable. I had to stand up but I can't get the strength to do it. It was no longer until I slipped into unconsciousness.

When I woke up again, my surroundings have changed. It feels familiar but at the same time, it doesn't. I don't know how to describe it but there's only one thing that I'm feeling.

I'm safe.

There was no longer the feeling of discomfort and everything smells so relaxing. With the miniscule strength that I have, I turned my head to see a face that I've almost long forgotten.

"...Mom?" I tried to say but my voice doesn't sound the same. Rather, it sounds gritty and... Childish.

A chill went up my spine and I pinched myself.

"Jillian!" The woman suddenly stood up from the chair and held my hand. I pinched myself and the woman screamed even more. "Jillian! Stop! No, wait. Ganian! GANIAN!"

She kept on removing my hand from where I'm pinching. I can feel the pain and I can also see blood ooze out, but I couldn't stop.

That dragon must've placed me in an illusion, one so real that I can't easily wake myself up.

A big hand held my own. It was so strong that I couldn't do anything else other than let it take control of my own hand. I looked up to see another familiar face.

"Dad..."

That face held a hurt expression and soon, my father held me close. "Don't worry, dad's here." Like a mantra, the person who has my father's face kept on telling me that he's here while stroking my back.

Whatever the dragon is doing, it's too effective.

I went unconscious once more but when I woke up this time, a miniature black dragon was looking straight at me. It was so small that I can crush it with my hands.

"Don't try to touch me, because you couldn't." The dragon said, but it wasn't the same voice that spoke before. It was more feminine, unlike the deep voice that aroused fear.

I tried catching the dragon, only to have my hand phase through it. The dragon looked at me as if saying 'I told you so.'

"Are you an illusion dragon?" I asked, and the little dragon laughed while dancing in the air. Its little wings flapping continuously.

"No, but you can call me Maria, my master sent me here to..." The dragon drawled on, "give you an explanation."

Maria perched on the near table. "I mean, your way of thinking is already going in the wrong direction and it would affect the bet."

The bet...

I almost forgot about that. Sirius and the dragon kept on talking about the bet and...

About getting my consent.

"Where are Sirius and Lydia?"

Maria looked the window. "Lydia's in her crib. Now, listen to me as Iー"

"Crib?"

"Yes, crib, so now listen to myー"

"What do you mean crib?"

Maria unfurled her wings and flew to my hand and bit me. I tried catching her but just like the last time, I couldn't touch her.

"I told you to listen! Now, don't interrupt me or I'll bite your finger off."

I held my finger with small tooth marks.

"Where was I? Oh yes, about your situation. Congratulations for being the first human to be sent back in time! You really made my master exhausted but master says it was necessary soー"

"Sent back in time?!"

My finger was bitten for the second time. "I told you not to interrupt me!"

"What do youー" The dragon tutted. "I'll answer any question after the explanation, you hear me?" I looked at the dragon and reluctantly nodded.

"You're sent back in time and not inside an illusion. Yes, everything here is real." The dragon stood upright and gave me a challenging look. "Now, you can do anything you want. Your choices will shape the future." She stretched her wings and flew closer to my face. "It's up to you whether your world will survive or be destroyed."

"Just like the future you were once in."

She landed back on the bed where I was sitting on. "Now, I'll take any three questions only. Three! No more and no less."

"Wait, you said any questioー"

"That's punishment for always interrupting me!"

I realized this earlier but this dragon is really being a brat. Still, this brat is all I have to give me information about the current situation.

I inhaled and asked my first question. "Am I the only one that was sent back in time?"

Maria nodded. "That's right. There's no one but you!"

Then what happened to Sirius and Lydia? Maybe it has something to do with what Maria's master asked me before all if this. I was the only one who was asked about my consent. Maybe the consent the dragon was talking about was being sent back in time.

Still, what was the bet all about?

I asked that as my second question, but Maria said that even she didn't know what it is. "When making bets with dragons, it would be a secret. Knowledge about it would affect a lot of possibilities afterall."

I tried bargaining with Maria about the question, since she didn't answer my second question as satisfactorily as I would've wanted.

"Nope, a question is a question. I didn't specify whether I had to fully answer your question for it to be counted. Now, you only have one last question so think about it carefully."

I have so many questions like why would Sirius make a bet? How was it possible for Sirius to make a bet with a dragon? What happened to the people that I left behind?

What does it mean when she said that I can do what I want? What does it mean when my choices would determine this world's future? Why wasn't it Sirius who regressed? Why...

"Why me?" Before I can stop myself, I blurted out a question and Maria readily answered.

"Because you just happened to be there." I was confused and Maria must've noticed it so she spoke more. "I was curious as well so I asked my master why you were the one that was chosen. My master laughed and told me that maybe it was fate. You were the perfect candidate because..." And Maria laughed.

"You were so pathetic and powerless."

Maria said something but it didn't register with me. I didn't move. I couldn't move and it wasn't long before I noticed that I was alone. Inside the old familiar room, only my breathing can be heard. There were occasionally some noise coming from outside the room and it was that noise that grounds me inside the suffocating silence.

I thought to myself that I can't stay in this room. Unlike before, I found some strength to stand up. My legs were still weak and the bed was somehow higher than I could remember it.

I looked at my hand and it was finally settling down on me.

I have regressed.

I walked towards the door and the doorknob was high but I can reach it. I turned the knob and a blinding light welcomed me. It was like I was finally waking up from a nightmare.

"Jillian!"

My mom rushed towards me, along with my dad. They held me and kept asking if I was feeling okay.

I don't know what to say so I just nodded. I kept my head down, afraid of looking at these people whom I've missed very much.

"Do you want to eat?"

I nodded again and they led me to the table. Beside it was a wooden crib and I was able to glimpse at what was inside.

I found Lydia.

While taking a scoop of my mother's homemade dishes, I strengthened my resolve.

I have to look for Sirius.

"I know you're hungry but don't eat so fast! You're still recovering." My mom took a cloth and wiped the side of my mouth.

Maybe the search would have to wait for tomorrow. I think Sirius would forgive if I was late for just a day.