Wings of Fire: A Light of Truth (Temporary Cover)

Chapter 4

The three of them flew, beating their wings in a rhythmic way. Amber, to Futureseer's left seemed excited. Sapphire, to Futureseer's right, seemed anxious. As the three dragonets flew toward the civilization, the sun beamed down on them. Although, it felt more like radiance of motivation to Futureseer than burning heat.
     Futureseer paused and hovered in the air. Looking down, he spotted two SandWings right outside of the town entrance. "Let's head down there. We can ask if we can enter the town," Futureseer said.
     "Even if they didn't let us, we have to get in there somehow," Amber remarked. Futureseer nodded in agreement. He flew down, the other two dragonets following. He landed a few lengths away from the two SandWings, a pale yellow one and a white sandy one. The pale SandWing immediately turned and stared suspiciously at the strange group of dragonets.
     "What in the world—?" the yellow SandWing muttered. She shook her friend on the shoulder to get his attention.
     The white SandWing squinted his eyes at them and started growling. "Who are you? Explain yourselves," his voice was deep and low.
     "We're no harm at all — I promise," Sapphire said stepping forward. The pale yellow SandWing snorted and stepped toward her. She yanked off Sapphire's pouch from her neck. "Hey—! That's not yours!" Sapphire stuttered. The SandWing ignored her. She opened Sapphire's pouch and started dumping stuff out of it. Four scrolls rolled out and the wooden carved rose that Futureseer's brother had enchanted fell out. Futureseer took a step forward when the last item dropped out. Sapphire's wooden dagger that Jellyfish had given her, Sapphire's foster mother.
     Sapphire gasped and took a step back as the pale yellow SandWing picked it up. "What. Is. This?" she demanded, shoving the dagger in the group of dragonets face.
     "It's not what it looks like—" Sapphire tried explaining.
     "It looks like a weapon. Are you trying to attack us?" the SandWing hissed.
     "Give it back," Futureseer snapped, taking a step toward the adult SandWings. The white SandWing raised his barbed tail threateningly.
     "What is your business here? What's a group of dragons like you doing here?" the SandWing demanded. Amber took a couple of steps forward, her wings fluttering angrily.
     "None of us are here to attack you! We're not even involved in the war," Amber growled. Futureseer had never seen the excitable dragonet so frustrated — except when Catfish had been kidnapped. "Listen, we're looking for someone who we think can help us named Desert Rose." Amber's wings calmed down as she waited for the SandWings' response. "If she helps us, we could even probably end this war," the bright orange dragonet added.
     The pale SandWing snorted, then her friend whispered something in her ear. The pale yellow SandWing sighed. "Fine. But she can't go," she stated, pointing at Sapphire.
     "What?!" Futureseer bursted out, growling. "Why can't she go—?"
     He was stopped as Sapphire put her talon on his shoulder. "Just leave — I'll be fine. I don't go on risky adventures like these if I don't know how to defend myself," the dark blue dragonet spoke softly.
     "But we need you to locate the animus—," Futureseer protested.
     "It's okay. I'll tell you what she looks like. She's a pale yellow dragon with a white underbelly. She's larger than you and wears a quartz necklace around her neck," Sapphire explained. Futureseer nodded. Quartz necklace was the key word. There would be many dragons that have similar scales, but certain accessories would stand out.
     Let's just hope that multiple SandWings don't have the same necklace, Futureseer thought.
     Turning his attention back to the SandWings, Amber was waiting at the front entrance for him. Futureseer looked back at Sapphire and twined his tail with hers. Then he untwined it and went to join Amber.
     The two dragonets walked in the busy town, dragons from around them occasionally staring at them. A SandWing dragonet about Futureseer's age muttered, "Agave and Aloe must've let them in for a good reason."
      Futureseer and Amber kept their eyes alert. They would occasionally ask dragons around them if they had seen her. Eventually, they went to ask older dragons.
     Amber ran up to a dragon who was talking with another dragon. "Hi! My friend and I are looking for someone. They have a quartz necklace and pale yellow scales and—" Amber was cut off when the dragon she was talking to spoke.
     "Desert Rose?" she asked.
