Author's note: Please feel free to leave any reviews on what you think about this fanfic. Soz for the late update. Been rather busy these couple days. Busy again the Saturday, so I'll update on the Sunday. Cheers for your interests.

{[Text]} = written words by the main character Silverlight.

Chapter 3:
The Stranger

5015 A.S

The homeroom is the same as it always has been, a large open space clearly big enough for young dragonets to run around and play all day. Silverlight is reminded of his younger self simply by just being here this particular morning, as it had all the other times he entered this place in his two years at the academy. But it is surprising Tsunami wants them to return to this chamber specifically. Silverlight does not understand her reasons. Clearly his friends feel exactly the same way, by how they curiously look around in wonder and surprise. They are usually just registered in their first lesson, so why of all things have they been summoned hither this particular dawn?

No sooner after their arrival, they hear Tsunami's footsteps from behind them and turn to greet her momentarily.

"Good morning, Ms. Tsunami," they all greet at exactly the same time, sitting down amidst their respect for her.

"Good morning dragonets." She pauses. "You're probably wondering why I have specifically called you here."

River raises her right talon high.

"Yes?" Tsunami does not seem bothered by the RainWing's sleepy expression. Silverlight knows she understands this clearly from when she was working with Queen Glory and her fellow RainWings as a General of Glory's army during the War of SandWing Succession how most RainWings act. There is no point for her to complain if they cannot keep their eyes open for more than two minutes at a time.

"You called us here so we could catch up on our homework," River yawns. She rests her head on her arms the moment she goes to lay down.

"No." The SeaWing shakes her head. "You are here for this year's registration into the academy. It is something that must be done every year, even for returning students." (It amazes me she doesn't remember doing this her first year, Silverlight thinks. We've all been here two years, and River's such an outstanding colleague when she can keep from falling asleep.) "And why I specifically mentioned this particular place, is because I wanted today to be special. You have many childhood memories in this homeroom. Today is a recollection of those wonderful memories. And as with the previous year, I am in charge of registering all of you and deciding on what Winglet you will be assigned to this year."

"Oh," River responds with a sleepy sigh. "Right."

"Three moons," Dart mutters.

Tsunami's head spins around to him. "Do you have something to share with everyone Dart?"

"N-No Ms. Tsunami," the SkyWing stammers and shrinks back. He always feels so intimidated by Tsunami, even though she is mostly alright as Silverlight recounts countless times.

"Good." Tsunami smiles. "Let us begin, then. This will only take a few moments, if everything goes accordingly."

It only took a few moments for all seven of them to be officially registered on the roster for the entire new year. Exiting from the homeroom, Silverlight instantly remembers the Winglet coming his way, and no doubt knows his wingmates do as well, however much one stands out to him from all the rest. It is another NightWing not much older than himself, one he will always recognise from his childhood before the academy came into the picture, and ultimately his separation from him for too long.

Moonbeam, Silverlight thinks.

Moonbeam is the NightWing member of the Quartz Winglet from last year, and Silverlight's best friend from back home. When he first saw him one year ago, he could not believe his eyes that he had also come here to Jade Mountain Academy. Of course he questioned and caught up learning about what happened at the rainforest while he was gone, to the eventual reason as to why Moonbeam appeared in the first place. Then he simply just vanished again. This is the first Silverlight has seen Moonbeam since.

"Moonbeam!" Silverlight greets cheerfully.

"It's so wonderful to see you again Silverlight." Moonbeam responds, before both of them shake a talon and hug.

Silverlight is shocked when a young RainWing female strays away from the group and approaches him with a smile that would make Kinkajou envious. He can see she is one year younger than he is.

"I'm Tear!" the RainWing beams.

Silverlight laughs. He always wonders how RainWings can spread their cheerfulness to other dragons so easily. If he were a RainWing, his scales would probably be turning as bright as Kinkajou's always are.

"I'm Silverlight," he says. Her name is ironic. She's so happy all the time. Then Tear suddenly walks up to him. "Huh!"

Before the NightWing can react, Tear is trying her best to hug him around the neck. However, she did not even let their size differences deter her from her goal, so Silverlight casually lowers his head so she could finally manage. She does this for each of the Diamond Winglet dragonets in turn, as the others casually nod heads, curl their tails or shake talons with each other in unique ways. But just as soon as they greeted each other, they had to part ways once again.

