When her eyes opened, an unnatural churning swashed it's way around her stomach. Butterflies, like she'd broken somewhere she wasn't supposed to be and her mind was regretting it. Once again, she became familiar with the tainted red sky.

But there was one difference since she'd last seen it, Phoenix realised. She stretched out her wing amber wings, inspecting their full lengths up and down, then closely searching herself from tail to talons. She was definitely herself, not another starved SkyWing. Though, for some reason, that didn't bring her any strike of confidence.

Her plan had worked! A smile suddenly shot it's way to her muzzle, a contrast to this dark place. She was here again—where ever here was—in the dream. Surely that removed coincidence? Everything felt so… lucid and real.

Phoenix let her eyes glance around the cavern she found herself in, before staring back out to the claustrophobic sky. It was a strong sense of deja vu, seeing this all again. It hadn't felt real last time, like it wasn't her eyes.

Well, she guessed it wasn't her eyes, she realised.

Was that other dragon here, her mind wondered. It didn't seem like anyone could actually live in this place, the air felt too dry and thin; she also couldn't spot any prey hopping about outside, or any fruit growing amongst the trees and bushes. Then again, if she could answer any of the millions of questions dancing around her mind, it'd be that she knew this place wasn't real. A dream, animus magic or something else – this place was a creation.

"Is it a prison?" She found herself whispering out loud, her voice reverberating against the tight walls of the cave… and seemingly off the sky itself. It sent a shiver found her spine. This place reeked unnatural.

A glint of red suddenly caught her eye, a dragon's scales flicking in the outside light. She darted back, ducking further into the shadows and hushed her breathing. She didn't know why, but she wasn't sure if talking to this dragon was a good idea.

Not that what she wanted mattered, she panicked, with the dragon's weak gaze turning to her. She knew, hopelessly, that her fiery eyes shone like stars, like a beacon in the darkness; yet, her body went silent and still as she stared into the other dragons eyes. They were filled with a foreign expression. A lost look, somewhere between confusion and hope.

The dragon stepped closer, slowly, watching Phoenix as she pulled herself from the shadows and stared back-her mind finally breaking the instinct to hide. The other dragon stood silently for ages, doing little more then interrogating her scales. it giving her plenty of time to see just how sickly this dragon looked. It actually made her feel ill.

The ailed dragon dragon sat on her haunches, clearing her throat with a dry cough. "You are not like the dragon from afore," she soft voice cracked, a faded accent of received pronunciation-like SkyWing nobles of old. The dragons eyes still glanced over her fiery scales, though they lacked suspicion. She seemed to be… relieved, to a degree.

Perhaps it was because she thought Phoenix could bring her answers, an idea she could read like a words of a scroll from the dragons expression. Unfortunately for her, Phoenix didn't bring any with her. Only questions.

"I'm Phoenix," she greeted she a warm smile and a polite bow, an idea that came from this dragons posh accent. It was also likely she meant no harm, or couldn't harm her anyway.

The dragon hummed to herself, ducking her head with acquiesce. "He spoke well and with magnetism, speaking proudly of his goals, though never introduced himself by name. You, meanwhile, step inside like curious little dragonet lost at sea."

Phoenix stepped back slightly, her brain trying to unravel the dragons intentions from her words. Last time she was here dreaming… as this dragon… it had ended when another dragon appeared. She couldn't remember what he looked like, or what tribe he was from, however.

The SkyWing laughed a cavalier laugh and smiled. "My title is Zephyr, of the Sparrow Highlands Estate," she waved a wing dismissively. "Though, I've been told that that old thing crumbled to dust a century ago," she said. She beckoned Phoenix would under the red sky, and she followed reluctantly.

"It's a ghastly place, is it not?" She stared out to the horizon, stretching her wings hopelessly.

Over a century ago… Phoenix's mind echoed. This dragon was over a hundred years old? That… seemed impossible. Zephyr looked, at worst, maybe Sixteen? More then likely younger. The only reason she could believe it, was the crawling feeling beneath her scales, the magic of this place leaking into her mind.

