The Flaming Ice

Prologue: Prophecy of the Flaming Ice

A cool breeze blew through the forest of tall, sharp ice shards, the once-settled snow beneath flying through the air like morning mist. The sky above was clear. The large moon brightly shined down onto the land, and the stars, big and small, were dotted all over the pleasing, colorful expanse.

Two dragons walked side by side, weaving between the grand crystals casually. One was a young dragon, around twenty revolutions old, covered in pale blue scales and sharp spikes, much like the ones surrounding him. A golden amulet of a lion's silhouette hung from his neck, reflecting the ice around him. The other was much older at nearly one-hundred revolutions old, himself with green-colored scales, though smoother than his companion's. A golden amulet too hung from his neck, but this one being the silhouette of an owl. Both had tall horns growing out of their heads behind the ears, each about a foot long. The elder dragon was stomping fiercely as they went, leaving a trail of deep footprints in the snow behind him.

"Why are you worrying about it so much?" the young pale blue dragon asked. "You can't do anything about it. All we have to do is wait until one side finally surrenders."

"This war has been going on for too long!" hissed the green dragon. He stopped in his tracks and slashed his large claws at a shard sticking up from the ground. Shattered ice flew through the air before plummeting down into the snow. He turned his furious gaze to the younger dragon. "Fifteen revolutions, Courage. Fifteen revolutions. The three Tribes have all been at peace with each other ever since after the First War who knows how long ago." He looked aside and growled, "I knew Red Storm was going to be a bloodthirsty king. Why did Dragonspirit allow this to happen?"

Courage, the pale blue dragon, was silent for a moment in the night. "Dragonspirit can't prevent every single thing from happening, Wisdom."

Wisdom sighed and dipped his head as if in defeat. He forced himself to calm down. "I know. But surely he knows that we need help? Is he even aware of what is happening down here?" He lifted his desperate, green eyes to Courage.

"I'm sure he is," Courage comforted.

"Then why isn't he helping us?" Wisdom's voice was beginning to rise with irritation. He knew that Courage could not answer his question, so he went on. "Even if we do win the war by killing King Red Storm, we still have his son Tiger to deal with."

"Tiger is only a few successes old, Wisdom," Courage argued softly. "He is of no harm to us."

"Yet," muttered the green dragon.

The two continued the walk through the Great Ice Shard Field with little talking. Thoughts were swirling around in both of their minds about the matter, especially Wisdom's. The night was calm for a night in the Ice Tribe, only the gentle wind blowing the snow up like powder.

"I think it is time for me to return to the Water Tribe," Wisdom eventually spoke. "I have some duties to attend to -"

Both dragons stopped dead as they noticed an unnatural light in the wilderness up ahead. Wisdom rushed forward toward it, Courage hurrying behind. The green dragon skidded to a halt, almost slipping on the snow, his eyes wide and bright and mouth cracked open in amazement at what he saw: there was the same large ice shard soaring up into the skies, similar to every other one, but what caused the light was a flame flickering inside of the crystal. The ice was perfectly solid, and it was not melting a single drop. The last thing he heard was Courage stopping abruptly behind him before all his senses were transported into a vision:

Wisdom was now standing on a vast, flat rock, which was positioned over where the three Dragon Rivers branched off, forming the borders of the Tribes' territories. A great, holy, black-and-silver scaled dragon stood in front of him. Gigantic horns soared up, and his pure amber eyes glowed down onto the small-in-comparison green dragon.

The colossal dragon opened his mouth to speak, and a light mist escaped. His voice rumbled in the ears of Wisdom, drowning out the rushing water beneath and around them. He spoke slowly, and Wisdom could feel the ground vibrate beneath his talons with each drawled word. "The end of the war is near. The time for the coming of a dragonette is soon. She will stop all fighting between the Tribes of water, ice, and fire with the almighty Qualities of wisdom, courage, and strength. This is the prophecy of the flaming ice."

Wisdom's vision then returned to normal after the final word, back to the Great Ice Shard Field. The ember in the crystal had extinguished, and all was dark in the night. Courage rushed to his side.

"What happened?" he asked frantically. "Did you have a vision? Was it from Dragonspirit?"

Wisdom did not answer any of the questions. "I have to get back to the Water Tribe and tell King Golden Sky and Queen Silent Wave!" he shouted. Scrambling to turn around in the snow, he got a running start before his flapping wings lifted him into the air. Courage was left behind, watching in amazement and curiosity as Wisdom rushed southeast of the Great Ice Shard Field, toward the Water Tribe territory.

* * *

"'This is the prophecy of the flaming ice,'" repeated Wisdom. He was now in the presence of the king and queen of the Water Tribe and had just gotten done announcing the prophecy to them. "King Golden Sky, Queen Silent Wave," he informed, "Dragonspirit himself gave me this prophecy. It states that the war will be finished once and for all by the actions of a dragonette savior. Any dragonette could be the one to save the Tribes and put all of them back to peace."

Silence went out in the large cavern the three were in as no one spoke, taking in the words of the prophecy - something that had not happened since many revolutions ago. Eventually King Golden Sky's smooth voice rumbled out, his orange-and-gold scales glimmering brightly from the blue-tinged crystal-lights implanted in mass in the stone walls of the open underground area. "Wisdom, you are my most trusted adviser and friend in all of the Tribes," he began. "And as a part of the Dragon Council, you are also one of the most respected dragons of the three Tribes. The Almighty Dragon has chosen one of the greatest to be in the Council, and has also chosen the best dragon to have the responsibility to be Watcher over this new prophecy, to guide the dragonette to make the prophecy true.

"I advise you to share this with the other two members of the Council, for they deserve to know. You were just walking with Courage, correct? I'm sure he is very curious, as he must have watched the prophecy enter into you right before his eyes. Even Strength should be told; you have informed me before that he, too, is very tired of this never-ending war. He would be quite excited to know that there is now hope for this struggle to be won and over with, and not for King Red Storm to be the victor.

"But do not tell the other kings and queens of the Tribes. Especially King Red Storm. Knowing him, he would want every dragonette killed - even his own daughter." Queen Silent Wave, a dark purple dragonette with smaller horns and an amulet with a silhouette of a rushing wave hanging from her neck, gasped and glanced around at a small dragonling curled up, sleeping, in a dip in the stone floor cushioned with moss, leaves, and vines. King Golden Sky noticed this movement and ran his mermaid-like tail down his mate's in a comforting gesture, nudging her cheek with his nose. "Don't worry, my love," he assured the Tribe bearer sweetly, "we will not allow Red Storm to lay a scale on our little darling."

The cave was quiet for several more seconds until King Golden Sky dismissed Wisdom with a nod of his broad head. The green dragon bowed deeply to the two royalties in great respect and then turned around to exit through the narrow passageway, covered by a thick layer of hanging vines, and out of the king and queen's quarter.