The recreation chamber is quiet this morning, as the Winglets slowly walk out from their chambers and towards the homeroom for registration of another year at Jade Mountain Academy. When one Winglet exits Tsunami's chamber, another heads inside. It is entertaining to watch all their tired faces and groggy movements as they pass by. Silverlight soon is back to writing in his scroll, rolled out along the stone table with a small glass bottle of black ink resting just in front of him. Reaching for his Scriber's claw inside the small knapsack he always carries with him, he begins the next paragraph of his novel once dipping in his tool.

{["Silverlight!" I hear my name being called by a voice, a voice I cannot quite put my claw on that I seem to recognise, somehow. But who would know my name? And why would they be out here amidst the Claws of the Clouds Mountains? Starflight is still with me and even he hears the same voice calling my name again, looking up to where it is coming from despite his blindness. "Silver!" It came from above me somewhere, the voice that strangely knows my nickname, but I cannot fly yet and I want to know who it is. I only landed down here due to gliding with Starflight as he wanted me to test my wing after a year of healing, just so he could spend some quality time with me after our eventide converse.

He is just about to speak when I suddenly see the one calling my name flying on high...]}

"Silver! There you are!"

Silverlight looks up to Moonbeam, casually wondering where it is his best friend has come from just now. "It's been far too long since I last saw you. How've you been?" Silverlight's friends all look up to Moonbeam, curious as to why he is even saying what he is. "So much has happened?"

"Where had you been all the previous school year?" Silverlight questions in a little awe. "I was missing you Moonbeam. So was your entire Winglet." He seems to pause in reluctance not wanting to say anymore, but because of how much Moonbeam's Winglet needed him at the time, he could not hold back. "They kept asking me if I knew where you had gone, they felt lost without you. But all the time, I had no idea."

"Things came up and, I couldn't come back to JMA," Moonbeam truthfully states. "I wanted to, all the time I was away, but it was just not possible to."

"What could've possibly kept you away all this time?"

"Penitente! What's wrong honey!?" Silverlight and Moonbeam look to Tear after she suddenly called out to the IceWing, now walking away as if something is on her mind. Serac too sees her actions, instantly heading in her direction much to everyone else's surprise.

Silverlight knows Penitente reminds Serac of his past experiences, but whenever he tried asking why he was in such depression after the fight he had with Tera, the reply was the same as always. 'I miss her. I really do miss her. This just explains how much I failed her.' Silverlight recalls these very words every time, how much sorrow was heard in Serac's voice and his tears whenever Silverlight tried to comfort him. He wants to help out as much as he can but knows despite Tera's very close friendship with him, that Penitente has always been someone Serac likes much more than a friend. If he intervenes he may make things worse, so he just watches on in sadness.

"Penitente? Wait!" Serac cries, rushing to her side. "What is wrong? This has been happening with you quite often lately. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh Serac. I'm sorry. I don't want to, talk about it," she sadly remarks, looking to the floor before lying down. Serac does the same thing, before wrapping his wing round her trying to keep her comforted. He twines his tail with hers, and rests his left talons over her right ones. Resting their heads on the stone below, they slide them to be beside each other's.

"You know you can tell me. I'll always be here for you. You can trust me."

"I know, it's just — never mind." Penitente reluctantly goes silent.

"I'll give you some time alone," Serac offers, rising to his feet before nuzzling Penitente on her snout. Silverlight can see she likes Serac's company, but as he heads off Penitente says something to him.

"Wait!" She raises her head as Serac turns back to face her. "Please, don't leave me alone. I like all that you've done for me, but most of all I… I like the comfort you give me."

Serac gallantly heads back to her, bowing his head and giving her a nuzzle on the cheek. "Do you… always feel alone?" Serac calmly questions as he lays down beside her once more. She looks towards him a little relieved, knowing he is there for her.

"Sometimes," she responds a little cautiously, "I feel alone when everyone is around me. The same air I used to have I just don't, feel anymore. I just kept running away, never looking back." She pauses, moving her head closer to Serac's. "But when you're around me I feel, different somehow, like he is there, watching over me."

"I feel the same way about you. I always promised her I would find new friends." He thinks back about her. "But now, I can never… never prove to her I can. Everyone here is proof of that, but then, thinking about you, I always feel like I'm, complete again." His last words begin pulling at Silverlight's heartstrings, as he heard what Serac had explained opening up to another who feels exactly the same. This is the most Serac has ever gotten out of Penitente, of all the time he has practiced trying to befriend her. Now Silverlight just wishes he could be like this around Yucca, but she always manages to push him into a shell of embarrassment. The scene between Serac and Penitente comforting each other; the lick that he sees on Penitente's cheek, it is suddenly disturbed by a huge beating of wings from outside. Silverlight feels a certain foreboding presence as though his fears just overwhelmed him.

