Chapter 11
I DON'T NEED ANY OF THEM! THEY ALL ARE SLOWING ME DOWN! I AM BETTER THAN THEM!
Hunter stopped himself in his tracks when that thought went through his mind. He looked around and realized that he had been running with no sense of direction and was completely lost. But that didn't bother him at the moment, what more bothered him was the thought that just went through his head.
Better than them? But if I was, that means I have to be… no!
Hunter shook his head at the thought. No he wasn't better than anyone, being that is embracing all the status of being a royal.
And I don't want to be a royal! Hunter screamed in his mind and slapped himself. How could I have been so stupid as to explode like that?
"I can think of a couple ways," a voice said and Queen Ash appeared in front of him. Hunter got startled but quickly readied himself in his battle position, ready to charge at Queen Ash.
"Oh please there is no need for that," Queen Ash said. "I just want to talk."
"I'm not falling for it!" Hunter said. "It is all a trick with you!"
"Oh and is that what you thought back with your group of friends?" Queen Ash asked. "That they were all tricking you. A fool really thinks that."
"SHUT UP!" Hunter said. "They were… they were…" Hunter couldn't say it and saw the smile on Queen Ash's face.
"Exactly, they weren't tricking you, congrats for figuring it out," Queen Ash said. "Now you can truly see how you judged them too soon."
"Stop stalling," Hunter said. "I know you want something, but you won't get it!"
"Oh please, if I wanted something from you I would've just killed your friends and taken it from you already," Queen Ash said. "No, I just want to have a chat with you."
"Now why would you want that?" Hunter asked. "All you've ever tried to do is get in our way and have your followers kill us."
"Well that is a lie," Queen Ash said. "I never told them to kill you but some of them still tried because that is how dragons are, not loyal and inefficient."
"Says the murder who forces an entire continent to see you as their leader," Hunter said.
"That was for their own freedom," Queen Ash said. "If I didn't become leader, then they would be killing each other in an endless war to this day."
"I doubt that," Hunter said.
Queen Ash scowled and turned around. "Here, how about I show you something," she said. "Something that may open up your eyes."
"And why should I go anywhere with you?" Hunter asked. "It won't end well."
"Well maybe but it is a better option than what is slithering up around us right now," Queen Ash said and pointed behind Hunter. Hunter looked around and saw dragonbite vipers hissing and slithering towards him.
"This is their nest that you stumbled into," Queen Ash said. "So I suggest you come with me unless you want to be dragonbite viper food."
Hunter looked towards the vipers and then back to Queen Ash who had opened up one of her portals next to her.
"Fine," Hunter said and ran through Queen Ash's portal and appeared in a grass valley on the other side. Hunter looked around at the scenery around him and then saw Queen Ash come through her portal and close it behind her.
"This area is gorgeous," Hunter said but then made a suspicious face at Queen Ash. "Where did you take us?"
"Ah, isn't it obvious?" Queen Ash said. "This is Phales, the continent that started it all."
"Woah, woah, wait, you brought me to the continent you rule over?" Hunter asked. "Why, just to make me one of your obedient servants?"
Queen Ash laughed. "No, why would I need that?" she said. "I already have four tribes that I rule over."
"Unwillingly," Hunter added.
"Ah, you really think that I am bad, don't you?" Queen Ash asked.
"Well let's see, ruling over multiple tribes without them having their own say, saying that you would kill members in a tribe because one of them followed you and tried to expose you, making dragons into brain-dead beasts, do I need to go on?"
"Ah Hunter, you have it all mixed up," Queen Ash said. "Everything you've heard was one side of the story, would you like to hear my side?"
"Like I have a choice," Hunter said.
"Good," Queen Ash said. "Now I do admit that the whole brain-dead dragons was a little much but I was experimenting with my new powers back when I first got them and those dragons volunteered for the test."
"Uh huh," Hunter said.
"And when you are a ruler over multiple tribes, you have to put your talon down when dragons break the rules that you established to keep them safe."
"How are you keeping anyone safe?" Hunter asked. "All you are doing is forcefully ruling over them and they have no say over it."
"There is a lot that you still have to learn," Queen Ash said. "Here how about I show you around, then maybe I can show you the side that you weren't told about."
"I doubt that, I just want to go home," Hunter said. "You already stole the animus wristbands and done horrible things so I don't want to be around you anymore."
"Oh, you all really thought that I went to steal those lame wristbands?" Queen Ash said. "No, I just made you all think that so that I could get you alone to have a nice little private chat with."
"That was all a trick?" Hunter said and felt himself get angry.
"Listen, calm down and let's fly for a bit," Queen Ash said. "I want to show you a few things.
Hunter puffed but took to the sky and followed behind Queen Ash as she flew around Phales and pointed out different landmarks to Hunter.
"Over there in that massive stationary thunderstorm is where the Stormwings live," Queen Ash said. "The Divewings live somewhere in the ocean, not really bothered to figure out where, and the Earthwings live in the Green Vapor valley, which covers up more than half of the land on the continent."
"Why are you showing me all this?" Hunter asked.
"Why isn't it obvious?" Queen Ash said. "I want you to see how perfect everything is here, how I give my tribes all the freedom they want. In fact the Lavawings have the smallest area, only up in the Molten Mountains at the top of the continent."
"I don't get it," Hunter said. "Why are you showing me this? This isn't freedom, they are forced to follow your rule, they aren't allowed their free choice of voice."
