It had been the most awkward and troubling evening in all of Rune's stay in Glenhaven.
His family all flew in complete silence as they returned to their home. Rune flew at the very back. Blankridge and Nellie looked back at him occasionally, but Hontus told them to focus on flying. Rune wanted to speak up, but he just couldn't find the words.
When they walked into the home, Seraph hurried herself forwards to enter the kitchen. Hontus watched her go with a sigh. He turned to looked down at Rune and the others.
"You kids should go do your schoolwork for now." He said. "We'll, uh... we'll call you in to have dinner when it's ready."
"Okay, Dad." Nellie and Blankridge said together. They both looked back at Rune, unsure of what to say. Rune was just as uneasy, so he stepped back, holding his breath. Blankridge frowned and nudged Nellie in the direction of their bedrooms.
"Rune..." Hontus started to say.
Rune glanced up at Hontus, who looked down at him with trepidation. He extended a wing out to Rune, only to pull it away again. A shiver crept up Rune's back.
"You should... uh..." Hontus stammered. "Go do your schoolwork."
"Okay..." Rune said quietly. He walked slowly forwards, his wings and ear frills drooping.
Dinner came and went in a painfully long blur. Nobody said anything at the table. Rune could barely bring himself to look up from his plate. Most of his family focused on their meals rather than look at him. All except for Seraph. The dragoness would occasionally glance over at Rune. Or rather, she focused on his black scales.
Rune was a black dragon. He just couldn't believe this. The thought made his steak taste flavorless. This whole day just didn't seem real. How could everything be turned upside-down like this? Why would his family suddenly look at him as if he was a stranger?
Tears welled up in Rune's eyes and his stomach churned. He got up from the table and went to leave the room.
"Rune?" Hontus asked. "Where are you going?"
Rune spoke quietly, almost a whisper. "I'm done eating."
And with that, he fled from the room. Nobody went to go after him. They didn't even say a word to stop him.
~~...~~
Rune kept himself secluded in his room for hours. His family went about their business, doing who knows what. The'd occasionally say something, but it was muffled by his door. Not that he wanted to listen. Rune lay on his straw mattress, a wing covering his face. He feared what they might be saying about him.
The worst came when night fell. Blankridge and Nellie had gone to bed. Rune could hear Seraph going into each of their rooms to wish them goodnight. Rune stared at his bedroom door. Seraph's footsteps stopped outside his door. Rune held his breath. There was a drawn out silence as Seraph stood there.
And just like that, Seraph's footsteps continued down the hallway. Rune's features drooped again. His chest erupted with pain. Try as he might, he couldn't stop the flow of his tears.
She... She doesn't...
Rune's thoughts were interrupted by the muffled sounds of shouting. Rune could hear Seraph arguing with Hontus. He couldn't make out specific words, but Rune was sure that it was about him. Seraph sounded furious! Rune could almost feel the heat of her anger. Hontus argued back, but was more often than not on the defensive.
What were they saying about him? Rune didn't have the nerve to get closer to find out. He just waited with bated breath for it to stop. It felt like an hour had passed before the shouting stopped, but Rune wasn't completely sure. He just slumped onto his side and continued crying.
I can't take this anymore, he thought with a whimper. This... this doesn't feel like home anymore. What am I going to do?
Rune looked himself over in the mirror. The sight of his golden eyes only made him feel worse.
Why am I a black dragon? Was I always like this? WHO AM I?! Rune shut his eyes, trying to force himself to calm down. It's getting late. I need to try getting some sleep...
Rune wiped his face and sighed. He walked over to his satchel and fished through it for the dreamstone. He looked it over as he walked back to his mattress. He placed it on his bedside table and got on the bed. He looked up at the ceiling, his tears finally stopping.
Maybe now I can get to sleep without any nightmares.
Rune curled up and shut his eyes. He let his troublesome reality fade away, so he could enter the world of sleep...
