Quest to the Shadows

Repercussion's

Willow, Pearl and Fledge gave out a cry of rage and despair as if they were one. Then as one body they rushed to the spot where Silver had last been standing, as a majestic dragon who deserved a death far more honouring than to detonate into a cloud of ash from the greediness of the King. Behind her, Willow heard an angry nicker from Pearl and an angry call from Fledge. Whirling around to confront her brother she stops in surprise like an arrow to her heart.

All of the court was gone and four burly looking knights were chaining Pearl and Fledge. Willow rushes to help them but is seized by two strong soldiers herself. "Let me go! Let me go!"  Hadeon snickers as he passes her with a long grey to black coloured sword in his hand. Fearfully Willow recognizes this as one of the most powerful blades in the kingdom. She thought that it had been destroyed but now it lay in her brother's hand glinting evilly as he advanced on Pearl. When she saw the blade Pearl intensified her efforts to get away. It was not to be so. Hadeon had reached her and held the glittering sword high above his head as he prepared for the blow. Pearl screamed and kicked in rage and fear, but Fledge and Willow were petrified with horror. "Be still Beast! Before I really kill you!"  Hadeon spat. Cowering in fear Pearl complied. Down came the dreaded blade straight through the horn of the Majestic Unicorn. A note like a bell sounded when the horn fell to the ground.

When Pearl heard and saw her precious horn on the ground she nickered with surprise and fright and slowly tumbled to the ground. "Take her to the dungeon."  Hadeon ordered. "Leave the others though, for I have more in store for them."  King Hadeon proclaimed throwing a villainous look to his sister. Willow and Fledge shared a fearful look. They could guess what was coming. The soldiers left with Pearl down through a narrow door heading down damp steps. "Bring the falcon to me."  At first Fledge was rooted in place afraid of what torture Hadeon had come up with to dishearten anyone who opposed his power. As Fledge snapped back into focus realizing the predicament he was in, he began to struggle. With his talons he scratched the arms of the soldiers that held him. Though he struggled with all the life and strength in him the guards dragged him ever closer to the persecutor of life and hope. Towards the King of Darkness.

When Fledge was finally dumped in front of Hadeon all the fight and strength had been absorbed from him. The King observed the conquered falcon with scorn, glaring at him with spiteful eyes. Out of his belt he pulled a pair of gold edged scissors. When Fledge saw these a new flash of fear invaded his eyes. Everyone knew that a Peregrine Falcons greatest pride is his wings. It was the cruelest thing to do to any bird and showed just how far Hadeon was willing to go to keep his throne and the power he held. Hadeon grabbed Fledge's left wing in an iron grip and extended the wing to its fullest extent. Fledge knew that if he tried to jerk his wing back it would mean that his wing would be dislocated or broken and that would be worse than being clipped. The golden scissors glimmered with an evil glow as feather after feather fell to the ground. Willow could not believe how cruel her brother really was. He had always been a bit gruff when they played as kids. But he had hidden this side from all of them and now with no father to keep his activities in check, he could be his full self.

As the last feathers fluttered down to the ground Willow breaks her silence "Brother how can you be so cruel? Father would never have allowed this! So why are you doing this now?" His reply was cold, off-handed and simple. "Father is dead and now I am King."  Shocked into silence by his reply, Willow just stares into his eyes and sees that he has always been ruthless and will continue to be until he is stopped. Turning back to his soldiers, Hadeon gave them an order. "Put the falcon in the cell next to the other one and chain him there. We don't want our 'guest' to try escaping through the window and falling down to their deaths."  Fledge for once barely struggled. Still in shock from the loss of his flight.

(The image used for this cover is not made on meiker.io, it is straight from the internet - all credits to the artist.)