Chapter 0: The Beginning
Year 2007 AS, the Brightest Night
The world is finally rewarded for waiting a millennia as each of the three moons are full, pouring on the land that watches them all their light, all the essences they create. Giving all the habitants a little bit of magic, enough for any dragon to wonder, even the ones that never saw it.
Despite the night being the half when dragons rest with closed eyes except nightwings, all tribes make an exception for that night, staying awake at least a bit longer. But the world of dream isn't untouched by the moons either, with dreams and nightmares of all kinds being magnified.
Visions of another part of world, or of a future cross with the unreal, and for some very lucky ones, they might get a glimpse of something so far away and hidden that will be.
All around Pyrrhia, places were a thousand years ago once stood temples and buildings showing the worth of their era, are now caught in a magical aura, the many shards of mighty crystals still absorbing the moons essences.
Such a spectacle will make it to all the queens, as nothing can stop the rumours from spreading and force the witnesses to forget.
Inside a room hidden in the middle of the desert, a skywing awoke in a large room. It was the one corpse who was more alive than dead, blessed by magic and fate to remain in one functional piece.
Since the moons are full, it had a surge of power, strength returns to them enough so their metabolism starts again.
The dragons around them watch the creature coming back to life, their heart beats faster, their breathing intensify, the energy circulates and accumulates until it reaches a critical point.
The Revenant opens their eyes instinctively, showing they have a silver iris and pupil like moonlight piercing the rest of the eyes being pitch black. Magic has spoken her will, its vessel will come back to life and decay will fail once and for all.
Having watched that sudden reaction, one of the dragons exits the room, likely to inform others of the creature being alive...
Inside the Kingdom of Night, a nightwing named Foeslayer and an icewing named Arctic wait patiently for their two eggs to hatch, watching them with utter focus. One of the egg is shaking a lot, in a few moments, the dragonet will come out of it and see the world for the first time. So the two parents talk about what name shall each of their children bear.
Foeslayer claims that the first one to hatch will be named Darkstalker, as way to say he will stalk and hunt the darkness like a hero. Arctic however, makes it clear he doesn't like the idea, saying such a name is scary and not good at all from his tribe's view.
He then says that he should get to name his first dragonet, but his wife refuse, replying that as a mother she has that right. Both begin to grow frustrated at the other, their words and tone becoming tainted by anger.
Hearing the mind of his parents in conflict, the dragonet uses the little strength he has to shatter his shell and come out to do something against the conflict. Using the gift from the moons naturally, he hears the mind of his father, full of anger for his mother and a bit for him, and the mind of his mother, angry at his father but having love for him already.
Too focused on arguing, the two parents are surprised when their son has come out of his egg and put himself at Foeslayer's side while casting an angry glare at Arctic. After a moment, Arctic admits defeat but at least he get to name his second child.
Realizing his mother is not in danger anymore, Darkstalker approaches the other egg, he know thanks to his foresight that it contains his sister, and that she will be named... Blackless? Yes, that will be her name, the future he focus on can't lie, but it has many versions, all being created by what he do.
Darkstalker can leave her alone, resulting in father Arctic focusing completely on her, and being the first dragon she will love. Or he can be near her, but depending on how present he is beside her egg, the results all point at a slightly different direction, with her sister's feelings being hard to decipher.
Or he can help his sister and hatch her egg this night, but he sees in this future that while his sister would be blessed by the moons, his parents would immediately come back and then argue again.
No! He can't help her hatch, the following event must remain free from too much pain and frustration. Beside, just being here without doing much isn't so bad, it's calm and nice, and the three moons are beautiful.
Speaking of moons, Darkstalker thanks them while staring at them with determination, they have given him his powers, he will use them as intended. He was born with dominance over the world, he will become the greatest dragon like he is supposed to be.
Raising his talon and opening his paw while his mind desire and feels greatness, a glowy silver mist appears around his claws, magic! Excited of this discovery about himself, the dragonet moves his talon more and more, almost dancing, until he turns his head and sees his father watching the scene, his expression neutral.
Darkstalker frowns and points his talon at him before he collapses almost instantly, falling asleep. Seeing all of that, Arctic now stares at his son a bit shocked. After a moment, he leans his talon, poking him a bit before grabbing him.