"Silver? What is wrong? Do you hear something?" Moonbeam questions in worry but Silverlight's attention is too drawn to the sound getting closer, his ears lowered and his jaws rearing up revealing his sharp teeth. His friends have not seen him like this in a good while, so they clearly understand he is stressed and frightened about something they have not figured out yet.

"Something is coming. I don't like it." The sound is even louder, and Silverlight still does not recognise what it is. He slithers off to the centre of the chamber acting spooked with his black tongue frantically flicking in and out. Those in the chamber at the time look to him in worry as he hisses loudly with his body lowered in fear when the sound increases like thunder to his ears, but before they could say anything Silverlight disappears down towards the homeroom and through the separating Winglet just exiting from the chamber where Tsunami is. The members of this Winglet all look to the strange NightWing in worry, wondering why he is so frightened all of a sudden.

"Ms. Tsunami! Ms. Tsunami!" Silverlight desperately calls for her amidst his fear.

"Silverlight? What is wrong? Why are you so scared?" Tsunami responds with her head lowered, trying to understand why he is so scared.

"Something is coming here! Something big! I don't recognise it! Please! I don't want anything to happen to us!" His reply happens so fast, Tsunami barely has time to recall what he said.

"Slow down."

"Please!" Silverlight pauses to calm himself down. "Something big is coming to Jade Mountain! Its wing beats are like thunder!" Tsunami rapidly rushes out into the recreation chamber, calling for the others.

Her voice is ridiculously loud and Silverlight has to cover his ears.

"STARFLIGHT! SUNNY! CLAY! PERIL! THE ENTRANCE CHAMBER! NOW!"

He never knew she could bellow like that. He instantly runs back into the recreation chamber knowing Starflight will be there. He can protect him from the monster that is coming, and is the only reason why he is going back out where there could be danger.

Within seconds Silverlight appears in the recreation chamber at the same time Clay, Sunny, Starflight and Peril do. Fatespeaker also stands by Starflight to be his eyes. The oldest dragonets of the other Winglet's Silverlight remembers, stand to fight for protection of their Winglets, that counts Qibli, Changbai, Mindreader, Siamang and Zungenbecken because Highrise instantly cowers in his paranoia. Tera keeps her Winglet behind her, as she growls threateningly at whatever is coming closer. All of them ready to battle, charge towards the entrance chamber as the others follow regardless including Highrise and Silverlight, who did not want to be anywhere else except by Starflight's side. With these five clearly here, he knows the other teachers have no need to intervene.

The moment a huge dragon glides inside the entrance chamber that somehow houses almost every single dragon present at the academy, those at the front all attack with fire, ice or acid at the stranger.

"WAIT!" he cries wrapping himself with his wings like a protective shield in one complete movement. All their attacks just dissipate in a stream of smoke and steam as though he had firescales, but Tsunami readies her powerful tail to strike at the dragon regardless. Everyone in the immediate vicinity stare flabbergasted, completely perplexed as to why none of the attacks made left even a scar or wound on him, not even the ice breath from Changbai and he is one of their best fighters. Instantly in the second the stranger opens his wings, Tsunami henceforth swings her tail to contact him across the head with force, but Tsunami growls in anger when her tail simply strikes his wrists that he raised to block her strike. "You attack for no reason! I have not come here to harm you!"

"Dragonets! Return to your chambers!" Tsunami orders slamming her tail onto the rocky floor, before looking around at them all still staring. "Immediately!" Silverlight watches them go, but Fatespeaker starts to usher him along.

"Come on little one," Fatespeaker begins. "I'm afraid that means you and me too."

"But…"

"Silverlight please, stay. I bring dire news," the stranger calls out to him, giving Silverlight reason to hide behind Fatespeaker.

"This is a matter of urgency stranger!" Tsunami boldly remarks. "Silverlight cannot stay with us! He must go back to his chamber, where he is safe!"

"Silverlight must stay!" Silverlight cowers underneath Fatespeaker after the stranger speaks, and she looks to the stranger with a dark glare. "I know about all of you from this academy, but I'm afraid this urgent matter is regarding young Silverlight."

