Prologue "Within the darkness"
A little, just three months old hatchling woke up. It was the middle of night, the room was very dark. The dragoness stood up silently and gently jumped down the bed landing on a pillow laying in there. In gentle moonlight lighting the room through big window, it could be recognized that the most of her body's scales were white, there could be seen lines of other, darker color on her right arm, unrecognizable in such a darkness. Whole her chest was covered in bandages. She walked slowly leaving the room and heading to the stairs. She would slip on some small bottle and fall down the stairs, but she avoided the glass. She couldn't see it hidden in shadows and yet, she knew where not to step. Because she had a presentiment not to do that, even if she didn't know this word yet. She would never do anything bad to herself like falling down the stairs, oppositely to other hatchlings. Because she involuntarily felt what should she avoid. A hatchling stopped and let some about twenty years old fire dragon pass by her without noticing her. He entered the room where was sitting another fire breather, much older one: her grandpa. He was making some compresses.
"Dear ancestors, Ignifier, you're still doing those?" The younger dragon noticed.
"Chris, why you've come?"The old one asked. His voice sounded weary, tired.
"I wanted to see what are you doing in the middle of night." Chris sighed deeply. "You know that it's pointless. Idris will die anyway." He said as if he had been already tired with repeating this same thing.
"It's not. You may be the medic, but you can't know for sure. I can't let my granddaughter die." Ignifier refused.
"Don't treat it as a dragon. No wing, no element… it's just an overgrown, ill lizard." The medic stated coldly.
"Don't you dare calling her like that!" Ignifier scolded young dragon. "She has the very right to live as you and I! You can't know if her lungs won't heal!" He opposed.
"It…" The medic sighed deeply. "Ignifier, it has practically no lungs. It's not about healing, it has to practically grow those, which should have happened in the egg! I've personally analyzed its lungs, they're so thin and underdeveloped that it's a miracle that it's still alive! You know that all that it needs to cough up blood is to have a nightmare or someone shout at it and every such happening is only enclosing it to death!" Chris sighed deeply. "And don't forget that we can't help it with magic."
"I still don't understand why, to be honest." Ignifier confessed.
"It has extraneous magic sensitivity syndrome. It sometimes happens to powerful magicians, very rarely to normal dragons, practically never to hatchlings: their body refuses any other healing magic except their own. Any try of using magic on Idris will only damage its body even more."
"That's why I'm trying to help her with elixirs." The old fire breather noticed.
"Ignifier, those elixirs are supposed to support therapy, not be it!" Chris watched him carefully. "I know that it's your granddaughter, the only memorial after Lisanna, but stop it. Stop saving it. Every bleeding in its lungs hurts more and more. If it doesn't miraculously appear to all of sudden possess magical potential ten times bigger than me, then it'll die painful death sooner or later."
"Grandpa?" The hatchling decided to walk to Ignifier interrupting the conversation she heard so often , but still couldn't understand.
"Aren't you sleeping, Idris?" The old fire breather asked with surprise. "Come here, we'll change your bandages." He took the dragoness on the table and started gently taking the bandage off.
"How is it, grandpa?" She asked curiously.
"Good, sweetheart. Soon, there will be no need for you to wear those."Ignifier assured smiling slightly. Chris just sighed deeply. He stood up and left without saying a word.
Far away from any dragon villages, at the north, there had always been endless forests, extending for hundreds kilometers. Wyverns claimed themselves right to those grounds, but in fact, not many lived in there. In not really deep cave, there was a small fireplace, the only shiny point in the sea of dark trees. There were sitting two dragons. One of them was a female, just fifteen years old, maybe even younger. Her friend was much bigger than her, he seemed to be at least ten years older. The earth dragon was cuddling the youngster warmly. It was winter and nights were very cold. The young dragoness was shaking from cold.
"Thanks ancestors you found me, Hunter." She whispered, as she bit fried meat. She swallowed quickly. "If not you, I'd have frozen to death."
"You finally admitted that, Storm." The earth dragon noticed, smiling. "It took you whole two weeks, am I wrong?"
"Something like that."She agreed. "I like being self-sufficient." The dragoness explained herself. "But it's hard not to agree with that when you found me lying unconscious in pile of snow in the middle of night. How did you even notice me, by the way?" She watched him curiously.
"Your tail. In darkness, I was sure it was branch, so I wanted to use it to make a bonfire. And then, I found you." He explained, smiling slightly. "How do you feel?"
"Better. Frostbites are almost gone." The black dragoness watched her left arm carefully. There still were marks, but nothing big. "You're really good medic, you know?" Storm noticed.
"I have practice." The dragon called Hunter explained. "Have you heard of Vengantimos? Their leader, Douten, he was really gifted." He changed subject.
"What was he like?" The black dragoness asked curiously.
"I didn't know him personally. But he was most likely the best alchemist in the world. He could turn wyverns into dragons, even give them power of elements. From what I heard, Vengantimos were crushed near the eastern city, about three months ago."
"Is anyone of them alive?"The black dragoness asked with childish curiosity. It seemed to be quite important to her.