     "Yes! Do you know her?" Amber asked.
     "Of course I know her — she's my step-daughter," the dragon said. Amber's eyes widened and nodded.
     "D— do you know where she might be at?" the bright orange dragonet asked.
     "We have to ask her something important," Futureseer added in.
      "Yes. She lives down the block over there. Turn to the left and left again, then right. Her house will be just there," the dragon directed.
     "Okay! Thank you!" Amber exclaimed, turning around.
     "Wait—, before you go, can you tell her I said hi and that I'm proud of her?" Desert Rose's step-mother asked.
     "Of course," Futureseer said. "Care to tell us your name?"
     "It's Quartz," the dragon replied.
     Awe, that's cute! Her step-daughter wearing a necklace after the mineral her step-mother was named after, Futureseer thought happily.
     "Thank you, Quartz," Futureseer said. He waved a wing goodbye and went to walk with Amber. Futureseer took the lead, taking a left turn down the block. He kept on walking as he passed houses and store. The NightWing dragonet took another left, passing more areas. He once had to drag Amber away from a store that sold jewels, Futureseer wondered what that was about. Amber had complained about it.
     Futureseer, passing the final block, took a right turn. There stood a house a few lengths away from him. Futureseer walked up to it, lifted his talon, and then knocked on the door with a tump, tump.
     The two stood there a few moments until the door opened. A pale, yellow adult SandWing was there with a quartz necklace around her neck. "Yes?" she spoke.
     "Oh! Are you Desert Rose?" Futureseer asked quickly.
     "Uhm—yes. I am. What is it you need?" Desert Rose asked nervously.
     "Can we discuss this inside?" Futureseer asked. Desert Rose hesitated for a moment, then she opened the door fully to let them inside. Futureseer and Amber walked in. The house was quite dark, with two doors that most likely lead to other rooms. Desert Rose came to an unlit torch, then let out a breath of fire to light it. The room was brighter now, but still dim.
     "Wow! Desert Rose! We've been looking all over for you," Amber exclaimed.
     The desert dragon blushed. "Re— really? I— I'm not tha— that popular or u— useful," Desert Rose stuttered. A muffled yell came out from behind one of the doors.
     "— what's all that racket?" it called out.
     Desert Rose yelled back, "We have visitors!" The door opened revealing a more vibrant colored SandWing than Desert Rose. He had a scar across his right cheek shaped like a lightning bolt.
     "Who are they, Detsy?" the dragonet asked. Futureseer cocked his head to the side.
     "Detsy?" he repeated the word questioningly.
     "Oh— sorry. It's just a nickname my half-brother calls me— you can call me that too if you like," Desert Rose explained.
     "Okay, Detsy!" Amber smiled. "I like it!"
     Desert Rose blushed. She turned back to her half-brother. "They've come to ask me something— apparently they've been looking for me." The dragonet nodded at the two of them. "Anyways, what are your names?" Desert Rose asked Futureseer and Amber.
     "Futureseer," the darkish purple dragon said.
     "Amber," the bright orange SkyWing said next.
     Desert Rose nodded. "My half-brother over there is Cactus," Desert Rose introduced.
     Futureseer took a deep breath, ready to get to the point. "So, my friend Sapphire told us that you were an animus—" Futureseer began. Desert Rose's eyes widened in shock. "Uh—. Well, she found you . . ." Futureseer began explaining how Sapphire had discovered that Desert Rose was an animus. He explained how the prophecy had occurred. Desert Rose was flabbergasted about this. Cactus had made fun of how it was about a dragonet's scroll. ". . .so, we ask you. Can you use your animus powers to end the war?" Futureseer finished.
     Cactus's eyes widened and ran toward Desert Rose, standing in between them. "No. No, no, no, NO. You are NOT going to force my sister to use her animus magic!" Cactus roared. Futureseer fell back, unsure what he said wrong.
     "Cactus, I—" Desert Rose began.
     "Whenever an animus uses their magic, they lose part of their soul. Making Desert Rose do something THAT big, I don't even know if she'll be the same anymore," Cactus interrupted. Futureseer frowned.
     "Oh. I'm sorry— I didn't know," Futureseer apologized.
