Dragon Prince: The Dragon's Star

Chspter Six: The Dance

Diana had opened her eyes to see she was on a stage with a patch of white light shining down her, but nobody was watching her. She was surprised to see a pile of keys underneath her and poking her skin. She watched as the keys float off of the stage and into space, apparently gravity plays be very different rules in this strange place. She looked around and couldn't find anyone who will give her a straight answer. The longer she looked for anyone off of the stage, she had started hearing an irritating buzz somewhere around her. She looked through the pile of keys underneath her. It wasn't long till she had found a floating rune cube, one of the sides were glowing bright red that matches the color of blood and it made Diana sick to the stomach at the sudden sight of it.
She looked at each of the cube's sides, without touching it, to see which primal was glowing. But there was none of the primal runes on the cube. Sky, Sun, Moon, Stars, Ocean, and Earth seemed to have been replaced with a single rune symbol that Diana had never seen before. The fierce red glow terrified Diana.
This cube wasn't naturally or had any of the primal magic. She has a terrible feeling about this. A terrible vision had appeared in front of her. Dozens of dead animals in a field. A dead deer. A dead wolf. A dead unicorn.
"NO!" Diana cried out, full of anger at the heartbreaking sight before her.
She thrown one of the keys at the cube and the cube was sent flying away from her, making the vision of dead animals disappear from her sight. She soon saw a cloaked person standing on top of the staircase, across from the stage. Diana wasn't sure how she missed the cloaked person, but she was gaining a bad feeling about the mysterious cloaked person.
Diana thinks she has a faint idea of who the person might be. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the cloaked person. Slowly, the person pulled off the hood and Diana felt a little surprised seeing a dark version of herself.
"Connect with it," said the Shade with a sick, twisted grin. "Steal from those who have wronged us."
Diana scowled at the Shade and shook her head, "No." She glared at the Shade viciously. "I never want to steal the life of an innocent just to receive magic." She didn't back down from the Shade. "I am never the vengeful type." Diana stomped her foot, becoming agitated and angry. "No more. No more killing innocents for magic. No more violence. No more war." Her blue eyes started glowing with hidden strength. "Everyone had enough of this danger. With this violence, there will be no peace. Now... leave... everyone... BE!!!"
To Diana's shock and amazement, her raised voice had sent the Shade and the red cube flying out the staircase like a massive shockwave has came out of Diana.
She smiled proudly, but a wave of weariness had washed over her. Diana had fell down to her knees, catching her breath and placed a hand over her chest to calm down her nerves. Apparently, scaring off a Shade of herself takes a lot of strength more than Diana had realized.
Everything shifted and changed around her. It wasn't long for her to realize that she's standing in a new place.
Everything around her has changed into a gorge. Diana found herself in a wide, deep rocky ravine with steep orangish cliffs. At the bottom of the ravine is a river that cuts through and pools of water can be seen. There seems to be steep and narrow paths lead up the cliff-sides that lead into caverns and looming in front of them is a peak surrounded and based by rocks.
As Diana was standing in front of the peak, she suddenly heard over a dozen wings flying overhead. She looked up to a massive flock of dragons of all kinds coming down towards them. To her, all of the dragons shone with the colors of the rainbow and somehow reminded her of a flock of colorful birds or butterflies. She watched as the dragons has started to land on the ground or onto the cliffs. A few Ocean Dragons poked their heads from the pools, startling Diana.
Once the dragons had settled in their respective places, they seemed to be waiting for someone important to arrive to the ravine.
A figure seemed to emerge as if from the sun, getting larger as it approached the ravine. Diana could make out wings so broad they appeared as wide as the sun itself. Diana looked up to see a beautiful Star Dragon on top of the cliff with such regal elegance and royal authority.
The Star Dragon is, no doubt, very beautiful to perfection. The Star Dragon resembles the Storm Dragon, but the differences is pretty amazing to see. The Star Dragon's stunning white body shimmering like a million crystals. Spikes ridged along her back and two ornate horns stuck out of each side of her head. Her eyes is the brightest of pure blue, with long teeth protruding from her lean and rounded snout. The dragon's long neck lowered as her magnificent wings folded against her body, but she could see that underneath the dragon's wings has hints of sapphire blue and a glittering spray of sparkling silver scales that catch the morning light like trapped stars. Digging her large white claws into the cliff, she bowed her head slightly in greeting and locked her clear blue eyes into Diana's blue eyes.
"You too can be a great mage too." Diana wasn't sure where the voice came from, but it startled her.
She closed her eyes as she tried to clear her weariness and tried to calm down her nerves with her breaths. She remembers the Stars. The star is always known for the beauty of the natural world and the connections to the other primal magic. But the moon is also known for bringing light as well as shadows and visions for many reasons.
Diana thought of her connection to the stars. She closed her eyes and thought about the stars decorating the sky; and the constant changes of the stars. Diana's mind went blank as she held onto the same feeling she always had when she was looking at the stars. She opened her eyes and she looking around. What had happened to the memory? Why was she suddenly at an ice-covered sea?
Diana saw massive waves coming towards her and she started running across the ice she was on. But after a while, she accidentally tripped as the ice had started cracking underneath and was sent flying into the water.
She saw herself sinking into the water. Diana could see the stormy surface fade into the distance. The stars above turned into small spots of light. There were flashes of lightning high above, but beneath the stormy seas, it was quiet and peaceful.