~~...~~
Everything was dark. It seemed like the night sky stretched down from the sky to envelop the place where the ground should have been. Rune floated weightlessly through the starry void. He could barely see his own forepaws.
"What's happening...?" He asked.
Before Rune realized it, his paws landed on some kind of hard surface. He looked down and found himself standing atop a large, blue platform. Ancient draconic runes were etched into the edge of the platform.
Rune wandered around the platform, trying to make sense of things.
"Where am I? Is this a dream?" Rune tried to shut his eyes, but found that he couldn't. "It's definitely not like the other ones..."
The more Rune spoke, the more it felt like it wasn't coming from his throat. Rather, he felt like his thoughts were being projected out into the world. In fact, the more he walked around, the less real his body felt.
"What's going on?" Rune wondered, trying to strike himself. "Is anyone out there?"
As Rune walked forwards, he was stopped by a withered and ancient voice.
Do not be frightened, young dragon. You are not alone.
Rune gasped, or at least he thought he did. He looked all around, but couldn't find the source of the voice.
"Who are you? And where am I?"
I am a friend. That's all that matters, Rune.
Rune gasped again. "How do you know my name?!"
I know a lot about you, young dragon. More than you know about yourself, at least.
A feeling of dread filled Rune's being. "Wh-What do you want from me?"
I want to help you.
"Help me?" Rune demanded. "Help me how?"
I've been watching you for a long time, Rune. You were safe and sound in Glenhaven with your amnesia. But now that your memory is starting to return, it's time for you to learn who you truly are.
"Who I truly am?" Rune repeated. Part of him didn't trust this strange voice. "And just who am I?"
You are the lost prince of the dark dragons. You are a black dragon!
Horror and dread filled Rune's entire being. His heart beat like a drum.
"No! I can't be a black dragon!" Rune exclaimed, his wings flapping erratically. "I'm just a fire dragon, of Glenhaven."
A fire dragon with power over other elements? And a fire dragon who recognizes dark dragons as their kin?
Rune opened his mouth to shout again, but stopped and looked down. Things were starting to add up, no matter how much he didn't want them to. Tears began to well up again. But before Rune cried again, the voice spoke up.
Do not be sad, young Rune. You have a family waiting for you elsewhere. Your REAL family!
"My..." Rune wiped his eyes. "My real family?"
Your father, the king is out there. And your brother, Cyrus, is off on an adventure of his own. Can you remember them?
"Uh..."
Close your eyes, and think. It will come to you if you try.
Curiously enough, as the voice said this, Rune could shut his eyes again. In fact, he couldn't NOT close them now.
"Okay..."
For a time, there was more darkness. Rune began to think that all of this was just part of his dream. But then, in the distance, a light started to form. Several figures started walking out of the light. Three dragons, two dragonesses, and one young dragon came into view. Strange feelings welled up in Rune's chest as he approached them.
Two of the dragons were Albanion and Elza. The largest dragon was an old drake with a warm smile. The young dragon confused Rune, for it looked like him. But no, there were definitely some differences in his face. Lastly, Rune looked between the large dragon and slender dragoness. The drake kept his face obscured in darkness, refusing to look at Rune. But the dragoness kept her eyes locked on Rune. She looked so sad... and yet, so happy to see him.
"That face..." Rune said. He felt a choking sensation in his throat. His eyes opened again, and he found himself standing on the platform again. "I know that face!"
Yes, young dragon. Say it aloud.
"She's..." Rune started tearing up again. "She's my mother."
Indeed. The voice sounded almost joyous that Rune remembered. She was Queen Elenar.
"Was...?" Rune asked, curiously. "What do you mean?"
She has passed away, Rune. She sacrificed everything so that you could live.
"She's... gone?" Rune felt like he should be devastated. But he could barely even remember her. Only her face stayed prominent in his memories.
She may be gone for now, but she may yet return.
"What do you mean?"
Remember what I said about your brother? He has gone on a quest for the Well of Souls, all with the goal of bringing her back to life.