"Two of them, both of them helped dragons in time of the final battle. A young black dragoness, Vixen, and Sable, Cuarto Vengantimo."
"Former Vengantimo, isn't he?" Storm corrected.
"True." The earth dragon agreed.
"Do you know what happened to them?" The black dragoness asked.
"From what I heard, Sable left together with his mate. They're expected in Warfang."
"And Vixen?" Storm watched her friend curiously.
"No one really knows. She had disappeared into thin air." Hunter said, at least that's the rumor. The black dragoness sighed sadly. "Why do you ask?" The earth dragon asked and covered his little friend with his wing a little stronger.
"Personal reasons." The black dragoness explained tersely. "I'm looking for her."
"So this is what you seek for in this forgotten by ancestors place?" The earth dragon noticed.
"Yes, I seek to find her for quite a long time already. I want to know who she really is."
"What's the reason? Who is she for you?" The dragon asked curiously.
"She's... family."
"A sister?" Hunter guessed.
"I think it's the best word, but it's rather long story." The black dragoness watched her friend meaningfully. Hunter understood suggestion.
"Fine, I won't ask." Hunter agreed her silent request. Then, he looked out the cave. "It's already morning." He noticed.
"Is it?" Young dragoness asked with disbelief. She leaned to see the first sunrays falling into the cave. "Oh." She said, completely lacking any enthusiasm.
"What's wrong?" Hunter watched her curiously.
"I've got to go." The black dragoness said. "I've already spent too much time here." She released herself gently from older dragon's cuddle and stood up. "Frostbites are gone, aren't those?" She asked.
"Yes, they are. But you shouldn't travel alone, Storm. Those are dangerous lands, especially for dragons. Especially for young ones who don't know it." Hunter warned.
"I know those lands. And I really have to go." Storm hung her head sadly. Then, she cuddled the earth dragon. "I'm grateful for all that you've done for me. I really enjoyed the time we spent together and I wish we could remain here for a little longer. But both of us have to go. Your targets are moving on the east. Mine is on northern west. It is time to part, Hunter." The black dragoness explained.
"True." The earth dragon agreed reluctantly. "Goodbye, Storm." He whispered.
"Goodbye, Hunter." The black dragoness parted with him, wiping out tear, which appeared in corner of her eye. Two dragons stood up and walked out the cave. They stood at cold snow and watched the trees before them. "Will we ever meet?" Storm asked hopefully.
"After we're done here, we will. I hope so." Hunter agreed.
"This Cuarto... Sable. The one you've mentioned. He's expected in Warfang, isn't he?" The young dragoness watched her friend carefully. The earth dragon just bobbed his head. "Let's meet there." She pleased.
"So we meet there." Hunter decided. "I'll come there within three months. I promise."
"I'll be there even earlier." The young black dragoness smiled slightly and giggled childishly. "I promise." Dragons hugged friendly once more and they were about to part.
"Hey, Storm!" Hunter called her.
"What is it?" The black dragoness watched him curiously. Then, she caught flint, which he threw to her.
"Keep this, you'll need this in that blood-freezing blizzard!" The earth dragon explained. The little dragoness smiled slightly and thanked him. Then, they left, each of them flew in their own direction.
There passed two weeks. At least ten, maybe even twenty shady, fuzzy outlines of mysterious creatures were sitting around small fireplace. At the foot of hill, they were hidden from snow thanks to several poles and roof on it. It looked like it was built several dozen years earlier, especially for travelers like them. Before them, there was not really high grassy hill, whole the place surrounded by trees. Then, someone appeared at the top of hill. Everyone sitting around the bonfire watched the newcomer curiously. Full moon at the cloudless sky lit the earth dragon standing in shallow snow.
"What's your name?" The leader of group watched the newcomer carefully.
"I don't have just one name." The dragon replied. "For you, I am Hunter."
"What are you doing here, young Hunter?" Old voice asked scornfully. "Alone, far away from any allies, at the mercy of ours."
"I've waited for this moment too long. And at last, we meet. I've come here to kill you." Hunter declared. "You call yourselves rebel, fighters for freedom of your kind, dominated by dragons. Bullshit." The earth dragon snorted with contempt. "You don't fight. You ambush. You kill innocents for your own, sick satisfaction. Scared to face real soldiers, you stab dragons in their backs." Then, as if to confirm his own words, Hunter jumped at the side avoiding swing of enemy's deadly paw from behind. The earth dragon hit attacker's legs with tail making him lose balance. Before he even managed to fall, Hunter slit his throat with surgical precision. The wound seemed to be shallow, but in fact, it was deadly. Dead body was thrown away and rolled down the hill, disappearing in shadows of dark forest extending on dragon's side.
"Pathetic. Can't you just leave? Find the place where you could live peacefully?" Hunter asked. "All you cause is sorrow."
"Sorrow of yours. Joy of ours." The leader smiled insolently. He was already old, seasoned in combat. "Good dragon is dead dragon. I enjoy every single one we kill." He riposted.
"And now, one will take joy of killing all of you." The earth dragon said. His green eyes were glowing with madness. Moon behind his back couldn't light his face. Because of this shadow covering his face, enlightened only by weak light of bonfire, dragon's enemies could see only ominous grin and green eyes glowing with fury. "This is where it really ends."
