Author's Note: The first of my adoption short stories is for a HTTYD/Kingdom Hearts crossover dragon. Known as a "dream eater fury" it combats the forces of "nightmare furies". My particular dream eater fury is named Nesaka, and can be seen in my signature (Frostfire Markson) on the School of Dragons forum. Design and creation of the dream eater/nightmare furies is credited to NightmareRebuff. I did not make any of my adopted OCs (should be implied by the fact that they are adopted, but I am stating it again.) This story is relatively tame. No restrictions on this one.

I ran along the cliff tops, my lungs burning and chest heaving. I couldn't think. Just run. I had to make it this time. I had to change it. Just once. The forest dwindled and I saw the valley, swathed in flames. Dragons were fleeing, their voices high and scared. A large flightmare buzzed by me, clipping my side and knocking me over in its panic. Down below, more dragons writhed in confused circles. The behemoth that towered over them was trying to use them. Control them. The gale it made sent a raiment of smoke around me. I struggled back upright, my eyes streaming and lungs choking as I stumbled forward. I hit the slope and tumbled forward, careening down to a heap on the valley floor. Dragon screams surrounded me. Ripped through me. Dazed, I didn't even notice the paws and claws galloping past, practically over me in their haste. I levered myself up, coughing, and panicked. I knew this part. I had seen this before.

Suddenly she was there, my beautiful night fury, the embers suffusing her green wings with light. Go! Fly! Save yourself! I wanted to scream at her, but the words bunched in my throat, coming out as a racking cough. Her black hide rubbed against mine, shielding me from the three pairs of malevolent eyes that glared down at me. I tried to push her away, to make her understand. All I could do was weakly bat at her side. Glowworm's chest rumbled, shaking with her voiced animosity. This so-called alpha dared to challenge her? To rule her flock? To maim her human? She roared a challenge, staking her superiority. No tyrant would rule while she was alpha of the valley!

Instantly she was gone- aloft- shrieking her fury onto the head of the seadragonus maximus. "Nooooo!" I rose only a few inches before I fell to the ground again, my side soaked in blood. I laid, paralyzed, as the two rulers fought for the right to the valley. I saw other dragons take up her call, joining in to defend their home. Wellspring, my dear clumsy scauldron, blasted the beast's nose, and fell to the angry claws, crushed. My tiny Deceptibite, Munchball, disappeared in the snap of fangs, her lead-tainted scales ineffective against this juggernaut. Beast, the gentle skrill, my father's pride and joy, impacted on the earth, a wing torn to shreds. Oakheart, my partner, my solace, my monstrous nightmare, disappeared in a wash of flames. The gruesome image of Snufflesnort's fragile body crumpling against that macehead tail and slowly settling back to earth finally snapped me back. My raptortongue. My little baby girl. Gone.

Tears of emotional and physical pain gushed down my face. I watched as all my dragons- my patients, my rescues, my successes... My friends.. were one by one decimated; destroyed. Jetstream, Flora, Tinscale, Sandsurfer... And I lay helpless to do anything. I cried out in desperation, wanting to do something! Slowly, painfully, I forced myself up. I dragged myself up. I searched overhead, desperate to see the last of my dragons, my always faithful Glowworm. She still was circling overhead, firing shot after shot of plasma at the challenger. The seadragonus crouched down, seeming to be recoiling from all the shots. The muscles bunched, and I stared in horror as the monster leapt into the sky, snapping his jaws closed on my best friend. He shook her like a doll, and dropped her. Freeze frames of her dropping burned into my brain. My vision went red. Suddenly, I had the strength again. I ran. "Glowwoooooorm!" The world froze. Her body crunched onto the earth, bouncing slightly on the impact. I was next to her. "No, no, no, no…" I had lost. She was gone. "I'm so sooorrryy…." Sobs wracked my body as I hugged her neck.

