The Night Furies had escaped into a tunnel far too narrow for their queen, but slowed their pace not a bit. They felt the mountain trembling behind them and heard a devastating crack. The path beneath their feet began to split and the ceiling above their heads began to crumble. The faint light of a cloudy night sky shimmered hopefully beyond the chaos of the caves, and they broke out into the chill night just as the tunnel collapsed behind them, temporarily blocking the sounds of the queen's wrath.

The female set her hatchling on the ground once more, panting furiously, eyes barely more than slits in her fear. Her mate turned his gaze from the night sky to his family, giving her a reassuring nod before focusing on their child.

His weary blue eyes settled on innocent green, and he felt the weight of the world fall away. But it left him feeling sad, as he knew the weight would soon fall to his son. With a deep sigh, he spoke.

"We haven't had near enough time," he whispered sadly, almost to himself. Then he steeled himself for his mate and son's sakes, shaking the remorse and worry from his mind, focusing on the present. "Son, it's time for you to go. You remember what I told you." It was not a question. His son was trying his hardest to hide his fear. He had not seen what was in the mountain, but he had felt its power, and it had shaken him to his core. At his father's words, he did his best to shake it off, as his father was.

"I remember," he nodded proudly. "Go north and don't stop until I find the Bewilderbeast." His fear was forgotten at the mention of the Bewilderbeast, but it was replaced with sad confusion at his father's forlorn expression. "Why can't you and mum come too? Don't you want to find the King, too?"

"We can't, dear," his mother spoke in a kind tone and walked over to her boys. "Your dad and I have to stay here," her voice cracked and her eyes stung with unshed tears.

"Why?" He felt his fear rising again. He wasn't strong like his dad or smart like his mum. How was he going to find the legendary dragon when he had never even been outside the nest before?

"We have to stay and help our friends here. They need us here. And they need you to find the King," his mother said encouragingly.

Seeing that it did little to reassure the young dragon, the larger male stepped in. "Son, this is important. This is more responsibility that someone your age should have to bear, but it is painfully necessary. You cannot stay here, it is not safe for you."

"And it is for you?" he asked desperately looking for any reason to stay or convince his parents to leave as well. He may not have understood the full scope of the situation, but he did not want to run away if he could do fight.

"No it's not. But that's exactly why you have to leave. The King can help us, he can save us. Do you understand? There is nothing you can do to help us here, as much as I know you want to." The small dragon looked hurt. "But that doesn't mean you can't help. The best thing you can do for your mother and I, and everyone else here, is find the King." He paused to give his son a moment to process that, and he could see his young mind whirring behind his green eyes.

A heavy thud echoed deep in the mountain, shaking small rocks loose from the cliff above their heads.

The couple looked at the mountain as it trembled. "We are out of time. Remember, go north and don't stop. Don't stop," he repeated, his heart aching with the thought that he might not see his son again. But with a bittersweet smile, he remembered that any life away from the False Queen was worth the cost.

The mountain shook again, and with more vigor. The queen was breaking out. Larger stones shook down from the cliff and the blue-eyed dragon picked his son up and just as they rock wall burst apart, took to the skies. But even now, they felt the Queen's pull on their minds, not allowing them to travel very far. Frustrated, they were forced to slow as they tried to break her control in these last few moments.

Dust and smoke filled the sky, obscuring the young one's vision. There was a thunderous crack and he was thrown from his father's grasp. He struggled for a moment to break his free fall and flapped vigorously to get clear from the heavy cloud. He landed ungracefully on a sea spire and turned to find his parents.

A blast of blue fire lit up the cloud, illuminating a massive shadow. Shrill screeches mixed with thunderous roars and more blue fire exploded against the shadow. A smaller black shadow broke through the cloud and began scanning the waters frantically. A small wave a relief washed over the hatchling. After spotting him on the spire, his mother darted towards him. The air grew quiet for a moment as she streaked towards him, everything a stifling grey once more.

"Son, you need to go now!" She cried. Before she could call out again, the cloud behind her broke.

His relief shattered instantly as a jaw the size of a mountain consumed the world before him. Green smog trailed over teeth the size of trees and spilled over in poisonous waves. For all the horror before him, he could not focus on anything other than the small black shadow in the center of the scene. Eyes brighter than the sun shone down on him, filled with all the hope and love in the world. Time slowed and frantic wing beats turned sluggish, and a resigned peace settled on her face as she beamed down at her son, her whole world.

Bubbling red fire blinded him and time snapped back to horrifying speeds. The jaws snapped shut with a sickening crack and the sun was snuffed out.

"MUM! NOOOO!" he shrieked. The monster bore down on him and he was forced to move.

His mind reeled as he struggled to get out of the beast's path, instinct taking over as his young heart all but gave out. North, he thought. His wings beat of their own accord and he rose into the cloud cover above. He felt the wind vortex around him, pulled down by the heavy strokes of monstrous wings. Faster than he knew he could fly, he streaked through the dark world, death on his tail. North.

As young as he was, in his frantic state, he was far faster that the Red Death that followed him. In a fit of blind fury, the massive dragon released a torrent of heavy flames into the air that tore at the clouds around him. His still soft scales tried to resist the heat but he felt his skin searing. He tried to dive out of the inferno but the Hel-fire enveloped the world.

He was consumed by fire, red and blazing. Then pain, tearing at his mind and body, and he plummeted from the sky. Sharp pain shot through the burning as he hit the sea, then blissful darkness overtook him as he sank beneath the waves.

North, his last thought drifted in the waves around him. But I have to go No…