Characters (so far)[]
Elementt
Queen Volcanic
Prince August
General Dive
Fanfir
King Gust
Prince Titanic
Prologue[]
Volcanic curled around her egg, keeping it warm was more important than queen duties. Her son bounded over with excitement , he stretched his little neck over his mother’s tail to look at the egg. He looked up at Volcanic.
“Momma? When is my little sibling going to hatch? Will it be a brother or a sister?”
Volcanic smiled and she lowered her head to his level.
“August, you must have patience, it takes a full year for an egg to hatch, it only has been a few days,” she said with a calm and quiet voice. Volcanic then gently pulled August closer to her, and he snuggled close but kept watching the egg.
“But a year will take forever...I wish it would hatch now,” August grumbles as his wings folded tightly against his sides. They both looked up when Dive, the general’s assistant , ran in. He was out of breath and looked at Volcanic.
“Your Majesty, the prisoner from the dungeons escaped!”
The Queen stood up quickly, and August fell onto the ground, she glared towards Dive.
“Get the guards, and meet me at the prisoner’s cell! That RainWing must be found!”
Dive nodded and took off down the corridor, Volcanic turned to August. “Take care of your sibling, my dear, momma will be back,” she quickly said then left the bedroom, leaving him with the egg. August stood there dumbfounded at what just happened, then he walked over to the red egg cautiously and tried to curl around it like his mother did, but he was too small. He looked around and saw an orange blanket and grabbed it, August carefully wrapped it up.
“She’ll be back, she promised,” he said to the egg, it was eerily quiet.
“I hope…” he laid down next to his unhatched sibling , looking outside and seeing the sunset and dragons flying outside. August sighed and rested his head on the blanket that was left from wrapping the egg . He fell asleep with the remaining orange glow from the window on his face.
~~*~~
Volcanic grabbed one of the guards by their neck and hissed. The RainWing had escaped and was nowhere to be found
“How could you not guard a prisoner? I should have you executed right now,” she lets him go and sighed, “ but I need soldiers, research the perimeters, check every room in the palace. That RainWing has to be captured and placed in extra chains and security”
They ran out following orders, she was left alone in the empty cell. Looking around she saw nothing that the RainWing could’ve gotten out, unless the door was open. She growled to herself then storms out and back towards her bedroom.
He had finally escaped from the cell and ran through the corridor, passing soldiers and maids , while camouflaged. He finds a door that was opened and ran to it, he looked back behind him before disappearing into the room and closing the door quietly. Turning around with a sigh , he almost jumps out of his scales as he saw a little dragonet sleeping next to a wrapped egg. Noticing there was no one else , he silently walked around them and towards the window. He was about to open the window when he heard a voice.
“Hello? Who are you?” it was the dragonet, he must’ve woken when he slipped past.
“I'm a friend, I was about to leave,” he said quietly.
“Through the window?”
“Yeah,”
“Why?”
He was stumped on what to say to the little SkyWing, he looked around for suggestions , not wanting to scare the dragonet on why he was on the run.
“Um...for a grand finish?” he lied nervously, looking at him.
“What’s your name?” he asked as he tilted his head and smiled.
“....Element” Element said, forgetting about the chase and sitting down, he smiled a bit and his scales turned a happy yellow.
“I’m August , I like meeting new dragons! Wow how do you do that , can I do it?” August asked curiously and his face scrunched up trying to change his scales. Element chuckled and watched him.
“No , I think only RainWings can change their scales, August. But that was cute of you for trying,” he said as August’s face stopped scrunching and looked frustrated.
“Aw lizards! I wanted to be a blue or green SkyWing, and I’m NOT cute! I am a scary dragon!”
Element laughed at August’s argument, then looked at him with a smile. “ Maybe someday you’ll be a scary dragon”
“I am scary , but I guess I’ll have to grow bigger than my mother. Do you want to be my friend?” August asks and stood up.
He smiled and his scales shifted to a pink, he nodded. “ I’ll be your friend,”
~~*~~
She thought of where the RainWing could’ve gone. She greeted dragons on her way to her bedroom. Vulcanic saw her door was closed but she knew she left it open. Maybe August closed it?
“No, it’s too heavy for a little dragonet”
She walked up , about to open it when she heard more than one voice inside. She puts her ear against her door to listen, hearing mumbling as she could only make out a few words.