"How? Rune stretched out his limbs, which ached from standing in place for too long.
With the Revival Ritual.
"You mean...?" Rune recalled the events in that abandoned building, and everything he managed to write down. "Whatever that thing was, I wasn't able to write all of it down."
I can fill in the blanks for you, young dragon. Just like this...
Rune felt a strange sensation in his mind. All of the markings on the platform started to glow a bright white. The light formed runes, which floated off the platform and around the young dragon. Rune blinked as words and sentences began to form in the air, only to fly forwards and enter Rune's mind. He winced as a light ringing pierced his ear frills. A stinging sensation pierced through him, which consumed all of his thoughts.
"Ugh... my head..." He groaned. He clutched his forehead with his paws, the pain becoming unbearable...
The next thing Rune knew, he was wide awake. He shot up onto all fours, panting. The pain in his head was gone, replaced with a strange sensation. Was that a dream? Was it a vision? Rune found he could think about this. Something was distracting him. Compelling him towards his satchel.
Rune sprung for the satchel and immediately went to grab the notes from before. He then fetched a quill pen and bottle of ink and raced for his desk. Rune wasn't sure why he was in such a hurry; he just felt like he MUST get to writing.
Rune wrote down what he knew was ancient draconic writing. By all accounts, he shouldn't be able to read it. And yet he could, and was composing it even. When Rune was done, he put down the quill pen and looked over his handiwork.
In the cold heart of Erebus,
When the Eight are combined as one,
The Spirits will walk among us,
And death itself shall be undone.
Gems must be mined from rocks of old,
Venture forth where spirits behold,
Dark and light will channel the force
Convexity will stay the course.
The elements, spirits will bind,
They'll hear the world, and air they'll find,
They'll remember what makes them real,
The hardship and sorrow they'll feel.
To lose, one must gain. To give, one must take
"Is this..." Rune began. He nearly jumped when the voice spoke again.
Yes, young dragon. This is the Revival Ritual.
"Am I still dreaming?" Rune looked around for the voice again. He sighed when he still saw nothing.
You're very much awake, Rune. You must begin your quest to discover yourself.
"How will this Revival Ritual help? It reads more like poetry."
It's an ancient and powerful spell. All eight of the elements of magic must be used in tandem with a wealth of life gems. With this ritual, you can bring your mother back.
"I only have four." Rune said, looking over the words again.
But your brother has the other four. Together, the two of you can bring your mother back to life.
"I don't know..." Rune muttered.
Find your brother, Rune. Go to the Well of Souls to the far north. You can bring your mother back, and from their rebuild your shattered family. Or, you can stay in Glenhaven, and deal with the consequences of being a dark dragon in an unwelcome home. Whatever you choose to do, act with haste.
Rune turned to look in the mirror again. His black scales nearly melted into the darkness of his room, were it not for the light of his golden eyes. He frowned, almost crying again. He had done so much crying in one night.
"Alright..." Rune sighed. He rolled up his scroll and held it to his chest. "I'll travel north to the Well of Souls... uh..." He looked up at the ceiling. "You still haven't told me who you are."
You shall know me as the Chronicler. But don't try to seek me out. The celestial moons are counting down again, and there's not enough time for a physical meeting.
"Counting down? To what?"
Do not worry yourself with what, young dragon. Your journey awaits...
And with that, the voice disappeared. Rune was alone with his thoughts again. What had he just agreed to do? Was he really about to sneak out in the middle of the night and run away to somewhere he'd never been? And all on the guidance of a mysterious voice? What was insane! Foolhardy! He couldn't ever justify such a thing!
And yet Glenhaven didn't feel safe anymore. After the revelation that he was a black dragon, nobody looked at Rune the same way. He couldn't bear to feel trapped here in an unwelcome home. And that voice. this "Chronicler"... he seemed too real. He had done some kind of magic to make Rune able to understand ancient draconic. And perhaps he really did have a brother out there, looking to revive his mother Elenar. If Rune brought her back, it could be a second chance to have a family.
