Wings of Fire Fanfic Rise of the Ice Phoenix

Prologue

Within the stone bowels of the frosted mountain, an IceWing of shining white and lilac scales made her way through the icy caverns. She clutched a fragile yet unusual cargo - an egg - and one she was carefully keeping hidden from view. She soon reached a door decorated with carvings of mammoths, guarded by two IceWings who stood unmovingly, loyal to their purpose.

This is it, she thought. Her talons tapped her egg for a few seconds, wondering about the conciseness of her transgressions. If she could avoid the punishment of being banished to the seventh circle, and if it was worth the lone survivor...

Yes, yes it is. All for the sake of the queen and tribe, she reassured herself. After a few minutes more of steadying herself, her claws ceased to tap.

With newfound confidence she strode to the door.

"HAULT!" One of the guards roared.

"No foreign dragon eggs are allowed in the hatchery!" The other snarled. The female IceWing stood tall and proud with certainty, hiding her unease and worry,

"I think you will find that this is indeed an IceWing egg, you popsicle brains. I laid it myself thank you very much," she snarked back.

The guards seemed confused at first. Then, one contorted his face in anger.

"YOU DARE TAINT THE ICEWING BLOODLINE AND DEFY OUR TRADITION!?" The guard reached for the pale blue egg, the visible force behind the action making his intention clear.

She quickly recoiled to protect her egg. She was scared this would happen... but she knew who was coming.

"Frostclaw! What is the meaning of this!" A female dragon regally walked down the corridor. The guards stopped and bowed in her glittering radiance. So too did the mother while still clutching her egg.

It was just as she had predicted; Queen Glacier was coming to check on the hatchery as she usually did around that time. A wave of relief washed over the mother, but her anxiety wasn't fully washed away. What if the queen didn't see things her way? What if Queen Glacier tried to destroy the egg?

"Blizzard has laid an egg, my queen. An egg that is not fully IceWing. I was trying to destroy it," Frostclaw reported. Blizzard held in her excuses and explanation so as not to anger her queen.

Glacier turned stoically to Blizzard. Her eyes were filled with intrigue though, Blizzard could see it. Her heart skipped a beat. This was her chance, but she had to be careful.

"How interesting... Now why would one of my IceWings break tradition and go against our laws and rules? Yet bring her egg here with the chance of being thrown into the seventh circle and her egg being destroyed? Blizzard, do you mind explaining your actions please?" Glacier's calm demeanour was almost soothing to Blizzard at this point.

"Your Majesty, thank you. This egg is mixed with a RainWing-" the guards looked even more vexed, and Queen Glacier raised a brow, "-RainWings have useful abilities that they never use! This one dragonet could help end the war."

Queen Glacier's interest peaked, but the guards chuckled. She gave them an intimidating look and they swiftly silenced themselves.

"Go on Blizzard, I'm listening" Her voice was kind yet curious, and Blizzard knew why.

"W-well RainWings have two weapons; a venomous spit that acts like an acid, melting the opponent, and invisibility" Blizzard continued as the queen pondered.

"And it has a chance of being an animus, I presume?" Queen Glacier inquired. It will be ok, Blizzard thought, the queen wants to keep the egg!

"Yes, Your Majesty. Animus magic runs in my family; the dragonet could be an animus dragon."

The queen continued to think. She then turned to the guards.

"Leave the egg alive; we will put it in the hatchery. If anyone complains, say I approved its hatching."

Blizzard cheered in her head over her victory, all her troubles seemingly melting away like ice in the sun. Relieved, she turned to Queen Glacier.

"Thank you so mu-" The queen's gaze cut her off. The stern look in her eyes brought all of Blizzard's troubles rushing back.

"You still need to be punished and I shall do so accordingly. Your goal was to create a dragon to use in the war, one that no one will expect. However, I cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that you had eggs with a RainWing. After careful consideration, this is your punishment."

The queen stopped to take a deep breath. Blizzard's mind raced with fears and worries, as she tried her best not to quiver before her queen.

"You shall train this dragonet, and by its seventh hatching day it must qualify for the first or second circle. If not, then your dragonet shall be banished from the homeland, and you shall be banished to the seventh circle."

Blizzard let out the breath she had been holding. Being banished was one of the possibilities she feared the most. She didn't know if her dragonet had a chance of making it so far. But Blizzard would try to remain hopeful.

The Hatchery doors opened and Blizzard followed the queen in, head held high even though she wanted to bow it in misery. Glacier pointed to a bright spot in the hatchery.

"Place your egg there, Blizzard."

Blizzard did as told and looked upon her pale blue egg. It shone like a million jewels, and on its surface, a vivid rainbow was revealed.

"Such a pretty egg... are there anymore?" Queen Glacier asked.

Blizzard gave her queen a sorrowful look, her shoulders slumping. The queen's gaze became solemn; she knew what that meant.

"I'm sorry," Glacier apologised, carefully maintaining her composure while also sounding genuine.

"It's alright, my queen. Eggs with no dragonets in them are to be expected from time to time... at least I have this one," Blizzard said. She lifted her head up, regaining control over her emotions.

"I'm sure my dragonet will be a valuable addition." Blizzard spoke with certainty.

Glacier nodded. Her eyes were warm yet saddened, though her stoic demeanour remained unchanged.

"See to it that they do," the queen advised, "Our people depend on our soldiers. Teach your dragonet well, and may the strength of the great IceWing be with you."