‘No’, ‘ cute’ , ‘element’ , ‘RainWing’,and ‘friend’. She growled and waited till there was no more talking. Vulcanic threw the door open and saw the RainWing and August. They both looked up at her, the RainWing full of fear and his scales bursted into a pale green, August smiled at her and pointed at the RainWing.
“Momma , I made a new friend! His name is Element,”
Vulcanic hissed, “August get away from the RainWing!”
Element stood up quickly and backed up to the window and stared at her. She stepped closer to him, she pulled August away and made a hissing sound as her mouth started to smoke from building her fire. The RainWing looked at August , out the window , then back at Vulcanic.
“Momma , no! He is my friend!” August yelled as her tail kept him away. Element took a deep breath and launched himself at the window, breaking it in the process, right before the Queen blasted fire at him. The fire breath only licked the end of his tail, he hissed at the burn but got away with a snap of his wings and gliding towards the Rainforest.
August was crying with his wings over his head, Vulcanic walked over to him when the smoke cleared and gently moved one of his wings to look at him.
“August… you know not to talk to strangers, especially dangerous prisoners,” she said with a strict but worried tone.
“He wasn’t dangerous! He was a good dragon!” August yelled at her angrily and recovered himself with his wing. Vulcanic sighed, and walked over to the broken window.
“It was for the best, our safety, I did the right thing…..did I?”
Chapter 1[]
Dove stood in the field , her eyes darted around, wings extended. Then her ears picked up sounds of movement in the surrounding brush, she looked behind her, her tail lashed making the soft grass sit against the ground. Suddenly a much larger SkyWing launched out of the bushes in front of her , claws unsheathed.
Dove quickly dodged and gracefully moved around him, she jumped onto the dragon’s back and her talons clinged to his scales, almost drawing blood. She opens her mouth and barely bites down on the SkyWing’s neck. The SkyWing smiled and dropped to the ground , acting to be dead.
She jumped off him and smiled, and the Skywing stood up.
“Ah you got me.... again... for the uncountable time,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, and Dove smirked.
“ I’m I exceeding you already? I thought it took years for my brother to graduate battle training, it's only my second year,”
“ I do remember that dragonet’s progress over the years, but you, my dear, may be more determined than him,”
Dove smiled proudly as she gathered her scarf , leg warmers , and golden jewelry, then sat down to put on her golden tail-rings that were once her mother’s.
“So, what’s my next lesson, Mr. General Dive?”
Dive smiled and picked up his helmet and brushed off the dirt, “ The next lesson? How about fire practice? In flight? Mmm take it up a notch?”
“ Awesome sauce, I’ll see you next week then?”
The General nodded, “ Next week,”
“Sweet! Bye then I'm sure it's almost supper time with the fam,” she said looking at the setting sun. Dive nodded and he took off towards the Sky Palace. Dove watched him leave, then looked back at the darkening sky, she jumped into flight and flew towards a ledge in the mountain rock. She walked up to the edge and spread her wings to where the breeze would draft over the membrane. Breathing in the crisp air and letting the orange and golden light bathe her scales.
A SkyWing stealthily crouched behind her, he smiled. Dove was unaware of him as she watched the orange sky. He then pounced onto Dove and pinned her, he smirked at her as she hissed a little.
“August get off me!” Dove growled at her older brother. August got off her and looked at her.
“I’m just having fun with my little sister, I heard you’re exceeding battle training, but you know how mother feels with you battling,” August said walking over and sitting down next to her. Dove had gotten up and sat back down, they both watched the sunset which was almost over. She sighed and looked up at him.
“August… will I ever prove I'm not just a princess? I mean, like , I just don’t wanna do princess stuff all my life. I want to explore, make friends across the continent, fight in battles,”
August looked down at her , he sighed. “ I don’t know , Dovey, but it’ll take a lot to convince mother. You are the only princess in line,”
“I know...but at least she doesn’t know about my magic, I’ve heard what they did to dragonets like me” Dove said as a shiver went up her spine. Her brother moved a little closer and placed a gentle wing around her, and Dove leaned onto his shoulder.
The sky was dark now and stars shimmered into existence, Dove had fallen asleep on August’s shoulder and he smiled caringly at her. He carefully picked Dove up and jumped into flight towards the palace.
~~*~~
Vulcanic sat on her throne, she yawned as she stood up. Hearing the front doors open she saw August carrying Dove who was in a deep sleep. She walked over with a stern expression.