Phoenix was too preoccupied to answer Zephyr.

"I'd ask what brings you here, Phoenix the Firescale, though that's not what intrigues me the most. I was told, quite heartbreakingly, that entry into this cursed place was an incredibly feat, achievable only through years of dedicated work- yet you just stumble in here," Zephyr asked with a curious raise of her eye.

Phoenix wordlessly shook her head, sitting down as well. Maybe… despite how little both sides knew, Phoenix could still find some answers. "I… probably know less then you, er- Zephyr of- Zephyr," Phoenix awkwardly laughed. She stopped herself for a moment, deciding what to tell this dragon. "It wasn't entirely intentionally… 'being' here, though," she explained.

"That sounds like only half the truth," Zephyr hummed.

Phoenix nodded. "A few days ago, I found a red gemstone; apparently it was quite unique so I kept it. When I ended up sleeping later that night… I awoke in what I thought was a dream. The same red sky and prison like shell," Phoenix explained, swallowing her breath. "And I also… think I was seeing it from your perspective. I remember being… in your condition, and also saw the other dragon. But that's when it ended- I think I was woken up."

Zephyr suddenly looked a little mortified. "That's… an uncomfortable thought," she shivered. Phoenix thought the same. One of the worst things she thought could happen would be a NightWing reading her mind. She was so glad they couldn't! Her thoughts were her own!

Phoenix nodded. "I tried to do it again, today. Last time it happened when I was asleep next to the crystal, so I did that again- But instead of looking into your head- again, sorry- I ended up here," she explained with the shrug of her wings, joining the SkyWing in stairs out to the sky. "Wherever here is," she added as a whisper.

"That is… certainly interesting," Zephyr said. "The dragon who entirely refused to give me his name; let's call him Snipe, because that fits quite well. Snipe, as it were, was holding one of these red crystals. It's an Artificer's Stone, if my memories are to be believed."

Phoenix's eyes opened wide with shock and curiosity, like maybe she'd found her answer. "Do you know what it is? What it does?" She sputtered out her words.

Zephyr shrugged, throwing her wings out and point to the hidden walls that surround them. "Thanks to you, I know that it holds animus spell that cast this cage upon me. But, I must fret, that my lack of memories unfortunately holds me back."

Phoenix frowned, she'd already figured that part out. But this SkyWing definitely knew something, right? Or, had known. Maybe there was a way she could free this dragon, "Do you… know if it's possible to get you out of here? Did Snipe say anything about that?"

"He offered hope," Zephyr laughed, but quickly rammed her front talons into the ground with a loud thud. She quickly huffed a puff of smoke. "Though he quickly vanished after he found what he was after. He promised he would return, though I have a strong feeling that is not the case."

Maybe this dragon was the answer, he clearly knew a lot about this stone. "What did you tell him?" she asked.

The SkyWing paused for a second, sending a dead stare at her… before relaxing it and throwing her wings back. "What can it hurt to tell another soul. I do know something about that gemstone that brought you here. They're not supposed to be red, but blue. When sapped of all the potential, they fade away to that sickening colour. The other dragon wanted to learn how to revert them back."

Phoenix mouth was agape, slightly. Blue… like the one she'd given to Tepid. A realisation suddenly burnt its way into her mind. The exact same stone that some dragons attempted to kill her for, not days ago. This snipe was probably one of those dragons, or at least someone they worked for.

"How do you do that then?"

The noble SkyWing barked a laugh. "If you're looking to do it with your precious stone, you're out of luck. Snipe brought back only enough of my memories to remember how, and it's a complex process. The energy required and the stability needed is… well, I imagine he's dead now. Giant red explosion, I think, if how a failed conversion tended to go," she said, though the glint of an idea popped into her mind. "Little Phoenix, I can't remember what the artificer stone does, But If you can figure how to free me from this cruel cage- I shall convert it for you."

"I…," Phoenix thought to herself. She… didn't really want to do whatever it was this dragon was suggesting. Did she really need a blue gemstone? Not that she knew of. Especially not if all they could do was ensnare dragons for a century or more.