"I can't just sit here." Rune decided. "I'm going."
Rune walked over to his dressed and started changing clothes. He put on a suit of leather training armor. He packed what he couldn't put on in his satchel. He then rummaged around his room, stuffing supplies he felt he'd need into the satchel. The last things he packed away were the scroll and the dreamstone.
Once he wad finished packing, Rune slowly opened his door, shutting it carefully behind himself to make no noise. He quietly tip-toed down the hallway. Rune took a deep breath as he stopped before the door to Hontus and Seraph's bedroom. He turned the knob and pushed the door slightly ajar. Rune peered through the crack to see inside.
Hontus was curled up on the floor, his back facing away from the mattress. Seraph lay on the mattress with a wing over her face. Bits of straw were torn up by her talons.
Rune looked away sadly. He whispered one word as he closed the door. "Goodbye."
Rune crept quietly to the den at the front of the dwelling. Two large windows flanked the front door. A pair of wooden desks sat to one side of the chamber, which Rune and the others used to do their schoolwork occasionally.
Rune took out his quill pen and another scroll. He wrote a quick message, intending to leave it on the desk for his family to find...
"What are you doing?"
Rune nearly scratched his scroll, he was so surprised. He turned his head, and was surprised to see Blankridge and Nellie standing at the entrance to the den.
"Blank, Nellie, what are you doing out of bed?" Rune asked under his voice.
"I could ask you the same thing, bro." Blankridge said as he got closer. "I wasn't able to sleep, not after the way Mom drilled into Dad earlier."
"I was trying to stay up so I could listen out for you." Nellie said, walking up close to the desk. "At first I thought the dreamstone was working, since you weren't sleeping. But then you were talking to yourself, and..." Nellie noticed Rune's scroll and stepped closer. "What's that, Rune?"
"It's nothing. Go back to bed."
Nellie gave Rune a skeptical look. Rune tried to move the scroll away, but she snatched it up.
"No, don't read it!" Rune pleaded. He groaned and looked away as Nellie's eyes widened.
"You're leaving?!" Nellie hissed. "Why?!"
"Nellie, I don't belong here. I need to-" Rune was stopped by Blankridge grabbing him and pulling into a tight hug.
"Of course you belong here!" Blankridge hugged Rune tightly, his eyes tearing up. "You're our brother. Being a dark dragon doesn't change anything!"
"Blank..." Rune coughed. He struggled to breath in the orange drake's iron grip. Rune's forepaws did nothing to tear Blankridge off of him.
"You'll always, always, ALWAYS be my bro!"
"You're... choking me..." Rune gagged.
"Huh?" Blankridge blinked. He let go and stepped back, blushing. "Uh, oops. Sorry, Rune."
Rune coughed again, waving him off with a wing. Nellie stepped up to hug him as well, but he held a forepaw out.
"Guys, listen to me." He said. "I can't stay, because I have to go to the Well of Souls?"
"The Well of Souls?" Nellie repeated curiously.
"You mean that place those spooky drakes mentioned in the alleyway?" Blank asked, stepping closer.
"Yeah. Something important is waiting for me there. Something that will help me regain all of my memories."
Blankridge and Nellie exchanged uneasy glances. Rune sighed and turned around to face the door.
"I can't expect you to understand. Let's just say a higher power is helping me. I have to go now. I'll miss you both."
"Wait!" Nellie cried.
Rune shook his head. "Nellie, I've already told you, I'm-"
"At least let me go with you."
Rune's eyes lit up in surprise. He turned back around. "What?"
"I don't want you getting yourself hurt, and I know I can't stop you from going. So let me come too."
"And don't forget me!" Blankridge declared. "I'm going along as well!"
"It could be dangerous, Blank." Rune said.