“August? Why were you and your sister not at dinner, it was a charred cow, and that is your favorite,” she asked as her tail swayed.
“Sorry, we were got distracted by the sunset and Dovey fell asleep,”
The queen shocked her head and sighed, “ Fine, take her to her room, there is leftovers in the kitchen,”
He nodded and disappeared into a corridor with Dove. Vulcanic watched him walk off, then looked outside at the dark sky.
“What I’m I going to do with them, especially Dove?’’
She thought to herself before heading towards her bedroom, the hallways were empty and quiet, like every night. She walked in silently , her mate , Gust , was asleep in their bed, snoring as he does as he dreams. Vulcanic smiled a little, and sleepily walked to the bedside and slid under the blankets next to him.
Gust felt her movement and turned over and had snuggled close to her in his sleep. Vulcanic smiled and yawned, still thinking of Dove and August, she fell asleep.
Chapter 2[]
Dove wrote in a scroll with one of her quills as she loved to make stories (even though she never really finished an actual scroll). The afternoon sunlight filtered through her windows, warming the bedroom with a cozy glow. Her ears perked up when a knock sounded against the door. She stood up with a sigh and walked over to open the door. It was only the messenger, she bowed before Dove , then looked up at her.
“Princess Dove, the Queen asks to see you immediately,” she said, sounding a little nervous to be in front of her. Dove nods, then moves her hand in a motion.
“Thank you, I dismiss you , Messenger , “ Dove said looking at her. The SkyWing bowed again before running off down the hall, and disappearing as Dove groaned. Meetings with her mother always means business or something Dove hated or will hate. She takes off flying towards the throne room, then lands in front of the large , heavy , golden doors. She sighs then pushes them open with her shoulder, walking into the large room , big enough for a ball, or a huge party.
Queen Volcanic sat on her throne , tall , golden , red velvet cushions, basically the aesthetic of the entire palace. Her mother stared down her long , dark red snout at Dove. Her golden eyes shimmered on Volcanic’s hard expression.
“Dove...I have been noticing for years of your appearing scars, so I have assigned you a protector” she said sternly as the doors to outside opened, a large black dragon walked up, he was twice the size of the largest Skywing in the kingdom, he had his armor and guard spear, as assigned to have. You could clearing see he had nightwing scales the color of charred rock or obsidian, but had a dark red color along his back, a black crest , and bright lava red armor scales on his legs.
Dove growled then up at Volcanic. A wisp of smoke rose from her nose and flowed up around her horns,
“Him? He’s just the guard of the gates! I can take care of myself , mother!”
The Queen only stared, then looked at the large black dragon, “Fanfir is it? You are to guard and protect my daughter at all times. Is that clear?”
He nods firmly and bowed before Queen Volcanic, “I promise to protect the princess at all cost and all times, your Majesty,”
~~*~~
She was followed everywhere by the guard, Fanfir. Of course she already hated it, her wings had tightened, her head low as she kept giving glances and growling. Fanfir kept catching her glances and sighed, he tried a friendly nudge with his wing.
Dove shoved him away “Don’t try and being nice, three moons i hate this,”
Fanfir stepped a bit away, “ You know it was your mother who set this up not me, so I don’t know why your so mad at me” he retorted with a snort as he watched her, watching her orange scales glitter and glow in sunlight like Topaz.
Dove only growled in response as she walked to the edge, “Could you go away for like a couple hours?”
“Why? You know I’m supposed to guard you with my life,”
“I'll be fine you Smoke-Breather, I’m going to be with the General,”
He narrowed his eyes as he watched her jump off the cliff face and glided to the open field, he didn’t trust her words and waited a bit before following off to the distance. Dove landed and looked around , not seeing General Dive , she figured it was one of his sneak attacks again, then started taking off her accessories.
Dive hid in the brush like he usually does, since his old age was catching up to him he had been sticking to simple attacks. He didn’t glance at Fanfir when he slithered to his side silently, they both had their eyes glued to the Princess.
“General?”
“Fanfir? What did you come here for? I'm a little busy at the moment” Dive said getting ready to pounce.
He looked at the General, “ I should ask you the same, but why are you and the Princess out here? This looks like battle training,” he whispered to Dive.
“That’s because it is,”
“May I take position? She won’t be expecting me, but you,”
The general turned to look at him as his body relaxed, he nodded. “That is actually a good idea, I accept your idea , soldier”
Fanfir smiled and readied into a pouncing stance , he waited for the right moment for Dove to turn her back.