Diana struggled to reach the surface, but it was no use. She seemed to have forgotten how to swim. She wanted to use a Star Arcanum to perform incredible magic. She wanted to be connected to this mystical, ancient idea. But everything she tried moved her further from her goal. But she's not going to give up that easily. She'll somehow find a way to perform her own type magic that isn't the dark magic.
A soft voice spoke from the depths of the water.
"Remember..." the voice said.
Diana found herself back inside of the cottage, in her bedroom. Her mother was there with her, alive and beautiful. She was speaking to Diana gently with a warm, loving smile.
"Remember. Diana, you need to remember," Mariana said.
"But I feel so overwhelmed," replied Diana. "I have so many fears for the future and I'm afraid I'll forget who I am."
"Sometimes, being brave doesn't mean you shouldn't be afraid," Mariana said softly. "Being brave means that you are afraid, but you charge into the unknown to save the innocents." Mariana gently brushed away some stray hair from Diana's eyes. "But when you slow down and let yourself become calm, your spirit and body can catch up with your mind, and your mind will help you remember who you are."
"I just have to remember who I am?" Diana asked hopefully.
"To know something truly and deeply, you must know it with your head, hand, and heart... mind, body, and spirit." Mariana leaned over and hugged Diana. "I love you with all of myself."
Suddenly, Diana let a gasp as she opened her eyes, and then she lifted herself up and looked around as she took a few breaths. She remembered that she have fell asleep in the one of the decreased Moonshadow elves' tents to see the rising sun and immediately gotten up from the cot.
Diana gotten dressed in a dark blue undershirt and a dark brown vest, while around her neck is her leather corded silver dragon pendant necklace. She has on a pair of brown pants, along with dark brown combat boots and lightly braided her hair with a blue hair tier. Diana ate some breakfast and went outside of the tent, letting the fresh morning air refresh her muscles. Diana looked around for Runaan, looking confused and concerned. She found the elf she was looking for.
Runaan wasn't exactly hiding. He was sitting on a tree branch not far from the originally abandoned camp. The sunrise cast golden rays over his huddled form and his still shadow sloped like another boulder.
"Runaan?" Diana looked at him in concern.
The Moonshadow elf didn't respond he only stared at the various tents and elf materials before him. Seeing all of this before him, it showed to Runaan that the only elves that made it out of the assassination alive was him and Rayla. All the other assassins that came would never see their family and friends again.
As much as Runaan tried to put on a brave face, he couldn't deny the heavy grief and guilt that seeped into his heart. Diana watched the struggle the elf was going through. Runaan's face scrunched as he held back tears, thinking of the last moments he had with his colleagues and friends.
What took him out of his grief was a gentle hand on his four fingered hand. Runaan blinked the tears out of his eyes as he looked at his human companion. There, he saw Diana holding onto his hand and her head leaning on his arm. Diana smiled at him warmly, closing the space between them. She gently gripped his right hand with her left hand, leaned against him, and rested her head on his shoulder. It was the closest thing she could get to a hug that she thought he would be able to tolerate.
Immediately, she felt Runaan tensed up at the sudden physical contact and felt his muscles flexed and stiffened underneath her grip. She was determined to show Runaan compassion. She wasn't moving. She was relieved when she felt Runaan slowly relax instead of shoving her away. They didn't say anything, but Diana hoped that this would be enough to comfort the elf over the loss of his friends.
Luckily it worked, Runaan rubbed the hand of the human while letting out a shaky smile at Diana, who gave him an emphatic smile.
"They were all good friends of mine. We had all made a vow that we would return back to our families. But it seems that it would only be me and Rayla." His stricken face grew solemn. "But now I must perform the Departing of Spirits Ceremony."
Runaan hesitantly let go of Diana's hand and began to look through the tents. "Departing of Spirits Ceremony?" Diana looked at Runaan curiously.
"Yes. It's kind of like how you humans have a funeral. We elves instead light a candle that burns through the night. It's said that the light will guide the spirit of those we have lost to the heavens above." Runaan finally came out of the tent with four candles each for the soul that was lost the day of the attack. Diana sat down as Runaan placed each candle down in a circle.
Using a flint and steel he lit up the candles that burned with a magical blue flame. He soon got on his knees, closing his eyes while tilting his head down and starts praying silently. While Diana watched as Runaan stayed in that position for a few minutes and she stepped back as Runaan as he stood up.
"Now I have to perform the Dance of the Spirits." Diana's eyes grew wide with fascination as he started the dance. His movements were swift and graceful. It was nothing like she have ever seen before. That's when Runaan started singing an amazing song, but Diana had a hard time recognizing the language of the song. But, her heart won out in the end and started singing along with Runaan. It was sad, but beautiful nonetheless in Diana's opinion.
Diana glanced at Runaan in concern as he danced by himself in the morning sunlight. She started gathering some flat stones and placed four stones of each fallen Moonshadow elf assassin. Runaan was surprised by Diana's gesture of empathy and sadness.
Runaan was soon done with the dance and they both stopped singing. He sat down next to Diana, his eyes were a little tearful, but he smiled tearfully at his companion. But his face crinkled in shame. Diana inched closer to him and gently leaned against him. At first, Runaan couldn't seem to bring himself to look at Diana. But she firmly nudged him and Runaan looked at her. He wrapped his arms around Diana and squeezed his human friend tightly. Diana felt the elf's strong arms wrap around her. She kept her eyes open and let her whole body relax slightly into the embrace to keep them from falling. Warm tears were sliding from Runaan's face. Diana stayed perfectly still. Her gesture said everything to both of them. It wasn't his fault. None of this was.