"Now wait just a minute there!" Starflight hissed. "What has this got to do with Silverlight?! We don't even know who you damn well are!" Starflight suddenly growls threateningly at the dragon, but he simply remains unfazed.

"Petty remarks and threats will do nothing to stop him! He has animus dragons working for him from every tribe."

"Animus dragons!" Peril blurts. "Who the hell are you talking about?!"

"His name is Darkmatter. He appeared in this world, from the celestial body that flew across our skies."

"The comet we saw before the meeting with Burn at the end of the war!" Sunny screeched with alarm.

"You mean on the false brightest night," Starflight states.

"Yes. The exact same comet you would've seen." The stranger bows his head low amidst the respect of these dragons. "I am Prince Flare of the VolcanoWing tribe that hails from the continent Pyrus."

"If he's a VolcanoWing, then I must be the goddess of fire," Peril mutters satirically.

"Shush!" Tsunami glares at her.

"As I was saying. I come here seeking counsel to discuss terms for an alliance with you, as per King Pyrus' orders." He pauses, not willing to impart the recent events that his tribe had faced. "My Queen has been taken from her palace, my King is gravely wounded, and our soldiers are dead."

"Dead! How?" Sunny questions looking a little clueless.

"We were attacked by two of Darkmatter's animus dragons." he bows his head in sorrow. "We didn't, stand a chance. Especially from the NightWing known as Nightblade."

NightWing! Silverlight suddenly thought, curiously looking out from underneath Fatespeaker.

"The way she fought us was brutal, like she used hidden blades."

She must've been the one who attacked us. He pauses in his mind, suddenly remembering what happened to him all over again, the horror he still recalls as he cowers in fear once more. Why does it keep coming back to haunt me? My memory of the attack! Silverlight sees Starflight look towards him amidst his shaking, as though his thoughts just told him where he was.

"This news has distressed Silverlight far too much. I proclaim we continue this discussion for our alliance in private," Starflight acclaims. Flare looks to Silverlight sad that he has to bear all of this, but the real reason has not been conferred as of yet.

"Silverlight needs to know. Darkmatter has plans for him."

"What?!" Starflight stomps his foot down in anger. "I will not let that happen!"

"Starflight calm down," Sunny answers.

"Does he even know of his abilities?" Flare questions in awe.

Abilities! What abilities? Silverlight looks back up to the VolcanoWing in confusion.

"He is not ready for that!" Tsunami suddenly blurts, scraping her claws in distress across the stone.

"I see." Flare looks to Silverlight, then speaks with the SeaWing again. "Let us discuss my king's plea in solitude." Flare then casually greets each of the adult dragons in turn the way VolcanoWings do, rearing onto his haunches resting a talon on the recipients' left shoulders, and ending with his head along the fronts of their heads. Peril wants to back away when he tries to do the same with her, but out of respect she can do nothing. Silverlight knows she has Firescales, and knows exactly how dangerous they can be, but when Flare touches Peril for the VolcanoWing greet, there is not even a sound of scales burning. All of them stare flabbergasted at Flare, but understand there is little time for him to remain here. They follow him with Silverlight close behind.

Entering the recreation chamber, Silverlight clearly sees all the Winglet's did not do as they were ordered by the head of the academy. He sees Tsunami fuming at them all, as she slams her tail into the floor.

"When I say your chambers, I mean your chambers! NOW!"

"But…Ms. Tsunami. We have lesson," a young SeaWing bravely speaks, as she walks up to Tsunami. "How can we study if we have to go back to our chambers?"

"A good point, little Anemone." Tsunami looks up to the others. "I'm sorry for raising my voice to you all, please. Mr. Webs is awaiting you for Geography, and Ms. Greatness for language arts. Please go to your lessons."

"Thank you Ms. Tsunami," Anemone complies happily, before all the dragonets start heading off to their lessons. Silverlight is ushered along with the rest by Fatespeaker, but as he looks at Moonbeam, his best friend he only just met again after a whole year, he just callously looks away all of a sudden.

"Huh?" Silverlight wonders why Moonbeam is acting this way all of a sudden, but before he can ask or find out, he disappears behind the wall of the tunnel without even looking back. Silverlight glances to where Starflight and the others had been only moments ago, but he never sees them. Why do I feel so alone all of a sudden? Lowering his head, he too disappears round the corner.