The world was gray. The warmth seeped out of the form, and everything else faded away. Just like every time I had to suffer through this recurring nightmare. I could never change the ending; never save anyone. I stepped back, not able to do anything. I was turning to walk away, check the wounded, when her body twitched. I turned back, disbelieving. Her shoulders shrugged, and she slowly started to look for her footing. But it wasn't quite right… It was jerky, disconnected. Like a puppet. She finally stood, and the last thing she lifted was her head. "Glow-glowworm? Whaa-" The beast was purple and black and green, and there was no love or pity in its eyes. My dear night fury was gone. This- this- nightmare was not her. It disjointedly stalked towards me, growling in her voice. I turned to run, but the valley was gone. The scene I had watched for so many nights was gone. I was now at the School of Dragons. I knew this cliff well. This was the place Yarlo had beat me up. Like a twisted parallel, I ran and tripped, the thing coming to stand over me. It lifted its forepaw to strike, opening its jaws in a nightmarish grimace. It struck in the stomach, drawing more blood, and, like that night, causing me to scream. Its grimace got wider, relishing in my pain and fear. My breathing increased as I tried to refill my lungs. It pressed a paw down heavily on my throat, slowly adding weight. My vision started to dance and disappear. A roar sounded, and light darted towards me. Oakheart… my dying, delusional brain laughed at the memory. Sorry boy, but you can't rescue me now… The light careened into the dark, knocking it away. I lay stunned and near unconscious as the light wrapped around me. Mmm.. Oakheart, are you here to take me to Valhalla? I've really missed you… My brains slowly swirled back to sanity as air returned. As my vision pieced back together, I looked up, ready to see my dragons again, not caring if I was dead or not. I blinked. The light was not Oakheart's green fire, like in the memory. This was… orange. And blue. And literally glowing. "Night fury?" I coughed out to myself. "... No. Angel." I gasped it out, feeling more satisfied. I smiled despite my pain. "Glowworm." The 'night fury angel' continued to stand over me. I knew it had to be Glowworm. This dragon radiated her spirit of protection and aloofness. I slowly turned my head to see the nightmare-Glowworm still growling on the perimeter. It roared out a breath of dark fire, and my angel cloaked us in snow. I giggled childishly. I loved snow. My angel started to glow brighter.

"DO NO HARM." The words threaded into the air. It thrummed with emotion. I didn't recognize the voice, and yet it was perfectly familiar. The dark beast roared, charging back toward us. The light continued to swell, and at the apex it leapt onto the nightmare, biting its neck. In slow-motion, like fog, it collapsed inward and dissipated. The glowing subsided, and my angel turned back to face me. I.. felt good. Better than in a long time. I stood up, in perfect health. There weren't even rips in my clothing. "Thank you, Glowworm. I-I-" I looked down, a dribble of tears falling down. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." It trotted over, lifting my head with the tip of her snout. She locked eyes with me. My heart fell. It was like we were connected in that instant, and I knew she wasn't really Glowworm. She was just a lot like her. She had the same spirit. "I-I- understand. You- you are.."

"DO NO HARM." I wasn't sure if it was a voice again, or an echo of before, but I heard it.

"Nesaka." I smiled just a tiny, sad smile. "You're Nesaka. The protector. Thank you." I stroked her head, and the dream started to fade as sensation came back to my body. My eyes opened. I sighed. I finally felt slightly peaceful. It had been a year since I had felt this- hope. I paused to consider my dream. Maybe my mind was finally over the guilt. Maybe I really was finally free. And all because my mind had brought back Glowworm to me- in a way. I stood up, and started walking downstairs, still pondering. As I passed the fireplace, I saw a faint glow. I started, glancing over. In front of the fire my angel lay, dozing in the warmth. I sank onto the stairs, dazed. A true smile spread across my face like a sunrise. "Ne- Nesaka. You- you weren't a figment of my dreams!" She stirred, her ears twitching. She made the lowing sound that Glowworm used to make that meant 'well of course'. She put her head back down, still not finished dozing. I snuck over, sinking down next to her. She twitched slightly, but didn't move. I curled up beside her, smiling as my eyes closed. No more nightmares.