"And that's EXACTLY why I'm coming. I'm the big brother, and I've got combat training! So I've got to be there to protect my siblings on your adventure!"
Rune looked between Nellie and Blankridge, seeing the determination in their eyes. "Are you two sure about this? It's not going to be a walk in the park."
"I'm sure." Nellie nodded.
"I'm doubly sure!" Blankridge grinned.
Rune felt a warm feeling in his chest. Despite his appearance, Nellie and Blankridge treated him all the same. He started to cry again, but this time it was in joy.
"Thank you, both of you." Rune gave the pair a hug with his wings. "This means a lot to me."
"Just wait for us, okay?" Nellie tilted her head. "We need to get ready.
"Yeah!" Blankridge turned and practically barreled down the hall to his room.
"Shh, don't wake up our parents." Nellie hissed under her breath.
Rune sat back on his haunches as he waited for them to return. They were risking a lot to come with him. But Rune felt he couldn't stop them from coming any more than they could stop him from leaving. They were his beloved siblings, and his closest friends.
Nellie and Blankridge came back to the den a few moments later. Both of them were dressed in their training armor. and had satchels packed with supplies. Nellie picked up her quill pen and wrote something underneath Rune's words on the scroll.
"Are you two ready?" Rune asked.
"I'm good to go." Blankridge grinned.
"I'm almost done." Nellie finished writing and hung the scroll on the doorknob. "There. So, where do we start?"
"Well..." Rune stood up and stretched out his wings. "The Well of Souls is in the pit of Mount Erebus, far to the north. I have a rough idea of which way north is..."
"But that might not be enough." Blankridge said. "We're going to need a map or a compass. Do we have either of those?"
"Well, no..." Nellie slowly opened the door. "But Emerald does."
Rune gasped. "Why do you want to get Emerald involved?"
"Well, maybe she'll help us. She's always taken a liking to atlases."
"But don't you think she'll have reservations about this?" Blankridge asked as he walked out the door.
"Maybe. But she's still our friend. And there's always safety in numbers, right?"
Rune sighed and went out the door. It wasn't long before the trio were flying through the sky, headed for Emerald's home.
~~...~~
Since Emerald's family was the richest in the whole city, they were able to afford a massive stone mansion that towered above most of the other dwellings.
Rune, Nellie and Blankridge flew around to the back of the mansion. Emerald's bedchamber was on the top floor, so they came to land on the roof. They carefully bent over to look through the window. Emerald was sleeping on a large cotton mattress beside a wooden desk.
"Hey, Emmy!" Blankridge called. "Emeraaaaaald? Wakey-wakey!"
Nothing.
"She sure is a heavy sleeper." Rune nodded.
"Let me try something." Nellie glided down to the ground. She looked around the grass for a few moments. Rune peered down, trying to figure out what she was doing.
"Uh..."
Nellie launched herself back toward the tree branch, flapping noisily to gain height quickly in the restricted space. She held some pebbles in her forepaws.
"Take it easy!" Blankridge shouted. "You're going to wake up the whole neighborhood!"
"Look who's talking." Nellie retorted in a whisper. "Now watch."
She tossed one of the pebbles at Emerald's snout. Emerald mumbled in her sleep, rubbing her face instinctively. But she didn't wake up. Nellie tossed a few more pebbles, but Emerald would simply mumble and slip back into slumber.
"Let me try." Blankridge declared. He grabbed a pebble and threw it as hard as he could. He hit Emerald squarely between the eyes. She woke with a start, rubbing her forehead.
"Ow!" emerald exclaimed. "What the...?"
"Hey there, sleepyhead." Blankridge chuckled. "Did anyone ever mention it's nearly impossible to wake you up?"
"Huh?" Emerald picked up her spectacles and sat up. She adjusted the spectacles on her face and looked out the window, only to see the group. leaning over the side of the roof.
"What?! Blankridge? Nellie?" Emerald looked up nervously at the black drake. "...Rune."
