𝘼 𝘽𝘼𝙇𝙇𝘼𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎 𝘿𝙀𝘼𝘿 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘿𝙔𝙄𝙉𝙂, wings of fire

Prologue

None of the three moons were visible in the starry sky which blanketed the dense jungle that yielded a strong cacophony even at that late hour, with the screams of birds rising up to claim with silence that would never come to pass as long as the variety of creatures remained. The rainforest was never silent; it was part of the charm of the land around them, and it was perfect cover.

     A shadow moved along the treetops, gracefully weaving between branches without breaking through the canopy, leaving the darkness to veil its movements and keep anyone from gaining a favorable look.

     Swooping down, the shadow spread wings the color of the night sky, filled with starlight. Gliding along the rainforest floor, the figure made no sound, barely disturbing the foliage as it moved. It was almost as if the shadow was merely that — a shadow, nothing but a play to the eye. Certainly, it must have been, as no animal seemed bothered by the presence of such a thing moving through the jungle.

     The shadow broke through the thick underbrush and flapped its wings, soaring up now that it was free of the confines of the trees. Still no sound came from the creature, as it twirled upward toward the top of the towering castle that seemed to be made from vines, glittering with thousands of gemstones. The vibration of magic hung thick in the air, emitting a gentle hum that resonated throughout the very roots of the rainforest.

     Reaching the top of the tallest tower of the grand structure, the shadow swooped through an open window, landing silently upon the polished wooden floor of the chambers. Now, partly illuminated by firefly lanterns, the shadow was made into a solid figure — a dragon the color of charcoal, with wings glimmering with starlight.

     The dragon dug its claws into the wood beneath it, stepping forward with an audible click of those long talons. As it did so, there came to be another presence in the chambers, which was proven when a pair of bright golden eyes became visible from the shadows.

     "You're late." The hidden dragon spoke, shifting slightly so they towered over the smaller black one who had just entered.

     Bowing his head, the black individual avoided that glowing golden stare. "I apologize, father. I had to wait until the changing of the guard before I was able to leave the village."

     "The NightWings still guard their village?" The golden-eyed stranger scoffed, their voice grating against the walls. Even the castle seemed to shudder at the tone.

     "They still don't trust the RainWings." He replied.

     A chuckle rolled from the throat of the hidden dragon. "They've lived among those sniveling fruit-munchers for decades now, and they still fear an attack? The NightWings have more of a reason to attack than the RainWings."

     The black dragon remained silent, curling his tail behind him and looking at a mural painted on the wall, only half-visible with the dim light of the firefly lanterns.

     After a long moment of that near-unbearable silence, the stranger shifted again, a flash of a scarred face came to view, before they were once again hidden by the darkness of the large room. "But we're not here tonight to discuss the paranoia of your little tribe, my son." They began again, exhaling quietly. "We are here to discuss the details of your mission. Has it been completed?"

     "Yes." The NightWing replied quietly. "The last scroll has been delivered to the chosen students. Enrollment should begin as soon as the sun rises."

     "Excellent. How did they respond to your message?"

     "As would be expected. Some were confused, especially the few in hiding." The black dragon shrugged his wings. "The royals were infuriated that I managed to slip past their defenses and give their heirs and other royals the scrolls."

     The hidden dragon shifted again, their eyes bobbing downward in a motion that suggested they were nodding. "And our special guests?"

     "I managed to find each of the hybrids and hand over their scrolls as well." He responded. "Only a few were challenging to find."

     "That animus amulet helped, then?"

     "It did." The NightWing lifted a talon and touched the golden amulet around his neck, before pulling it off with a soft snap. The murmur of power he felt among his scales died away instantly, yielding a surprisingly uncomfortable feeling.

     He stepped forward to hand it back to the dragon who had loaned it to him, but to his surprise, the talon that flashed from the shadows merely waved him away.

     "Keep it. There are many more where that came from, and the enchantment is rather low-grade."

     The NightWing tilted his head. "Oh! Uh, are you sure? It's quite the valuable item." His voice wavered slightly.

     "Sure." His partner replied smoothly. "Value is nothing compared to the dragon who can use it. Consider it a hatching day present, from me to you."

     He tensed. "You remembered?"

     Another soft, almost sinister, chuckle emitted from the hidden dragon. "You think I would forget my own son's hatching day?"

     "I didn't think you had the time to remember," the NightWing answered honestly. "We both know you aren't my real father." He looked down, only to feel a claw beneath his chin. The gesture caused him to snap his gaze up, staring into the golden eyes before him.

     "Your real father thought you would be better off as gator food, all because your egg was cracked. He held no love for you — I do." 

     The black dragon nodded slightly, swishing his tail back and forth as the hidden figure released him, melting back into the shadows once again.

     "And besides," they continued, "you serve much more of a purpose with me, trained by the best, raised practically as royalty, and now completing a mission that will bring us closer to our goal. We're closing in on the target, and this school is the final key."

     "I suppose so," the black dragon replied, glancing back toward the window as wingbeats sounded beyond the walls.

     His father exhaled sharply, tapping the black dragon on the wing expectantly. "You should go now, before someone gets wind of your presence. You may be my son, but you know the rules."

     "NightWings stay among NightWings." He replied, shifting away from the dragon hidden in the shadows. "I know."

     "Fly with strength, and I'll see you in the morning, my son."

     That was the only send-off that the NightWing needed. He moved gracefully toward the window and, almost as if the shadows claimed him once again, melted away, leaving no trace that he had ever been there to begin with.

     As if he had never existed.