The Story of Artemis- Wings of Fire

Chapter 12

"What do you want?" Artemis asked slowly, and the others face pulled into a smirk.

"You know what I want, little hero."

"Little hero? What is with that? Who are you?" Artemis snapped as she backed up, surprised to find herself surrounded in shiny silver walls, each mirroring her reflection.

"Well. I know you don't know me." She crept forward an poked Artemis's snout. She seemed to be scrutinizing every scale. "I am the most mysterious, illusive dragon. But of course the rest of you have completely forgotten about the Twin Islands, so I wouldn't expect you to know the Daywing Queen."

"Queen...Daywings? Twin Islands?" Artemis was confused, what's a Daywing? What were the Twin Islands? This dream was getting strange...

"I am Queen Solar." She thundered. "Mightiest ruler in the Twin Islands of Pyhrria!"

Artemis slowly shook her head, searching for a way to wake herself up. Solar snarled.

"Now, now." She hissed. "We still have a lot to talk about. You can't leave just yet." Solar advanced on Artemis, who scrambled backwards in an attempt to flee. The Queen grabbed her wrist, and they were plunged into the dark.

Artemis and the Queen soon appeared in a shiny throne room, which was made of gold bricks. The walls were studded with diamonds and sapphires and amethysts, matching the jewels embedded in the so called Daywing Queen's scales. Solar strode up to an enormous gold throne, and settled down regally.

"So." Solar began. "I've been wondering, little hero. What is your name?" Artemis shifted on her talons nervously, reluctant to tell Solar.

"Don't be shy." The Queen smiled, though it was far from friendly, her spiked tail swung like a wildcat about to pounce. A wildcat meant to kill.

"I'm Artemis."

Solar tapped her chin, "Not the most normal Nightwing name, I see. But yet again, you aren't a normal Nightwing, either, are you, Artemis?"

Artemis glared up at her.

The Queen laughed, "Of course you're not! Little hero, you are a very special Nightwing. Can't you tell by that necklace of yours?" She grinned maliciously.

Artemis hissed.

"Allow me to show you." Solar lunged, talons outstretched.

Artemis shrieked and dropped to the floor. But it wasn't necessary. Her necklace suddenly covered the Nightwing in blue light, blasting the Queen backwards.

Solar stumbled back, laughing. "Well! That was interesting!" She steadied herself, fixing her eyes greedily on Artemis's necklace as she clapped her talons together. "Ancient animus magic, you know." She murmured with a smile.

Artemis's breath quickened. She felt claustrophobic.

"Not just any animus magic." Solar continued. "Very, very valuable. So rare. Magicwing animus enchanted. Now that is quite a prize. I know of a few dragons who once had a necklace like that, actually."

"What?" Artemis wondered.

"The first was Moonwraith. A Nightwing Queen." Solar's eyes sparkled. "It was said she passed down the necklace to the next dragon in line for Queen after she retired or was killed. That dragon has to pass it to the next, then that dragon did as well. So on. Until it came down to a dragoness named Spiritseeker. She had two daughters. Battlewinner..."

The thought of the recently dethroned Nightwing Queen flashed in Artemis's mind.

"-and Nightflier."

"Queen Battlewinner had a sister?" Artemis questioned.

"Yes. Battlewinner was the older sister, but the younger Nightflier was far more beautiful and smart." Solar's tone turned bitter and mocking. "When the time came, because the old queen was dying of sickness, Spiritseeker passed the necklace down to Nightflier, instead of Battlewinner. Though angry, Battlewinner decided not to argue with her mother's wishes. But a little after Spiritseeker died, the next Queen had an eggwith a commoner. She snuck out of the palace, the day they were laid, to meet him. Alas."

The Queen smirked, and Artemis leant forward in anticipation.

"I had decided to send some of my troops to Pyhrria." Solar narrowed her eyes. "Once they saw her, they attacked her. Strange dragons are dangerous after all. She fought back, seeing as how only one of my courageous soldiers returned to me, the shard of an egg shell in his talons as proof. But she was killed. Her egg slipped from her dead talons and fell to the forest floor below, along with the necklace. It shattered on the ground, the night it was laid. About...Six or seven years ago? So prophetic, isn't it?" The remains of the unhatched dragonet and the necklace were never found." Solar's black tongue flicked in and out of her mouth. Artemis felt a ghostly shiver run down her spine.

"Sad story, isn't it?" She said coldly. "Battlewinner then became Queen, and everybody moved on. Not a soul dared to mention her sister. But of course Spiritseeker was right in her choice, because Battlewinner was an utter failure of a queen, as was her own daughter. Pity."

Artemis closed her talons around the necklace protectively, glaring at the Queen with her dark eyes.

"But here the necklace is...strange..." Solar drawled. Artemis swung her tail, the spines on her back raising.

"I'm sure some dragon must've found it." She shrugged. Artemis stood her ground and thought.

I never knew the Nightwings had a necklace, too. It's like the eye of onyx, in a way. I wonder what this necklace is called. I wonder if it thinks I'm worthy. There must be a reason I'm not destroyed yet.

"That necklace is said to hold great power, of four of the tribes. Each chosen by the wearer. Coincidentally, it looks like your necklace is half activated. Mudwing and Icewing, I'd guess?" Solar asked.

Artemis stared down at her necklace, the gold and silver dragon tails. How suddenly it had turned from the normal little jewelry piece to this. Her head felt like it'd explode, all the information buzzing like an annoying fly in her head.

"No worries." Solar showed her pointed teeth. "That won't matter soon enough, when I become the true Queen."

Artemis grit her teeth and shook her head. "Your plan is insane. It'd never work. Ambition is one thing, madness is another. Besides, no dragon is that powerful."

"Except me." Solar snorted, and swung her spiked tail. "Besides. I have two powerful kingdoms on my side and the only thing that could ever get in my way is the silly prophecy. But it's not happening. Not if I have anything to say about it." She grinned. "So, good for me!"

"Prophecy?"

"You'll learn of it soon enough. So curious, aren't you. But goodbye for now, I have matters to attend to!" The Queen swept her wings outward in a majestic bow. "It seems you do too."

"Wait!" Artemis yelped. She needed to know more! She could tell Solar had some information of what truly happened to the Nightwing dragonet, and what was the real story behind the choosing necklace?

But she already found herself plunging into darkness once more, and she snapped open her eyes to the real world.