"Uh, hi Emerald." Rune said quietly.
"So the rumors are true." Emerald took a step back. "You're a..." The dragoness shook her head and glared at Blankridge and Nellie. "What in the world are you all doing here at this time of night?"
"We need to borrow a compass and a map." Blankridge answered.
"What? Why ask me now?" Emerald stamped her paw. "Couldn't this wait until morning?"
"No." Rune shook his head. "Because we're all leaving for Mount Erebus tonight."
"WHAT?" Emerald shouted.
"Shh, don't wake anyone up." Nellie pleaded.
"You mean to tell me that all of you are just running away from home?! I'd expect this kind of idiotic think from Blank, but not you two!"
"Hey!" Blankridge shouted.
Blankridge flapped his wings in agitation. Nellie lightly chuckled under her breath, but Rune only frowned. He leaped off the roof so he could fly around and come to a landing in the room. She backed up nervously, though she tried to hide her feelings by sticking her snout in the air again.
"I was originally going to leave by myself." Rune said quietly. "But Blankridge and Nellie insisted that they come with me. There's something very important that I have to do to the north. And to do that, I need to borrow some things. Please don't try to stop me."
Emerald tilted her head back down. She glared into Rune's eyes. "Does anybody else know about this?"
"No. I don't want to think about what will happen if I try to ask permission from anyone. I have to go NOW, under the cover of night."
"And what about Roxanne?" Emerald raised an eye ridge. "Are you running off on HER, too?"
Rune gasped. He hadn't seen or thought about Roxanne since he left the palace. He spun around in a dash.
"Roxanne!" Rune shouted as flapped his wings. "I have to go say goodbye to her!" Rune tried to jump into flight, only for Emerald to tug on his tail. Her earth magic made impossible to escape her grip. "Hey!"
"Not so fast, Rune." Emerald said. "What you're planning is stupid and wrong. I can't in good conscience let you go running off like this. Nor should Blank and Nellie. You're all being DUMB."
Blankridge glared, while Nellie frowned. "Come on, Emmy..."
"You three are likely to get yourselves killed on this 'adventure'. The smart thing for me to do would be to alert Daddy."
"Emerald, don't!" Rune pleaded, still trying to get out of her grip.
Emerald sighed, shaking her head. She looked back at Rune and the others. She promptly let go of Rune's tail. "I guess the smart thing isn't always right."
"So you won't rat on us?" Blankridge asked. Nellie immediately struck him on the shoulder. "Ow."
"No." Emerald shook her head. "I'm coming with you."
"Y-you are?" Rune turned back around again.
"I insist. You'll need some with the noble heritage of the Earth Guardians to guide you. And besides, I've never gotten a chance to leave Glenhaven before." Emerald turned around and approached her desk. "I'll need a few minutes to get prepared. You three can just wait while I get the-"
Emerald was cut off as Rune rushed out the window. Blankridge and Nellie gasped as Rune flew wildly through the sky across Glenhaven.
"Rune, wait!" Nellie called out.
"Where's he going?" Blankridge tilted his head in confusion.
"Where do you THINK?" Emerald rolled her eyes. Blankridge and Nellie exchanged glances as Emerald moved to prepare her satchel.
~~...~~
Roxanne's parents owned and lived in the Gilded Phoenix tavern in the southern part of Glenhaven. Rune had been there a few times before with Nellie as a participant of their sleepovers. So it didn't take long for Rune to arrive there.
Rune came to a quick landing in the backyard and silently crept up to the wall. He leaned down to crawl quietly beneath the windows. He kept his wings folded in as tight as possible to make himself smaller.
I shouldn't take long, Rune decided. I'll just write down a message for her and stick it in her window.
Rune knew he was making an even bigger risk coming to Roxanne's home. But he just couldn't bear to leave Glenhaven without saying goodbye to her. Rune reached up for the windowpanes of Roxanne's room to pull them open.
