Httyd raven ch010
The mountain was dead silent, the kind of silence made only in the wake of death and held by those who fear they may be next. It was the dead warning the living, and the living mourning the dead. And in the center of it all was a menace more terrifying than death itself.
And she was not happy.
WHERE IS HE!? The earth shattering roar ripped through the already tense atmosphere, sending dragons scurrying as far from the source as their physical and mental restraints allowed. The only being that did not move, the one that could not and would not, was the lone shadow that lay crumpled and broken before the queen. Obsidian wings were battered and bent at impossible angles caked in mud and blood, and if it weren't for the painstakingly stolen breathes and giant heaves of a heavy chest, it would have been easy to assume the being dead as well.
His eyes flickered open for a brief moment to register the question, defiant blue glaring up at the ominous red glow. He muttered a curse before closing his eyes once more, refusing to give the queen what she wanted, and refusing her the satisfaction of knowing his pain.
After two weeks of scouring the ocean floor, the queen's minions had found no trace of the Night Fury hatchling, and after two long weeks of torture, the older Night Fury still refused to reveal where or why he sent his young away.
Night Furies. The only dragons that could resist her control. Even the weakest could resist her will to a certain extent, but in his weakened state, it was all he could do to keep his thoughts his own. It seemed that her hold over the two adult Night Furies was not as strong as she had assumed, which had allowed them to keep their offspring a well guarded secret from her for a long time. While they maintained a majority of their free will and thoughts, they had been unable to physically disobey the queen's orders, which had held them hostage on the island for decades.
The last of their kind, too. The queen should have suspected it. Had she any less pride, she would have berated herself, but she chose to blame the dying Night Fury before her.
She had had enough.
Kill him. She commanded the nearest dragon, a red and black Nightmare who stood protectively over his little family as well. A mate and a small son.
Unable to resist the queen's control, he could only tuck his son beneath his mate's wing before slinking over to the dying Night Fury. Through the fog of a will not his own, he locked eyes with the other, the vibrant blue breaking through the fog slightly. They were not angry with him, as they had every right to be. He was about to kill him, but instead they held only pity and understanding.
"You'll never find him…" he said to no one in particular as he laid his head down against the cold stone ground. "He's safe now." He looked up with one last defiant glare at the tyrant queen. "But I wouldn't worry too much. One day, he'll find you, and you're reign of terror will be over." He looked back at the approaching Nightmare, focusing all his energy into breaking through the fog in the other's eyes. "The King is coming…" he whispered to the other dragon, who paused for a moment before the queen took complete control and he felt himself lunge…
...
A deafening roar echoed in his mind, like a volcano erupting, filled with malice and hatred and pure rage. He saw a red glow on the horizon and a dark shadow rising from a crack in the earth. He watched from a great distance, like a god watching over his dominion, seeing impossible distances as only a few paces away. Glowing red eyes set on an island in the distance and he followed its gaze. A smaller black shadow rested peacefully on a light filled island, though the edge of the shadow cast by the demon crept closer. A thread of the shadow snaked towards the sleeping dragon.
I will have him, and he will die like the rest.
The King woke with a start, startling the flock of hatchlings that had been roosting on his head. He shook them away more vigorously than required and would feel guilty about later, but for now his mind was muddled with a sense of foreboding. It had been a very long time since he had been plagued by any nightmares. As was his blessing and curse as an Alpha Bewilderbeast, it was not uncommon for his to see visions of the past, present, and/or future. Unsure of which this was, he pondered the dream for a long time. A great shadow was awakening in the south, something more powerful than anything he had faced in centuries. Unease settled in his gut as he wondered how something could have grown so powerful without his knowledge of it. Being so far north, so far away from the world of men and dragons, he knew he could not know everything. It was the price he was willing to pay for the peace he maintained within his nest. But for something this…evil to come into existence without him knowing, he would never admit it, but it scared him.
Not the demon itself, but the power it thought it controlled. This evil was bigger and deeper than the host that claimed it. It was a shadow beneath the world of men and dragons.
And it wanted something…someone.
The little dragon asleep on the island. Another shadow, far darker but only in color. It radiated light brighter than the sun, concealed within the cloak of night it wore.
A Night Fury. It had been far too long since the legendary creatures had roamed the earth, and he had begun to fear the worst of the mighty species of dragon. And not just any Night Fury, the King realized with awe as he peered into the dragon's soul. No, no ordinary Night Fury at all…
Cloud Jumper, the King called to his loyal friend and right hand…er, paw, who was sitting with Valka and Raven not far away on the rocky ledge that overlooked the King's pond. The Storm Cutter rose and respectfully bowed, turning his full attention towards his King. The King spoke directly to Cloud Jumper, so Valka could not understand, though she too had turned her attention to the King. I have a mission for you.
Cloud Jumper, not one to question the King's command or reasoning, still felt somewhat taken aback. He had so recently returned from his mission to retrieve Valka and Raven not two weeks ago, and while the two were quite content, Valka never strayed far from Cloud Jumper's side. He was unsure how she would respond to him leaving.
The King, having caught his gaze and understanding his concerns, spoke reassuringly. It should not take much of your time, and I will personally ensure your charges' care and comfort. Not to worry, Cloud Jumper.
His mind easing a bit at his King's words, he turned his thoughts in anticipation to the quest at hand. "Of course, my King. I have no worries. Now, where am I off to now?"
The King smiled at his friend's loyalty and eagerness, but this was a serious matter. There were many more lives at stake here than even he knew. If anyone would understand that without him having to explain it, it was Cloud Jumper. The King shared without words the urgency and intent of this mission, in a way that only an Alpha can. It was a sharing of knowledge between dragons similar to how words are shared in a conversation. In the end, Cloud Jumper knew where approximately to begin his search, knew where to avoid even if he didn't know exactly what he was avoiding, and understood that this was important beyond understanding.
As the Storm Cutter took flight, the mighty Bewilderbeast watched with soft icy eyes until he was out of sight beyond the myriad of stone and ice that was the Sanctuary. He felt something flutter in his stomach that made him feel centuries younger. Finally the stories he was told when he himself was just a hatchling were coming true…
.:~:.~.:~:.~.:~
The board is set
Pawns are moved
and game masters sit on their thrones.