"Hmm, isn't that what it means to have a ruler?" Queen Ash said. "A ruler takes some freedom from their people in order to make their lives better. Tulsi has to, same with Abrax, Nova, Flint, and any other rulers. In order to lead your dragons to a better life, you have to take something so that they are happy."
"But every other ruler only rules over one tribe, you rule over four," Hunter said.
"Queen Glory rules over two tribes," Queen Ash said. "What makes her different from me?"
"She cares about her dragons, unlike you," Hunter said.
"Really, I don't care about my dragons?" Queen Ash said and then Queen Ash teleported them to a mountain. Hunter looked around the mountain and at the valley below him before seeing the massive castle behind him on the mountain that they were on.
"Welcome to the Lavawing castle," Queen Ash said and then Hunter got teleported again into a room with two sleeping Lavawing dragonets.
"And these are my children," Queen Ash whispered. "The boy is Phoenix and the girl is Ember, and she will be the next one in line for the throne."
"Wait, there haven't been any others in line for your throne?" Hunter asked.
"Well I never decided to have dragonets until recently," Queen Ash said. "Had too many items on my talons to take care of first. But don't you see? If I was a dragon who didn't care about other dragons then why do I provide the utmost care to my two children?"
"Because they are your children, that's why," Hunter said.
"Doesn't matter," Queen Ash said. "I don't care if you believe me or not, I brought you here for another reason," Queen Ash said.
"And what's that?" Hunter asked, skeptically.
"Follow me," Queen Ash said and opened up the door that led to a massive hallway. Queen Ash started to walk down the hallway and Hunter followed her.
"Where are you taking me?" Hunter asked.
"You'll see," Queen Ash said. "Just look around at the beauty of this castle as we walk. Made entirely from plasmite and enhanced with animus magic, this castle can survive anything, even up to volcano eruptions, something I bet the Nightwings would have wanted."
"I doubt they would want it from you," Hunter said.
"Go on, doubt me," Queen Ash said. "But what I am doing is beneficial to all dragon kind for all eternity."
"Now how is that possible?" Hunter asked. "Especially considering how psychotic you are."
"I am not crazy," Queen Ash said. "Instead I'm just a dragon with a master plan."
"Which you will kill other dragons who get in your way," Hunter said. "Or want power for themselves."
"Ah, Hunter, Hunter, there is so much more for you to learn," Queen Ash said. "Follow me and I'll teach you some things."
"Augh, I'm done with this," Hunter said. "I know where this is going, you are going to try to make me join your side or have me have doubts about which side I'm on. Well it's not going to work, so you should just send me back right now."
Queen Ash didn't say anything and walked past Hunter to look at the sunset in the window.
"You know Hunter, you and I aren't so different," Queen Ash said.
"And how do you make that assumption?" Hunter asked. "We are so different from each other that we should be on different planets."
"But that is where you're wrong," Queen Ash said.
"Really, how's that?" Hunter asked.
"Well first off, you and I are both royals, wanting to make other dragons happy," Queen Ash said.
"I make dragons happy, you tear them apart!" Hunter said.
"And you don't?" Queen Ash said and brought up a hologram of Hope, Thunder, and Dredge in the cave that Hunter stuck them to the floor with his webs.
"But… I didn't… I wasn't,"
"Hunter, it's okay," Queen Ash said. "We all make mistakes and I'm here to help you."
"I doubt that," Hunter said.
"Anyway we both also want to have a greater purpose in life than just being royals. Yours is boring trying to be an ordinary dragon but I don't care. Mine is much more supreme and will benefit all dragons forever."
"And how is this master plan of yours going to do that?" Hunter asked.
"Oh you'll see," Queen Ash said. "If you want to follow me though. Or I could send you back to Petonix without you seeing. It's really up to you."
Shoot, Hunter thought. I should take her offer and get out of here while I can, but… and Hunter looked at Queen Ash. This may be my only chance to truly understand what her goal is. While she is evil, one thing she has said is true. If she wanted to kill us, she could have done it by now, so why didn't she?
"Ah, can you stop thinking and just pick?" Queen Ash asked. "It's getting boring hearing all your thoughts."
"Then stop listening to them!" Hunter scowled.
"I could," Queen Ash said. "But I don't want to."
"Agh, fine," Hunter said. "Show me this master plan of yours."
Queen Ash smiled. "Good," she said. "Follow me."
So Hunter followed Queen Ash outside and up the mountain and into the clouds until the terrain flattened out at the top. Hunter took a breather at the top and looked around. It looked ordinary for the most part and Hunter couldn't tell anything that was different.
"Uh, why did you bring me up here?" Hunter asked. "There is nothing here."
"Oh, not yet there is," Queen Ash said and then waved her claw in the air a few times. Then out of nowhere, a massive building appeared directly in front of Hunter and he jumped back, startled.
"Ah, don't be startled dear, this is just a lab where the master plan is going to take place," Queen Ash said.
"What do you need this for?' Hunter asked. "What is this master plan of yours?"
Queen Ash laughed. "Oh silly, do you not understand it by now?" Queen Ash asked.
"Uh, no," Hunter said.
"Fine," Queen Ash said. "I guess some dragonets need more explanation than adult dragons."
"What explanation?" Hunter asked.
"Oh Hunter, don't you get it?" Queen Ash asked. "My master plan that will bring peace and harmony to this whole world forever?"
"What is it?" Hunter asked.
"Well since you still don't know, I'll tell you," Queen Ash said. "I am going to summon our creators."