But he was caught off-guard by the door to the tavern opening. Rune quickly ducked around the corner as a pair of dragons walked down the street.
"Did you hear the news?" The fire dragon asked.
"No, what?" The ice dragon wondered between drinks of his flask.
"Word on the street is that one of the Guardians' kids turned out to be a black dragon."
The ice dragon snorted. "You're kidding!"
"I swear on my mother's life!" The fire dragon chuckled. "Although Captain Jules threatened to hang anyone who blabbed too much."
"What a slave-driver, that guy." The ice dragon drank again. "But by the ancestors, is there seriously a BLACK DRAGON in Glenhaven? I didn't even think there'd be another dark dragon in this city, let alone one of THEM?"
Rune felt a pit in his stomach. Dark dragons weren't talked about much in all his time in Glenhaven. The last thing he wanted was to be seen as a black dragon out in public. Not around dragons like them.
"I know what you mean." The fire dragon turned to look up at a nearby bell tower. "They've finally finished rebuilding that tower after those wind dragons knocked it over."
"What are the Elders planning to do about that black dragon?" The ice dragon finally finished his flask and tossed it away into the street.
"Beats me." The fire dragon shrugged. "Let's just hope they keep a tight leash on him before he goes on a rampage."
Rune's talons dug into the grass. A rampage?! He wouldn't do such a thing! Especially not to the place he'd called home for so long!
"Well, in any case, it's getting late." The fire dragon said. "I need to head home to the missus. See you later."
"Night, bro." The ice dragon nodded.
The pair butted heads in some kind of fraternal fashion before parting ways. Rune waited a few minutes, just to be sure nobody else was leaving the tavern. Once the coast was clear, Rune took a sigh of relief. He resumed opening Roxanne's windowpanes.
Rune had expected Roxanne to be fast asleep. And at first, it seemed like she was; her back was facing the window and he could hear light snoring. Rune nodded in satisfaction and took off his satchel. He started fishing through it when he heard Roxanne shift around.
"Who's there?" Roxanne said quietly. Rune froze in surprise. Roxanne had time for her eyes to adjust to the moonlight so she could make out Rune's shape. "...Rune?"
Rune ducked partially under the window. Roxanne walked carefully up to the window to look at him.
"I... I thought you were asleep, Roxy." Rune said quietly.
"I haven't been able to sleep. I've been worrying about you all night." Roxanne stuck her head out the window and looked down at him. "What are you doing here, Rune?"
"I came to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?" Roxanne frowned. "What do you mean?"
Rune spent a quick minute explaining his mission. Roxanne listened intently, but grew saddened as he reached the end of his story.
"...And I'm not sure when I'll be coming back." Rune looked away from her. Roxanne placed a paw on his shoulder. He glanced up into her tearful eyes.
"Rune..." She muttered. She was cut off as Emerald's voice came from the sky.
"See? I told you two he'd head straight here."
Rune looked up to see Nellie, Blankridge and Emerald come to a landing in the backyard. Emerald fluttered her wings as she walked up to Rune. "Are you done saying bye to her, Rune?"
"I was finishing up." Rune nodded.
"Hey, wait a minute." Roxanne pouted. "You're all going with him?"
"I meant to go on the journey alone, but the others insisted that they join me." Rune backed a little away from the window.
"If that's the case, then-"
"I don't think so." Emerald interrupted.
"What?" Roxanne tilted her head. "I-"
"Are you about to say that you want to join us?" Emerald stuck her snout in the air again. Rune blinked and looked back at Roxanne. Roxanne had glided out of the window and flicked her tail from side to side.
"If the rest of you are going on this adventure, why can't I come too?"
"This isn't some game, Roxanne." Emerald said, stepping forwards. "The rest of us have advanced combat training, courtesy of the Guardians. You're just an average lowborn."
"But-" Roxanne pouted again, but Emerald didn't give her time to speak.
"And besides, we're risking a lot doing this. You're better off just staying at home and out of trouble."