     Does that mean Silverthought is losing his soul? Futureseerseer thought quietly.
     Cactus nodded. "Well, we don't have anymore use for you. It's time for you to leave," the dragonet told them.
     "Alright," Amber said, her wings drooping.
     "Before you go," Desert Rose began, "take these with you. They might come in handy." She dropped a couple of metal and silver scraps into Futureseer's talons. "They're coins. You can buy a couple of stuff around here," Desert Rose explained.
     "Thank you, Desert Rose," Futureseer said, taking the coins. Futureseer, remembering something, paused. "Wait, I just wanted to let you know that your step-mother, Quartz is proud of you."
Desert Rose hissed. "That dragon will never replace my mother!" the SandWing snapped. She paused. "I'm sorry. Just, please. Don't talk about her." Futureseer nodded anxiously.
Cactus whispered in Futureseer's ear, "She doesn't like it whenever mother is brought up. Detsy's original mother died a brutal death in the war. That's the whole reason all dragons of Town of Cactus don't participate in the war anymore. Queen Sandstorm was mad, but she couldn't control all of us. We don't even live in her Kingdom anyway."
Futureseer nodded.
     "Bye, Detsy," Amber said, waving a wing. The two dragonets left the house and started retracing their steps. Futureseer thought of something and turned to Amber.
     "Now that we have coins, we can buy those gems you wanted," Futureseer smiled. Amber beamed.

     They had finally left the town and reunited with Sapphire. Sapphire had all her items and pouch back. Amber had bought an organic gem called, ammolite. Futureseer had explained everything and what happened to Sapphire.
    "Welcome back," Sapphire said. She smiled when she saw them. "It's a shame they can't help us. I guess we have to try harder."
     "Or we could find all the Twilight Stars with our original plan. I... I still need one," Futureseee said. "And we haven't found it since. Do you think that... that I'm not one of the worthy dragonets?" Sapphire frowned.
     "Of course not. You've helped us this far. Why give it up now?" Sapphire said. Futureseer felt the weight of doubt being lifted by her encouragement.
     "Then I won't," Futureseer said, smiling. Sapphire nodded and beamed.
     "Where do we head next?" Amber asked. Sapphire thought for a moment, then answered.
     "This one is quite risky. We may even have to head to the Kingdom of Sea itself to find more about Queen Azure," Sapphire said. "Anyone up to it?"
     "Always," Futureseer replied.
     "Anywhere you go, I do," Amber vowed. Sapphire nodded.
     "Ready to go then?" Futureseer asked the two of them. Sapphire shook her head. "Hm?" Futureseer wondered why she wasn't ready.
     "Sorry if I ask too many questions. Earlier, when you asked me how I trusted Silv. You almost said a different name. What was that about?" Sapphire asked curiously. Amber was listening to the conversation.
     I wanted to keep this to myself longer, but I can't avoid the question now that it's been asked, Futureseer thought.
     "Doctor Silv. I know him. He's not any stranger. But, he's my brother."
     The two of them stared at him for long silence. Then, Amber broke the silence.
     "Moons. You two really have interesting family trees," Amber joked. Futureseer smiled.
     "I guess we do," he said.
     "But Futureseer, you said your brother had been taken away by the NightWing Queen," Sapphire stated. Futureseer sighed.
     "I don't know how, but it must've been a miracle. The last time I saw him, he was covered in scars, his eyes pleading for help. Then one day, he was gone. I thought Moondancer had killed him. But... I guess not... It's so confusing. Besides, Doctor Silv had no scars. I wonder what happened..." Futureseer muttered. "That's all I know. But maybe, we can meet him again. And then all our questions will be answered." Sapphire nodded, taking in how confusing this must be for him. Futureseer now understood how confused Sapphire was when she had found out who her true parents were.
     "Maybe. But we should get moving now. The sun is setting, and who knows how soon the prophecy may come? What if Queen Azure grows too powerful?" Sapphire wondered. Futureseer and Amber nodded in agreement.
     "So it's time to fly?" Futureseer asked as the sky began to dim.
     "Yes," Sapphire said.
     "Let's go then," Amber told them.