Hemera, the Light Rift Dragon
"Maybe we should have waited till morning." Ellie said as she watched the sun begin to rise. They had traveled all night.
"We don't have time to wait." Celtic held back a yawn. "Once we get to where we need to be, we can rest a little."
"There!" Ellie pointed to a small island hidden in some clouds. Celtic nodded. "'The place where Dawn and Dusk meet'."
"The island is always moving, but we found it." Celtic sighed with relief.
"If the island is always moving, how do we get back?" Ellie asked as they landed.
"We'll figure that out once we get to that point." Celtic spotted a shady spot of grass and they made camp.
"Now we rest?" Ellie asked as she stretched out.
"Now we rest for a little while." Celtic made sure Bane was safe and comfortable before laying next to Claddaugh and Sonnet. Arbor stayed close to his rider, constantly aware of the surroundings.
"Voltage, make sure to keep watch too. Take turns so none of you are too exhausted, okay?" Ellie's Electrum dragon nodded his head.
"Arbor, get some rest. Claddaugh will take first watch." Celtic knew the Seasonal dragon was just as stubborn as his rider. Reluctantly, Arbor laid his head down and closed his eyes.
"You would think you two wouldn't be so stupid as to leave yourselves so open to an attack." An unfamiliar voice came from the shadows.
"Lurking in the shadows, Rain, isn't exactly the smartest either." Celtic replied with her eyes still closed. "Blue must not have realized things have changed."
"How do you know my name?" Rain stepped forward. Her dark eyes scanned the area. When she stepped closer to Bane, Arbor growled.
"I won't stop him if he attacks." Celtic said as she looked at Rain.
"How do you know me?" Rain asked again.
"How much do you know about the Enchantress?" Ellie asked.
"She controls the elements. I think Eddie said eight..." Rain stood cautiously. "She is the reason Blue is dead. She is stopping Ember from having his Kingdom of Silence..."
"Anything else?" Ellie probed. She could tell the new General was unsure of things.
"She's engaged to her Guardian... a match of convenience, according to Blue." Rain watched as Celtic moved closer to Bane.
"I control ten elements. It is true that I killed Blue, but I was only defending my family. Blue betrayed us, so, ultimately, his death was his own fault." Celtic began to address what Rain had said. "I am trying to stop Ember's Silence because that is not how people should 'live'. I am engaged to my Guardian. I am engaged to him because I love him. Whether or not he loves me back is not for me to say. Even if it is a marriage of convenience for him, if he is at least happy with me, then I am fine with it."
"That still doesn't explain how you know me." Rain retorted.
"She has visions." Ellie blurted.
"I do have visions, but the Dark element alerted me to your awakening and presence here on this island." Celtic said matter-of-factly.
"How did you find us?" Ellie was curious.
"Someone named Justin said that I needed to learn and see for myself before committing to destroying hope." Rain answered sheepishly.
"..." Bane sucked in a breath and Celtic fell to her knees beside him.
"Celtic, what's wrong?" Ellie rushed over to her.
"We have to hurry... everything needs to be ready before the Blue Moon. If we don't make it in time, Bane will..." Celtic felt a sharp pain run through her.
"Bane will what?" Ellie began to panic.
"What's going on?" Rain questioned.
"Blue 'poisoned' Bane in order to get Celtic out of the way. If you don't get the ingredients for the anecdote before the Blue Moon, he will die." Justin appeared.
"He'll die?!" Ellie asked in disbelief. She watched as Celtic struggled to stand.
"What's wrong with her?" Rain asked.
"Bane is communicating with her through thoughts and visions. He would be trying to calm her, I'd imagine, if he wasn't in so much pain." Justin explained.
"Bane, I will find a way to break this, you just have to be patient. Trust me, I will find a way to save you. I can't do this alone, I need you beside me." Celtic held his hand and the pain ceased. "Hold on, Bane, I promise I will do everything I can to bring you back to me."
"..." Bane let out a long breath and his breathing became normal again.
"We have to hurry." Ellie said.
"Where do we start?" Rain asked. "You can trust me."
"That will be determined in time." Ellie countered.
"Dawn dragons can only be found grazing in the fields during sunrise." Justin said.
"Well, that time has passed. So I guess we work on the other ingredients until tomorrow." Ellie replied.
"'A star from the wings of a Light Rift dragon'..." Celtic thought for a moment.
"Light Rift dragon?" Rain asked.
"Light is their primary element." Ellie said. "So they would stay close to light... they would be on the side of the island light first touched."
"That way." Celtic pointed East. "We need to hurry, they will move with the light and end up on the other side of the island somehow." The three women journeyed to the most Eastern edge of the island.
"Celtic, can you trust Justin alone with Bane?" Ellie asked. "After everything he's done."
"Yes. Besides, dead or alive, Justin doesn't stand a chance against Arbor." Celtic replied with a little smile. As they approached the edge, they slowed down and became extremely quiet.
"Are those the Light Rift dragons?" Ellie whispered.
"They're so pretty!" Rain quietly added.
"Those are the Light Rift dragons." Celtic said. "They seem bigger than the domestic ones. Now to get a star from their wings."
"How do we go about that?" Rain asked. "Take one and run?"
"I don't think that would work too well." Ellie laughed.
"It's simple. We ask." Celtic stood up and started to walk towards the largest dragon in the field.
"'Ask'? Did she just say 'ask'?" Ellie and Rain looked at each other.
"I guess she knows what she's doing?" Rain sure hoped so.
"Enchantress, it is an honor." The dragon noticed Celtic's approach. "I am Hemera, how can I help you?"
"You can talk?" Celtic stopped.
"A select number of dragons have been granted that gift, yes. What is it that you seek so far from the kingdom?" Hemera took a few steps forward. The other Light Rift dragons watched the exchange for a few minutes before returning to their breakfast.
"..." Celtic fought the tears as she pictured Bane laying unconscious under the trees. "We need a star from the wing of a Light Rift dragon."
"Your Guardian is in trouble?"
"It is a matter of life and death." Celtic closed her eyes as the tears flowed. Hemera placed her forehead against Celtic's.
"I see. He is more than just your Guardian." She fluttered her wings out and then looked at Celtic."Please, take what you need. It would be a great honor to help you." Celtic reached over and gently plucked the starry scale off Hemera's wing.
"Thank you, Hemera." Celtic rubbed the dragon's forehead.
"This is for you. It will help you in your journey." Hemera lifted up her foot and revealed a half-sun pendant. "The Dark Rift dragon, Nyx, have the crescent moon piece. Once completed, it will help you find the Dawn and Dusk dragons. Good luck, Enchantress. If you ever need me, just send word."
"Thank you, again, Hemera." Celtic petted the dragon one last time before joining an awe-struck Ellie and Rain.
"'Ask' she says..." Rain looked at Celtic and then at the dragon.
"I guess it was that simple." Ellie wasn't sure what else to say. She hadn't expected what just happened.
"Now we need to find the Dark Rift dragons." Celtic said as she placed the starry scale in a pouch.
"Dark is their primary element." Rain felt a stronger connection to these dragons than to the Light Rift dragons.
"Which means... they will probably be on the other side of the island right now." Ellie commented.
"Let's go." Celtic and the two women set off in search of the Dark Rift dragons.