"But I care about Rune just as much as the rest of you, if not more!" Roxanne exclaimed.
"That caring doesn't make up for a lack of training." Emerald snapped. Blankridge and Nellie awkwardly stepped back as the dragonesses grilled into each other. Rune groaned, rubbing his head. He quickly ran between them, pushing them away from each other.
"Stop it." He stamped his feet. "Emerald, stop talking down to her like that!"
"Hey, I..." Emerald began. But Rune swung around to speak directly to Roxanne.
"Roxy, I..." He took a deep breath. "I couldn't ask you to put yourself in danger for my sake... But thank you for wanting to help me."
"So, can I come with you?" Roxanne asked, her eyes pleading.
Rune sat back on his haunches. He looked between her and Emerald. Emerald gave Rune a demanding glare. Blankridge and Nellie seemed to refuse to want to get involved.
"Roxanne..." Rune said carefully. "It's your decision."
Emerald's jaw nearly hit the grass. Roxanne suppressed a squeal of delight, her wings flapping.
"Oh, thank you!" She gave Rune a hug. "Just a minute, let me get some things!"
Roxanne leaped back through her window and dashed about her room. Rune turned around to look at his friends. Emerald gave Rune a furious glare.
"What do you think you're doing?" Emerald dug at the ground with her talons.
"I just can't tell her no, okay?" Rune frowned.
"It's NOT okay." Emerald snapped. "If the lowborn girl gets hurt on this escapade, it's on YOU. Don't say I wasn't the voice of reason."
"Well, you're still coming along with us instead of ratting us out." Blankridge chuckled. "Some voice of reason."
"Shut it." Emerald snapped.
Roxanne leaped through her window again. She was dressed in some loose-fitting leather armor and had her school satchel around her neck. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go!"
"Did you leave a note for your parents?" Nellie asked her.
"It's on my pillow." Roxanne flapped her wings. "I hope they can understand."
"I know the feeling, Roxy." Nellie nodded.
Rune walked around his friends, flapping his wings. He charged and leaped into the air, flapping as hard as he could. A moment later, his four friends were following him into the sky. Emerald held her compass in one forepaw the whole time. Rune didn't speak until the five of them were high above the city of Glenhaven.
"Alright, it's time to begin..." Rune took a deep breath. "Emerald, which way is directly north?"
"Let me check..." Emerald looked over the compass for a moment. She then pointed with her other forepaw. "That way."
"Then let's get going." Blankridge cheered. "Onwards, to the north!"
"We're off to the Well of Souls!" Roxanne exclaimed.
"Here's hoping we don't run into too much trouble on the way." Nellie said, flapping her wings to go faster.
"We're bound to be in for a world of hurt when we get home." Emerald sighed.
Rune looked between the other young dragons. Fire, Water, Earth and lightning. The five of them would be more than enough to take on any danger they faced. As they flew over the wall of Glenhaven, Rune looked back at the city. He never expected to leave this place. Now he wondered if he would ever go back. As he turned to face forwards again, the words of the Chronicler repeated in his mind.
The celestial moons are counting down again, and time is running out...
I wonder what he meant... Rune sighed.
"Rune, you okay?" Nellie asked.
"Huh?" Rune blinked. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking..."
With that, the five young dragons ventured forth across the Arcus Desert...
~~...~~
Greetings, friends and loved ones.
The beginning part of the chapter was a little awkward to write. I wanted to summarize the awkwardness of the late afternoon, but still focus on some important details. It wasn't what Seraph said, but the way she said it.
But after that, I was very excited to write this chapter. I finally introduce The Chronicler (in a way that directly parallels some dialogue from The Eternal Night), and I got to describe the interactions between Rune and his friends. I believe that combining Rune's POV with the young light dragons was an important move. It helps me focus parts of the branching plot, as well as keep things more compact.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next week will be the debut of one of my favorite characters in this series. See you next time!
Tenebra ecce Veritas
