Allura of the Dragons (On Hold)

Shadows

"Where am I?" I ask aloud as I look down at the black gown I was wearing.  That's when the dark tattoo on my wrist catches my eye.  It reminds me of a dragon but it isn't quite one.  "Is anybody here?" I call out into the darkness.

"Can you just shut up already?"  I hear a dragon yell at me and I whip around trying to find the voice.  "I did not bring you here to have you panic, moondancer."  A giant dragon made of shadows approaches me.  

"Then why did you bring me here?"  I ask as the dragon transformed into a human before my eyes.  The man was handsome with pitch black hair and dark blue eyes.    He approached me as if I were some delicate flower.

"You are even more extraordinary than the gods imagined." He takes my hand and I feel my magic swell up.  "I have marked you as my own so you can claim what is rightfully yours in the world.  The mark will disappear and will only become visible to those who wish to destroy you.  To them, it would prove  that you are the chosen one.  Do not let me down."  The man pulls me forward and kisses my forehead.

My body slumps to the ground and he smiles down at me as I start to go back to reality.

"Don't forget about me, Moondancer."  And that was the last thing I remember.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I feel scales beneath my back and I slowly open my eyes.  I hear Fox in my thoughts and when I look up, I see William looking down on me worriedly.  "You look I just died." I tell him as I try to sit up more but then I realize we're flying so I stay where I am.

"You are experiencing a fate worse than death."  William tells me as he urges Fox to fly faster.  I resist the urge to roll my eyes as I look at my wrist thinking I would be seeing the weird tattoo but it isn't there.  "If you're looking for the tattoo, it's still there."  William doesn't even glance at my wrist.

"I was told if someone could see it...."  I try to tell him but he starts laughing.

"That the person was there to harm you?"  He asks and I glare at him.  "Allura, I was gifted with the fourth sight so any mark that distinguishes a person, I can see.  Regardless if I am supposed to or not." Fox confirms it as we start to descend towards the ground.

When we land I slide of the dragon's back uneasily as the world continues to spin.  The area on my wrist where the mark is supposed to be, warms as if warning me.  I see a group of people running towards us and I hear a swarm of new dragon voices and a couple of other creatures.

"Make the voices go away." I beg William as I start to feel dizzy.  Fox's voice sounds worried as I feel myself slipping into an unconscious state again.

"Hey, you can't do that." A young man catches me in his arms and I see the face of the dragon in my dream.  His piercing blue eyes study my face as he lifts me up from the ground.  "I'll take her to the elder dragon."  He tells William and I lean my head against his shoulder as the voices continue talking.

"Can you make the voices go away?" I ask him and he smiles at me sympathetically.

"I would if I could but then I would have made mine go away a long time ago." He tells me as he walks.  I look up and see large trees overhead.  Dragons of all shapes and sizes are flying around and I see a few creatures I couldn't put a name to.

"You were in my dream...." I tell him and he laughs.

"My dragon was in your dream.  He sometimes takes my shape in an effort to make the chosen ones feel better.  He knew we would meet again."  The young man tells me.

"What is your name if you don't mind me asking."

"Shadowfighter is my dragon name but I mostly go by Shadow in this world."  Shadow turns right and we go inside a large building that reminds me of the greek temples.  He then lowers me onto a bench.  "Lilith will be here shortly.  She'll explain everything and hopefully she'll be able to help with the voices."

"Back on Earth, if I said I was hearing voices they would have called me crazy." I tell him as I lay down on the marble bench.

"They would have had us both committed before we even told another soul.  Talking to animals isn't exactly normal for teenagers." He says and I look at him wondering if he's from earth also.  "Yes, I'm from earth.  We're actually in another realm here."

"Wait another realm?" I ask sitting up even though my head starts hurting even more.

"Yes it's kind of a place like earth with it's modern technology but we have dragons and magic here.  It's a safe place for all dragon riders if you get chosen or if a chosen one decides you are worthy."  Shadow sits down next to me and I notice he's wearing a tshirt and jeans.

"Can my life get any weirder." I ask him and he shakes his head as if trying to find a way to talk to me.

"This must be the new chosen one."  An older voice says from behind us.  I turn around and see a woman in her late fifties standing there with a large lion at her side.  The lion's voice rings clear in my head and I put my forehead against Shadow's shoulder.

"She's having a hard time adjusting."  Shadow explains as the woman approaches us.  The woman only stands around five feet tall and her gnarled hands reach out to touch me.  I look at her sadly.

"Such sad eyes for such a gifted young lady.  Child, everything is going to be ok for you here.  No one wishes to harm you and I know that you'll find the closure you have been looking for."

"Unless you can bring people back from the dead, there isn't anything you can do for me.  Just please make the voices stop so I can save the people I care about."  The woman offers me a hand and I glance as Shadow who nods.  

"Things are not what you think they are.  I have seen into your mind and I now that confusion clouds your mind but this world will make everything clear again.  What was unknown will become known and what you wish to forget can be forgotten.  Here in this world, you will be what you are meant to be."