Dove has turned her back, her ears alert and looking around. Not knowing Fanfir was going to spring instead of Dive. He leaped from the bushes almost silently. Dove heard leaping and swung to the side, then her face filled with shock as she saw Fanfir , then immediately turned to anger as she spread her wings and leaped onto his back , her talons tried to find a crevice in his nightwing scales but failed.
Fanfir barely felt anything when her claws scraped his scales and twisted to grab her wings and threw her onto the soft grass, pinning her down with a hand on her chest, her talons gripped his arms as he pinned her. She growled loudly.
“You? Why are you here? Where’s Dive?” she snarled at Fanfir, as Dive later emerged from the bush.
“You need to be more efficient , a little weak,” Fanfir reports as he stepped off and looked at the General.” She needs to face more challenges a little harder than sneak attacks”
Dive nodded and rubbed his joints, “ You know I’m growing old , Fanfir , but you’re right”
Dove had stood up and put on her jewelry and scarf.She started to walk away with a growl. He trotted to her side a little worried.
“Dove, what’s wrong, is it something I did?”
She growled louder and twirled around on a dime and bared her teeth, her golden eyes burned angrily, like almost seeing fire in her eyes as she stared him down .
“YES! Everything! You’ve ruined my life forever! First following me , then my battle training? I hate you and I wish you would leave me be!” she screamed at him, tears ran down her cheeks and burst into flight , ripping the ground , then flew away like a rocket towards the beach. Fanfir was startled by her fierceness and watched her go , his wings drooped and his ears went flat. General Dive walked up to him , he looked at him.
“She doesn’t mean it , Fanfir, she’ll be back”
~~*~~
Dove plopped herself on the warm sand, it was sundown now , the streaks of blue , purple , magenta , and orange painted the sky. She angrily kicked the sand , then looked up at the sky palace, it glowed in the remaining light.
She kept repeating the scene in her mind, now actually feeling bad for what she said. She shook the thought away and started to walk along the shore , her eyes closed, but she tripped over something, falling on top of one of her wings. Dove looked back and her eyes widened, she had tripped over a large SeaWing’s tail, but he was passed out.
He had a wound on his head, bright red blood flowed down his handsome face, the wound was fresh. Dove looked around, she was small compared to the Seawing, but she carefully grabbed his arms and wrapped them around her shoulders and neck. Dragging him out of the water and towards a small cave that no dragon but her knew where it was.
She placed him at the back of the cavern so no one would find the cave. Dove was out of breath from carrying the passed out dragon. She was so busy catching her breath that she didn’t notice him open his eyes tiredly. He watched her for a moment before slowly sitting up and rubbing his head, he groaned softly.
Dove looked up to the Seawing, hearing his groan, she stood up and rested her hand on one of his shoulders. “Are you alright? You were out cold on the beach…”
“Uh...I think so? Where am I?”
“You’re in a secret cave in the SkyWing Kingdom”
“The Skywing Kingdom? Wow, Then I must be far from the Sea Kingdom,”
“Yup, who are you anyway?”
“Titanic, son of Tsunami and Riptide, and you I may ask as well?”
Dove’s heart started pumping hard like it was about to burst out of her chest. She smiled a bit.
“I’m Dove”
Chapter 3[]
Dove stayed with Titanic for a bit after the sun went down. She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his pale lavender eyes.
“Hey, um , do you want to stay here? At least til you’re healed and all that?” she asked him softly, “ I mean well , I’m sure my mother wouldn’t be too happy if I bring a SeaWing into the palace,”
Titanic smiled a little , then looked out at the starry sky. “ I wouldn’t mind, I kinda like it here actually,”
“Oh really?” Dove asked with surprise,
He nodded as he smiled, then moved closer to her. Dove was surprised when he moved closer but took it in. Her heart pumped faster as she stared , then tried to hide her reddened face by looking down.
She looked outside, she gasped at how late it was , she stood up quickly and turned to Titanic.
“I should really go, my mother and brother must be worried!”
“It’s alright, I won't be going anywhere, go on”
Dove smiled, then took off out of the cave, she opened her wings and jumped into flight towards the palace. All she could think about was Titanic , and how she lashed at Fanfir, she didn’t know how to deal with that guard.
