Prisoner Of War (Under Editing and rewrite)

Chapter One

Destruction

Life and death. Chaos and peace. Perfection and imperfection.

Time and life have their ways. It goes unplanned for all of us. It drags us into chaos, rips us up like paper, and shatters us into a thousand pieces. And somehow, we are supposed to be okay with this.

I wasn't, my sister, Creation wasn't. Time created us, and time will end us. Or at least for all I know time created me, I am chaos, disruption, imperfection, and death. My sister is life and perfection. We are opposites. It's only natural that we don't get along.

We had a realm, Ast'ylain. We both created and governed it, with equal forces. We both took charge of particular creatures, objects, disputes, and how life would work. Oftentimes, Creation was very controlling, she was a perfectionist. She never judged life accordingly.

Our balance got overthrown, and now here we are.

Shadow

Why was I created? I didn't want to be created. I know nothing of my origin, what faction I come from, or even who my family was. This war has done nothing for me. But, you know what's weird? I love it. I love the bloodshed and the violence because I grew up with that. I didn't have a faction. I survived with my instinct to hunt. That's when the war started, And when I was old enough to enlist, I did. But that was years ago. Since then I have climbed the ranks and become war-hardened. And we are losing

I walked into the meeting, getting stern looks from other dragons who think I am weak. Pathetic. I calmly walk over to the far edge of the room and sit down on the carpet. I got several glares at me from Magma, Whiteout, Torrent, and Tarantula before Destruction began. The room was a meeting room, with floor-to-ceiling windows so clean that it makes you wonder how often the servants have to clean the damn thing. The windows overlooked Canjux, the village nearby, the white sun shown in the dark gray sky as it was nearly nightfall.

"Ahem, would we know like to start? I called this emergency meeting for a reason, so state the facts first, and then I can share my news!" Destruction cleared his throat and then looked around eyeing us with his gray eyes, from the head of the table.

Tarantula stood up first and walked to the front to get everyone's attention. "Yes, as you may know, the Enlist Celebration is tonight, so we will assign mandatory mentors to recruits. So be prepared to get one, you never know if you will or not."

Shit, I forgot about that. Great. Suddenly, Destruction stood up, causing his big black milky shadow to swallow us up. And he angrily walked up to the front, just as Tarantula hurryingly walked back to her spot.

"As you know, Creation's forces have moved closer to our borders along Aye's Hold, her Raaze attacked last night. You may know that. But did you know that Four-thousand soldiers were left dead, and an entire fucking seven-thousand soldiers with injuries! Can anyone in this damn room care to explain this!"

Everyone went wide-eyed and silent before glaring at me. I started right back at them and cooly stated this.

"What, you think I did it? Some of my troops would have been there!"

They just kept staring at me, Magma shook his head.

"I am out of here! Good luck Destruction! I hope this goes well for the rest of you!" I got up and started marching for the door.

"Stop!" Destruction yelled.

"Shadow, if you walk out that door, I will make sure to make your life a living nightmare tonight!"

"Well then, I hope I die!" I turned around, glared at him, and gave him a psychopathic-toothed grin.

* * *

I ran after that, passed the startled guards, past the castle entrance, and down the streets of Canjux. The sun had just set, and the pale gray sky was getting darker by the minute, soon the Enlist Celebration would happen. I needed to clear my head. To any tavern nearby.

Dragons stared and flinched in my presence. It's due to my legacy, and behavior here. It has impacted Canjux quite a bit in the streets. It floats around all the damn time. What was it like last week? I believe the rumor was that I murdered five helpless dragons out of cold blood. Did I? Maybe I did...maybe I didn't. Who knows?

I got to the tavern named Three Arrows Tavern. Located in the lower part of Canjux. Here it was dangerous, one false move and you get your throat slit by some psychopath on the street. Be careful who you invite into your cave, there are assaulters there.

It was dark and depressing in the tavern, as it usually was. The only dragons there other than me were a few misguided souls, looking to get wasted, blackout, and get a hangover. Fun. Not me, strictly one drink for me tonight, and I then must, unfortunately, be off.

I paid for my drink with Aslians and drank by the white candlelight and started to run. Past the slummed caves of the lower part of Canjux, and up to the wealthier part. I was going to miss the ceremony. Sure, I am a lot to deal with, violence first, talk later. Sure I don't have the best manners all the damn time, but I can have manners, at least when I want to. And I was already in enough trouble with Destruction as it was.

I got to the castle fifteen damn minutes before it started. And I still had to frickin change into uniform, which in that case was frickin ceremonial armor. Heavy as hell, uncomfortable as hell, and not entirely enjoyable.

Anyways, I ran up to my cave in the castle, threw the heavy ass armor on, and walked to a flying platform with the other generals. And boy, was I about to enter hell.

Zephyr

"Do this bravely, look fear in the eyes, and yell no! Tell it to back the hell off!" My mother use to say when I was young. That was of course before she died, she was a legend to me. And like every great legend, they must eventually die, gone with the wind.

The sky was now a milky dark gray, two full moons have risen, and they were now making their journey across the skyway. I was forced to stand there, all regal and proper. Your head must be thrown back, and pointed upward, chest out and wings thrown back, it sucked, especially for me, since I am naturally competitive and ruthless. It is just not in my nature.

The horn blew, as Destruction and his royal guards started their procession, followed by all the commanders, captains, and lieutenants and finally the generals, all respected and feared dragons to force people into obedience. But also to help win this war.

Everyone was there, except for one, Shadow. That lying stealing bastard, he must be up to something! But what? I mean maybe-

Destruction cut off my train of thought with his ceremonial speech."

"Welcome to yet another Enlist Ceremony, may the two moons bless us with this group and night. For tonight there will be much partying. And let us thank those who will be honored in taking on these recruits as their apprentices, so that they too, may someday rise in the ranks!"

Destruction ended with a cheer at the podium.

"For Ast'ylain!" The crowd shouted as if it had been rehearsed over and over again.

And, it usually does. It always ends with everyone getting drunk and having hangovers, even the soldiers, and then everyone is cranky but recruits have to report to our mentors anyways. It's not pretty.

We continued the ceremony, recruits started getting matched up with their mentors one by one. The announcer started.

"Thrush, your mentor from now on until your graduation shall be general Whiteout."

The recruit bravely and boldly walked up to the menacing white and gray dragon with a scar over his left eye. The two glared at each other for a few minutes before nodding at each other and walking off.

"Snowy, you shall be matched with captain Thunder." The announcer stated clearly again. 

"And finally, Haze...you shall be matched up with- the announcer paused and looked up at me with sadness- General Shadow."

And that's when everything went up in flames.