The Spark #2: Nightfall

Chapter 4: Aunn

Being inside Atlantis was even more incredible than viewing it from outside the dome. The city was built in a large cavity in the seafloor, so it extended down in a massive cylinder, with buildings on the cliff faces. Aunn and Sephas flew around taking it all in. Finally, they landed in a street, and started strolling around aimlessly.

"So where should we go?" Aunn asked.

"We could look for the palace," Sephas said.

"What would we do there? We don't know anyone in the Water Nation."

"Maybe we could get some kind of help... MAYBE... Argh, you're right. There's no point. I don't know why we came here in the first place."

"Well, the view is nice," Aunn said, tapping Sephas with her tail to get his attention. They sat together at the edge of the dome, watching the creatures and dragons swim around the ocean floor."

"Look, some crabs," Aunn said. "Do wonder if crabs think fish can fly?"

Sephas laughed. "Yeah, they're probably jealous."

They sat there watching in silence for another few minutes. Suddenly, they heard something behind them and turned to see three dragons approaching.

"Hello," one of them said. "Are you lost?"

"No, we're fine actually," Sephas said.

"Dragonlings shouldn't be on their own at this time of day, especially in this part of town. It's awfully dangerous."

The dragons held up their talons, letting them shine in the dim light.

Aunn was scared out of her mind, and Sephas was trembling next to her.

"We don't have anything to steal!" Sephas said. "Don't come any closer!"

"You look rather well-fed, though," one of the dragons said.

"We're not! We haven't eaten much in a long time! Go away, or..."

Aunn tried to get his attention, shaking her head vigorously.

"Or what?" the dragon said.

"Or I'll... I'll use my..."

While Sephas was still stuttering, a throwing star flew out of nowhere and struck one of the dragon's talons, and he screamed in pain. Two more dragons landed between them, each wearing a black helmet with a white eye on it. Each of them brandished more weapons and the attacking dragons flew away in fear.

"Wow!" Aunn exclaimed.

"...use my..." Sephas was still mumbling.

"That was incredible! Thank you!"

"You should get out of here," one of the dragons said, as they went to leave.

"Wait! We're not from here, and we're on our own. Can you help us?"

The first dragon looked to the other one, who nodded his approval.

"Alright, come with us," the first dragon said.

They flew deep into the city, and found the palace. Most of it was in an enormous tower that reached over halfway up the crevasse.

"Are we going there?" Sephas asked.

"No, just watch and follow," the second dragon said.

They flew toward a small well out of the way, and the second dragon dove straight it.

"Wait!" Aunn said. "We're not Watersparks!"

"It's ok," the first dragon said. "It doesn't go very far down."

She jumped into the water, and Aunn and Sephas reluctantly followed. She had been right, though. There was a tunnel about twenty feet into the well that led up to a dry cave. There were another dozen dragons in it, and they all turned to look at the newcomers.

"Who are they?" one asked.

"Some kids we found on the street," the second dragon said, removing his mask, as did the first dragon. They set the helmets on a rack with many others.

"What is this place?" Sephas asked. "Who are you?"

"You just brought two random dragonlings into our hideout?" one of them said.

"Yeah," the first dragon said. "Do something about it."

No one spoke up, even though the dragon who had objected was bigger and stronger than her.

"Where are you from?" the second dragon asked.

Neither Aunn nor Sephas spoke.

"You're safe here, it's ok."

"I'm Aunn, and this is Sephas. We're part of the revolution that freed the Ironsparks."

All the dragons gasped, and Sephas winced. Aunn tensed herself, but the dragons were more happy than shocked.

"Thank goodness we found you!" the first dragon said, putting her talons on Aunn's shoulders. "We would have helped you if we'd known you were doing it!"

"Who are you?"

"We're the Water Sect of the Order of the Blind Eye," the second dragon said. "I'm Rigel, and your other rescuer is our mighty leader, Princess Lorena."

"Princess?!" Sephas exclaimed. "You're the princess?!"

"Yeah," Lorena said, smiling at him. "It's ok, you don't need to bow or anything."

"What is the Blind Eye?" Aunn asked.

"An international order made to preserve peace in Erulae," Rigel said. "Mostly, though, we just keep the locals safe. But the Cauldron has been a target for a long time. But it's hard to get all the Sects organized."

"There's one in every nation?" Sephas asked.

"Yep. It was started about fifty years ago, in the Earth Nation. We still don't know who the founder is."

"But this is great!" Lorena said. "We can help you, and you can help us. And YOU..." She pointed at Sephas and he squirmed away.

"Don't worry," she continued, holding out her talon, palm upward. "We're not going to hurt you. We want to help dragons like you."

Sephas took a deep breath and took her talon. She pulled him into the middle of the cave, and Aunn followed. 

Lorena put a talon on each of their shoulders. "I'm sure what you've gone through has been awful. It's going to be ok."

"Do you know where the others are?" Rigel asked. "Your allies?"

"No," Sephas said. "They... banished us."

"What? Why?"

Sephas was reluctant to answer, so Aunn did. "I'm a Windspark. The Ironsparks are really, really angry at their captors. Many of them want revenge. But they also sought out a home. They talked about going south."

"To the uncharted lands?" Rigel said. "Most of that's desert."

"Well, they're not picky."

"Fair enough," Lorena said. "But revenge... What did you mean by that?"

"She meant war," Sephas said grimly.

Aunn looked at him. He was so sad and worried and hurt and she wished that she could help him, that she could make it better. 

"War," said one of the other dragons. "Mordecai's tail, the Ironsparks would wage war on all of Erulae?"

"They're... very upset," Aunn said.

"We have to commune with the other Sects," Lorena said. "Rigel, fly to the Earth Nation. Taphe, go to the Wild Nation. We've gotten reports that Ayrahl is there, he'll help you reach the Wind Nation."

"Ayrahl?" Sephas said.

"He's the leader of the Wind Sect."

Sephas smiled. "Of course he is."