But before he can hold his son for a good moment, Foeslayer speaks to him again, her voice still having a bit of disdain from the last argument.
- "A bit of a hypocrite with your feelings aren't you."
The icewing growls a bit in response.
- "Now put down my son, he will feel better around me than around you."
The anger in Darkstalker's father at that moment is best not to be show at anyone, least of all Foeslayer even if she thinks she have seen it all.
- "I am still his father, I can be here for him too."
Looking more at her son than him, the nightwing dragoness replies mercilessly.
- "I saw you don't wanted him when he hatched. So don't try to fool me."
Hearing these words, Arctic quickly puts down the dragonet and turns his head, not wanting to look at his wife.
It is with that frustration that the two parents live trough the night, stopping them from having a lovely moment with their child's first day…
Queen Diamond of the icewing lays on her throne with annoyance and frustration at the sight of the moons, too tired at the moment to be furious at what has been done in the recent past. But she still can't get over the fact that they have taken her son, the prince of her tribe under the guise of negotiation!
Since that humiliating event for her and all the icewings, the only decision to take was to wage war against the traitorous snakes that have ordered that. And if she must shed the blood of all the nightwings between her and her enemies, then so be it.
They don't who they are messing with, her tribe has endured pain and suffering more than any others so that each member is worthy to be and survives in this cruel world. When she will have them in her talons, she will make them regret what they have done, she will make them regret ever having hope in their lives and the future after their treacherous act.
It may take year for justice to come, but she will not stop until the culprits pay for their crime, most of all that insultingly foolish queen and that manipulative worm bearing the name of Foeslayer…
Queen Scorpion of the sandwings stands over her throne, grinning at the moons as her mind pictures all sorts of worthy treasures hiding at the end of all these rumours. With a few animi playing little tricks voluntarily or not, and the moons being at the center of so many myths and legends, Scorpion couldn't have anything better to please her mind.
And with the war between the nightwings and icewings going on, she just has to wait and let them fight on her ground for the gold and advantageous deals to come at her. It's just so dumb and easy, being at the right position and doing nothing, but it works.
These others tribes really are a bunch of useful idiots, thinks the queen, and what a strange world we live in, but as long as it stays that way, I won't trade it for anything else.
The dragoness looks at her paws greedily and chuckles, this night will be a good night to rest and dream, that much was sure…
Queen Lagoon of the seawing rest on her invaluable seat, contemplating the full moons as she reflects on what she have. Her tribe really has been blessed to have an animus, and now all her desires and ambitions, even the craziest, have become a little more possible.
While one dragon with magic is not enough, it is the start of something greater than anything her tribe has ever known. She just has to train Albatross so he develops his potential, then he can teach all that he knows to the younger animi and the cycle repeat until her tribe can dominate the entire world on a whim.
Since she was little, Lagoon heard of the tales of the golden age of magic, of the ancient times set a thousand years ago. When she became queen, she changed a lot from the somewhat docile daughter she was at the beginning. But despite killing her mother for the throne, it seems a part of her younger and innocent self was integrated in her ambition.
Now that she is at the top, there is only two things to do, doing everything to stay on throne and using magic as fast as possible. And she must break all the taboo to succeed, making herself immortal and playing with life and death, then so be it…
Queen Vigilance of the nightwings looks over the window of her palace, staring at the three full moons as she rest on her throne. The throne she resides in is quite empty, with only the two necessary guards for the large door.
While this night is one with a lot of festivities she prepared, it is The Brightest Night after all, the complete glory of the tribe's venerated symbol. She has decided to stay here and alone, having all the time to think of anything without distraction. And she will need it, beside the fact that it is risky to join into that crowded party, a good occasion for assassination attempts, she needs to anticipate the future.
With the three full moons come nightwings being gifted more than ever, adding on that the possibility that Arctic's children will be born and one has magic, the queen finds herself in a tricky situation.
She will have to maintain control over all of them, thinks the queen, educate them to be her best assets, and if their loyalty fades away or they become too problematic, she will have to discard them without making too much of a mess…