"For you." The leader of group stood up. He was fighter for freedom, for his kind. He couldn't fall. "Run, dragon, save your life. Maybe we won't run after you." The leader of group offered.
"Cowards die hundreds times before their death. The courageous die only once. And I..." Then, dragon laughed in sinister way, which could scare even the bravest of his enemies. "I've already died, killed with the paw of your minion." His voice was dark, mysterious.
"As for me, you're still alive. But I'll correct this mistake." The leader of group stood up, gave his men sign to do this same.
"You will try. Come on. Show me what you've got!" The dragon made offensive pose. Group of twenty attackers ran to the top of hill. The fight began. Just five minutes later, it was already done. Groan of pain stopped, the forest fell as silent as it had been earlier. Only sign of those happenings remained at the snow, darkly, intensively red from the blood.
This same night, the young black dragoness was already hundreds kilometers from her friend, alone in dark forest. She was sleeping in some cave, when she felt that someone was coming. She didn't hear his presence, didn't see or smell him, she just had some terrible feeling that she was being watched. Storm stood up. She stretched up for several seconds and yawned deeply. Then, she left the cave. Outside, she was welcomed by a cold wind. She shivered a little. She looked around impatiently. She would prefer to simply go back sleeping, but she realized that price for recklessness could be even her life. The black dragoness looked for any sign of unwanted presence. She walked between trees, watching both snow and trees where could be left traces. Then, she heard movement in trees about ten meters behind her. If she hadn't grown up in forest, she'd most likely think it was just wind. But she knew such places too well. She quickly turned around and watched carefully the source of sound.
"Show yourself!" She demanded. Only reply she heard was howl of cold wind. Storm started shaking from cold. Or maybe was that fear? No. There was nothing to be scared about. It was just that damn snow. "Show yourself! I will do no harm to you!" Again, no one replied. Young dragoness sighed with annoyance and impatience. Then, she heard sinister laugh. There was someone.
"A dragon?" The newcomer asked with disbelief. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Storm cursed silently. She recognized the accent. She knew what race he was. And it couldn't mean anything good for her.
"My name is Storm. I don't want to fight." Young dragoness started. "I'm lost." She lied easily. "Just let me come back from where I came." She pleased already knowing that she was in trouble.
"Call me Principe." He said demandingly. "You know who does this territory belong to, don't you?" The male voice was very strict and confident. It belonged to someone powerful and influential. Someone who wouldn't be in such a place all alone.
"Now I know. My apologize." The young, proud dragoness bowed, even if it wounded her pride. She realized that the mysterious newcomer was a noble of his kind, so if she wanted to leave peacefully, she had to show him respect. "Principe, all I ask for is your allowance for me to leave." Storm didn't raise her head. Though her blood was boiling, she behaved submissively.
"I'll give you none." Principe decided. "Stand back, she's mine." He said to his minions, but before he finished his sentence, the black dragoness had already taken flight. She was flying through the forest, right between even the narrowest spaces. She was really small, but still, it wasn't easy. Her direction was south. Warfang. Dragons. Hunter. She could hear enemy behind herself. He was breathing really loudly. She grinned and started singing loudly.
"Follow the Storm, now I've got to get out from here!
Follow the Storm, as you take to the sky!" She laughed joyfully hearing Principe's angry hiss. She was much faster, she could easily escape. And, just to annoy noble, she continued singing.
"Follow the Storm, now it's all so crystal clear!
Follow the Storm, as the Storm... Begins to rise!" Then, her eyes grew wide as she saw Principe only several meters from her. The dragoness rapidly turned, but her enemy appeared to be as fast as her, maybe even faster. Storm took deep breath, about to release her element. Then, she felt electrifying pain in her chest. She rapidly lost ability to move and, completely paralyzed, hit ground, rolled, and stopped painfully at tree, leaning against it. She didn't understand what had just happened. Then, she saw gold glow in Principe's paw who was standing just three meters from her.
"L...lightning?" Storm asked with disbelief. Then, she felt overwhelming pain of thousands volts penetrating her body. The young dragoness didn't scream, but only groaned silently as he stopped hurting her. She lost balance and fell on her side. Then, a purple sword, which appeared in Principe's second paw from nowhere pierced through bone of her wing, breaking it painfully. Storm didn't even try to stop her tears, which started falling down her face, but she released no sound. And then, she swung her hinder leg trying to make him collapse. But Principe stepped on it. He took the second purple sword and stuck it in her thigh. The blade went through flesh and bone with no problem.
"Cry." Principe demanded. Then, very slowly, he started spinning his blades. Young dragoness screamed in agony, hoping that someone would hear her and yet, knowing that it simply couldn't happen. In that moment, noble dropped swords and caught her face, so all Storm could see was his paw. The blood started soaking from her cheeks where Principe stuck his talons. Then, young dragoness saw weak light, which started getting bigger and bigger. She heard disturbing noise of electricity. And then, she felt as if her eyes burnt, she wished she could at least scream, but voice stuck in her throat. A second later, she could see nothing. Only infinite darkness.