It also popped into her mind that she didn't know who trapped this dragon, or why.

"I'll see what I can do," Phoenix said. If she could free this dragon, she would. A hundred years or more in a prison was more then enough in her books- and she was lacking most her memories. "But I know nothing about whatever all this is. I just had a theory on how it worked and- well, yeah. Seems I was at least partly right."

"Well, it would seem I have time, Phoenix," The SkyWing let out a rough and sombre chuckle, as if her voice showed her true age. "In this place, it seems time is all I have. Oh, and do be careful, amber dragon. I think our Snipe was hunting for these Artificer stones."

Before Phoenix could utter another word, her muscles dropped with sudden lethargic ache; her eyes dropped like she'd missed a week of sleep, before her body forced her to lay her head down on the stone.

She heard Zephyr sigh, before sleep overcome her.

Though, her eyes awoke immediately, all the sudden sleep being stripped from her body.

"Phoenix?" The soft sound of her sisters voice spoke in her ear, her talon poking her side. Phoenix jerked away from her talon as a ticklish jolt provoked a giggle.

Phoenix groaned with a long stretch, blinking her eyes. Everything that'd happened rushed through her mind, feeling hazy like a dream. But this time, she knew it wasn't.

"Are you alright?" She worried, resting a wing against her fiery scales. It was like Ember could read her mind, instantly sensing that something was strange. Phoenix caught her eyes turn to the 'artificer's stone' locked in her talons. "Did you… figure something out. You look like you've seen a ghost. Or, er, are a ghost."

Phoenix blinked, again, in bewilderment. What was her sister talking about- Phoenix immediately uncurled all her scales, jumping off the bed. Straight away, she spotted the icy white scales that covered her body. With a shudder, she let them shuffle into a pattern of blues and vivid lilacs.

Why did they do that? All her life, they'd never done changed. Then, suddenly, she was jabbed by some SkyWing- and, hey presto! She can change them at will! Or, they go white whenever they want.

"I'm alright, though I think I figured something out," Phoenix said, shaking her scales. She held out the red gem in her talons. Not the answers they wanted, but answers. "It's called an Artificer's Stone."

Ember muzzle went slightly agape, questions bubbling in her mind. "How did you figure that out?" She asked, clearly sensing something amazing.

"Well, Eventide was right," she shrugged her wings.

Phoenix described everything: how she had come to her hypothesis, what she'd seen and what she was told. It wasn't everything they needed, with Phoenix could see shining lights her her sisters eyes. Phoenix thought her sister would have been more suspicious, though she believed her true word of hers.

"How long was I asleep for this time?" Phoenix laughed.

Ember shook her head, still amazed. "I don't know. You've been gone for hours though. Phoenix, you weren't here. I thought you'd just wandered off-"

"What do you mean I wasn't here?" Phoenix raised an eye.

"You weren't here. Gone, couldn't find you in the academy anywhere. I just walked pasted a minute ago and you were back sleeping here- do you think," Ember said, staring at a random pebble on the ground, lost in thought. Phoenix knew what she was thinking.

"That I was actually there?" Phoenix blinked in her own amazement. "Cool."

"I- we should go tell the others," Ember suggested, her ears perked up high and her tail swaying. Phoenix could laugh at her eagerness, but that didn't surprise her. If a book could get her this excited, she it only made sense some old animus rock would too.

Phoenix nodded with a grin. "Lead the way," she said. Her sister shot off, and Phoenix followed behind. Her mind raked closely through the dream… or whatever she was supposed to call it.

It brought a strange, uncomfortable feeling to her: learning that what happened back at Observance wasn't left behind her. She'd hoped that it'd just vanish, that they didn't even really need to try and find Tepid. Though, learning that 'Snipe' was after the Artificer stone… that meant they weren't out the woods yet.

It was also worrying that whoever was trying to get the stone back was in the academy.

A little bit short, shorter then intended anyway- but it's for good reason! it was taking me a little while to get the full chapter written, so I ended up splitting it off here. Thanks for reading!