She lands at the gates, she didn’t see Fanfir at his position. Her wings folded as she kept her gaze down. Dove didn’t see her mother either which worried her a bit. She shook it off though and walked into the hall that led to her room. Dove walked in and closed her door, she plopped herself on her bed and laid down. Staring at the ceiling she heard a knock.
Dove groaned with irritation , “ Who is it?” , she called to the closed door.
“ Dove, it’s me August,”
“ Oh...um come in,” she said sitting up on her bed as August came in, he closed the door and walked over to sit next to his sibling.
“ Dive told me what have happened, do you...want to talk?” he asked her quietly, he was worried for Dove.
Dove didn’t know what to do, she started to tear up and covered her crying eyes with clenched fists, August wrapped his wing around her and pulled her closer.
“August I...I don’t know what came over me, one moment I was fine and training and then I got angry when that guard, Fanfir showed up! I just screamed at him and flew away to the beach, and...and…” she said between tears, her brother took her hands and held them gently, he looked at her, Dove’s eyes were closed as she cried then she looked up into August’s eyes.
“Dovey , it will be okay, I’ll go find him and talk to him, you are my little sister , and I care about you, now you should rest,” he said softly before pulling her into a hug. Then he stood up and walked to the door, he looked back at her with a kind smile.
“ I love you, my Dove with fire,” he said to her , then walked out, closing the door.
Dove replayed his words in her mind, she smiled and laid down in her bed.
‘A Dove with fire I will be , August’
~~*~~
~~*~~
August walked away from Dove’s door, thinking. He looked for Fanfir, after a bit he found him alone at his post at the front gates to the palace and walked up to him. Fanfir looked at the prince then straightened his posture when he noticed he was walking towards him.
“Prince August?”
“ Fanfir may I speak with you privately? It's about my sister , Dove” August said with a stern face, Fanfir nodded and looked at him.
“ The princess...is she alright? I didn’t see her come back in, I …” he sighed, “ I didn’t mean to upset her,”
“Yes , she’s fine , she’s resting in bed right now, what I want to speak about is what happened today at the training session with General Dive,”
Fanfir held onto his spear as he looked down, he told him everything, about being suspicious about her scars and being with the general, and taking Dive’s place to attacking her, how Dove yelled at him , the fire of anger in her eyes before blasting off towards the beach behind the Skywing Palace. He finished with a sigh and looked down, his ears flat against his skull.
August processed everything he heard, then looked at him. “Sounds like you two have a brief hostel history,” he said .
Fanfir nodded a bit , “ And the thing is I like her, I have for years now, she just never notice me until I was assigned to protect her with my life,”
August nods again, “ I see, I’ll see what I can do, in the meanwhile , please do resume your assignment” he said as he turned to walk away.
“Prince August? Please don’t tell Dove...I just feel like she’ll hate me more if she knew,”
He looked back at him, then smiled warmly. “ No problem, she won’t know , I’ll promise that”
~~*~~
Dove dreamed in her sleep. She looked around, she noticed she was in her room, turning her head to see Fanfir smiling at her. She couldn’t help but smile back. Dove felt something her tail wrapped around, it was big and smooth.
‘An egg?’
She looked at Fanfir but he was gone. Hearring a commotion outside in the hall, she stood up and walked to her closed door. Hesitating, she was scared of what she was hearring. Dove opened the door slowly and saw Fanfir, but there was a plume of black smoke behind him , she tried to call out to him but nothing came out except a whease.
The smoke was shaped like a dragon, it turned and looked at her with red glowing eyes that sent chills down her spine and tail. It made a large , creepy, sinister smile at her before one of its hands shifted into a dagger covered in dried blood both red and blue. It turned back towards Fanfir and the dagger raised up , Dove ran towards it, panic racing in her chest and head, but the dagger slashed Fanfir’s neck deeply before she reached out.
Fanfir had grabbed his neck before choking and collapsing as he bled out to death. Dove , finally able to breathe and speak, ran to him, tears rolled down her cheeks,and looked at the smiling smoke dragon.
“No...why...who are you? Why did you kill him?!”
The smoke just smiled and stared at her, tilting its head. It laughed evilly before dispersing and disappearing completely. Dove looked around , she was sobbing now as she looked at the corpse lying in the ruby red puddle of fresh blood. Then a voice spoke, it was deep and raspy, it sounded evil.
“A War with the dragons of sand, both sand and sky will all perish, unless a dove of fire demands, her soul full of magic and fire , shall rule the empire, two eggs to hatch under the moons, full of power, will tower with their mother”