Fate of the Stars: A WoF AU

Chapter 2 (Starflight):

Starflight felt guilty as he heard Fatespeaker leaving.

Did I upset her? I hope I didn't, I was only trying to give her a break from working...

Starflight walked sadly back to his station.

He began organizing the library cards that he had, as best as he could with no sight.

However, the peace of the library was quickly interrupted.

Starflight heard the pounding of footsteps rushing past the library, almost as if some dragons were fleeing from something.

"Is something wrong?" he called out. No one answered him.

Starflight began to smell smoke.

Oh, that could only mean one thing...

The smoke smell began to get stronger as a dragon walked into the library.

"Peril, is that you?" Starflight asked.

"Yes, it is," Peril responded. "I think I scared some of the students. Mind if I stay in here for a bit, away from the books?"

"Yes, that's alright," Starflight nodded.

As much as he tried to concentrate on his tasks, he could not get Fatespeaker's betrayed tone out of his mind. I should probably go apologize to her. I don't trust Peril in here alone, though. I'll wait until she leaves.

Once he sorted the last library card, he turned over to Peril.

"Alright, Starflight, I'm going to go now." Peril told him. "Thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem, Peril." he replied.

He waited until Peril had walked out the door, and then looked around. He noticed Sunny passing by.

"Hey, Sunny, do you mind watching the library for a bit?" Starflight asked her. "I have someone I need to see."

"Sure!" Sunny said happily.

Starflight walked out the door, holding onto the walls with his talons. He used the occasional cluster of dot letters to "see" where he was going.

Before reaching Fatespeaker's office, he felt a word that was unfamiliar to him.

"Grand Cellar..." he softly read aloud. When did we have a cellar? What's down there?

Starflight tried to shake off the sense of uneasiness that began to fill him, but it didn't work. I better go see Fatespeaker, that's more important. After, I want to see what's down there.

Starflight began walking once more. He passed a classroom or two before he reached Fatespeaker's office.

He knocked on the wall outside the room. "Fatespeaker, are you there?" he said softly.

Fatespeaker walked out. "Oh, Starflight, it's you." she muttered.

"I just wanted to apologize for telling you to leave before," Starflight said sheepishly. "I realize now that it may have been a bit rude. You can come back, if you'd like."

Fatespeaker's face lit up, although Starflight couldn't see it. "My prediction was right! I knew you truly didn't mean what you said."

"You had... a vision?" Starflight asked.

"Well, it was a bit hazy, but I saw you coming back to apologize. Or maybe it was just that you came back..." Fatespeaker thought for a moment. "Anyways, I'd like to come back to the library if I can. It has been boring doing nothing down here."

"Sure," Starflight smiled. He led the way, and Fatespeaker followed him.

"Oh, I almost forgot something," Fatespeaker told him. She ran back to her office.

I wonder what she forgot. Maybe a scroll or something? Starflight thought.

Fatespeaker came back just a moment later.

"Tsunami told me to give these scrolls to you." Fatespeaker said, handing him a pouch with five scrolls in it. "They're some of Queen Coral's latest works, the ones we don't already have."

"Alright," Starflight answered, taking the pouch. He used his other arm to keep hold of the wall.

After a while, Starflight noticed that the words on the walls weren't the same as when he first came.

"Fatespeaker, where are we?" he asked nervously.

Fatespeaker looked up. "Oh, I wasn't paying attention," she chuckled awkwardly. "Wait, I've actually never seen this area of Jade Mountain before. And why are the lights all red? Why do we seem to be underground?"

"Fatespeaker, I don't know." Starflight began to get worried. "I can't see, and there's no bumps on the walls anymore."

"There's a door right in front of us," Fatespeaker noticed. "Should I open it?"

"Uh, Fatespeaker, I don't know if that's such a good id-"

Starflight tried to speak, but was cut off as Fatespeaker grabbed his talons and opened the door.

"Ooh, spooky." Fatespeaker commented. "Come on, I'll lead the way."

Starflight held onto Fatespeaker's talons, incredibly nervous. "Try not to bump into anything," he muttered.

"I'll try my best." Fatespeaker responded. "It's pretty dark in here." Fatespeaker quickly pulled Starflight over to a wall, grabbing a torch that was conveniently placed there.

"Alright, now I can see." Fatespeaker said. "Wait, what is that?"

Starflight almost tripped as Fatespeaker jolted him towards an object.

Although Starflight couldn't see it, it looked like... a skull. The skull of a dragon.