Astraeus, the Dusk Dragon

-Main Island-

"Should we wait until Celtic and the others get back?" Eme asked as the group continued to discuss what could be done about the Silence.

"It would be easier with everyone here, but we can't stop. We can't wait around." Nate replied. He knew it would still be a few days before Celtic and the others returned. There would be five altogether it they were successful... six, if they were successful AND found the General of Light.

"We don't know how long they'll be." Andy stated. "Even Justin said we couldn't just sit around waiting... that's would Blue expects us to do."

"Trusting Justin now?" Latias asked.

"Trusting reasoning." Andy countered.

"This Silence has spread to every island and we don't know how it works." Grim stated the obvious.

"Celtic would be able to help figure out how it works. We can at least figure out how to break it." Bre said. They all knew Celtic's visions were key to figuring out how the Silence worked.

"Can we break it without knowing how it works?" Wolfie asked.

"We can throw ideas around." Joy thought for a minute. "We just can't sit and do nothing."

"Perhaps with Heat, Simen, and Adriano's help, we can begin to understand how the Silence can be broken." Nate wondered if those three all had a similar experience.

"Why Heat?" Andy asked. "He's not a General anymore."

"Once a General, always a General." Heat countered. "I may not be able to control Fire anymore but the element is still a part of who I am. However, if you should feel so inclined to leave someday, I may just take that place back."

"Alright, you two..." Nate let out an exasperated sigh. "Heat is correct though. Once a General, always a General. When people like Heat, Echo, Pickle, and Wiz left, they might have lost the ability to control their element, but the element is still a part of their essence."

"So, if Andy were to decide to leave, Heat could become the General of Fire again?" Frost stressed the word "if".

"That I am not to sure about." Nate replied. "If we could drag Argyos out of the Dragonarium, he might be able to shed more light on that."

"Yeah, ever since that thing was built, Argyos has been in there." Grim laughed.

"Anyways, none of that really matters right now..." Simen said.

"Simen's right, we have a lot more to worry about." Eme agreed. The group went back to discussing the Silence.

-the Twilight Island-

"Um... the moon part is glowing." Rain pointed out. They had been resting for a while.

"The Dusk dragons must be close then." Ellie suggested.

"We should get moving." Celtic stood up and stretched.

"Celtic, can I talk to you for a moment?" Justin looked at Celtic and then at Ellie and Rain. "Alone?"

"We'll just... go over there." Ellie pulled Rain with her. They stood within eyesight but were where they couldn't hear.

"What's going on?" Celtic was uneasy.

"Run away with me." Justin took her hand in his.

"What?!" Celtic pulled away instantly.

"Is it because I'm technically dead?" Justin asked.

"No. I mean, of course, that has something to do with it but that's not the only reason." Celtic acted confused.

"Then why?" Justin stepped closer.

"Why are you doing this?" Celtic took a step back.

"Hey! What's going on?" Rain and Ellie ran over to stand beside Celtic.

"This is between Celtic and me." Justin glared at the two.

"Get out of here, Blue." Celtic gritted her teeth.

"Blue?" Justin looked hurt. "I don't understand."

"You gave yourself away. Justin wouldn't have said 'run away with me'." Celtic stood straight.

"I would have said 'marry me'." The real Justin emerged from the woods.

"..." The fake Justin shimmered and Blue appeared in his place. "Fools!" He shouted before disappearing.

"Okay... that was weird." Rain said.

"He probably came to see why Rain hadn't returned." Justin said. "But now I'm curious..."

"About?" Ellie asked.

"What reasons Celtic was going to give."

"As soon as he said 'run away with me', I knew it wasn't Justin." Celtic said. "That's the only reason you need."

"Hold on." Rain said as Celtic turned to leave. "So if it really had been Justin, you would have agreed?"

"I didn't say that." Celtic looked at Bane. "There are other reasons... the biggest one is laying right there."

"I wouldn't have even bother to ask..." Justin replied. "I know I don't stand a chance against him."

"We need to go. We don't want to miss the Dusk dragons." Ellie said.

"..." Celtic watched Bane for a few moments more.

"He's going to be fine, Celt." Rain squeezed her shoulder.

"I know." Celtic said and then headed in the direction the pendant showed.

"Enchantress, I've been expecting you." A dragon they had never seen before, appeared before them. "I am Astraeus, Nyx told me to expect you."

"Thank you for..." Celtic started to say but was interrupted by a roar.

"What the heck?!" Rain and Ellie flanked Celtic; their stances tense.

"Eos and I do not trust easily. You have to prove yourselves to me. If I agree, I will then pass along the message to Eos." Astraeus said.

"So, if I don't prove myself to you, Bane will die? You would just let him die?!" Tears burned Celtic's eyes. "If he dies, so will a lot of other things..."

"Like what?" Astraeus watched Ellie and Rain try to support their friend.

"The trees, the weather, Nature herself..." Rain said when Celtic couldn't speak.

"Is that all?" Astraeus had a mocking tone to his voice.

"Is that all?!" Ellie fumed.

"It's okay." Celtic said through the tears. "Nature, herself, will die in a lot of ways if Bane dies. But... hope will die, Arbor will never recover, everything we've built so far will start to crumble."

"And what about you, Enchantress? What will happen to you if your Guardian dies?" Astraeus could see that Celtic and the others were putting everything before themselves.

"..." Celtic fell to her knees.

"She'll never recover and will probably, eventually, die from a broken heart." Rain knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"She won't love another? And, Celtic, who would you blame for his death?" Astraeus had to ask these questions.

"Myself." Celtic said without hesitation. "I would blame myself for not being strong enough or good enough to save him." She looked at the ring on her finger. "And, no, I will never love another."

"I see." Astraeus thought for a moment. He laid down and pushed his head gently against Celtic's. "You are stronger than you think. You are all stronger than you think." He looked up at the other two women. "Please, take what you need. If you need anything, use that pendant to get a hold of me."

"Thank you." Celtic gently pulled a dark scale from Astraeus' head.

"I will pass on my thoughts to Eos and she may or may not have you prove yourselves to her as well." Astraeus stood up as did Celtic. "There is something else I need to give you."

"You have given us plenty." Ellie said.

"You will need this. I do not have it with me though... I will send it with Eos. If not, you will see me again soon." Astraeus bowed slightly before taking flight.

"I guess it's back to camp until dawn?" Rain asked. The three women made their way back to the center of the island. All were emotionally drained.

"Are you alright?" Justin asked when he saw them. "You look exhausted."

"I really hope Eos doesn't test us like that..." Ellie said as she flopped down in the grass.

"Ah... Dawn and Dusk dragons are not so trusting." Justin remembered what he'd heard years ago.

"That's an understatement." Rain said as she closed her eyes.

"Celt, get some rest." Justin noticed that she was sitting next to Bane. She brushed some hair out of his face before laying down. "Everything is going to work out. You have to believe that."

"Yeah." Celtic closed her eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.