Battle of the Dragons

Council of the Elements

Council of the Elements

Murmurings filled the ancient room, where four of the five thrones were filled with ancient dragons, one for each element after which it was named. Fire was there, so was Water, Wind was also making an appearance, Earth filled the fourth seat, but Aether was nowhere to be seen. This was the cause of the quiet murmurings that filled the dragon’s meeting hall.

“Where is he? I can wait no longer!”

Fire roared out, flaring up like a freshly fed inferno.

“Be patient, he will come, he always does.”

Earth stated firmly, her beliefs as unchanging as a mountain, her voice as beautiful as a freshly blooming flower.

“Even if he doesn’t make an appearance we can still run the meeting, it will all be fine, Fire.”

Water calmly spoke, her words flowing like a tide, accepting change and working with it. Wind had nothing to say, but he kept pacing, his mind was jumbled, and he had no idea what to do. His thoughts raged around like a gale.

A large bang upstairs signified the door closing behind someone or something. All the elements looked up in that direction hopefully and breathed a unified sigh of relief as the oldest dragon in the world walked down the stairs. Air sat down with a relieved sigh as Aether sat in his throne.

“The meeting may commence.”

He spoke in a voice filled with mystery and the unknown, all that was, is and will be.

Aether looked around at all the other dragons and their aura. Each aura matched the colour of the dragon it belonged to, but had a slightly different quality. It was like looking through muddy water and clear water. Air had an aura of silver swirling around him like the wind on a stormy day, Water had a calm blue aura, it flowed around her like the tide, Fire had a bright red aura with flickers of orange, it dipped and darted, rose and fell, like a fire feeding and falling, Earth had a green aura, it glistened like a freshly grown leaf, new and tender.

Although he could not see it, all the other dragons in the room stared at his aura in awe. He had a purple aura that appeared as the entire universe, all that had happened, was happening and will happen, it showed glimpses of possible futures and different worlds, it swirled around him, as though he was the centre of everything that had ever existed.

The other elements began to tell their elder the world news from their point of view. Earth spoke of the seasons and their effects on the plants, the weathering of mountains and the shifting of the earth. Wind spoke of air currents that twisted and turned through the sky, owning everything above the territory of Earth, he also spoke of the birds that travelled on these currents, following the weather and the call of a brighter future. Water spoke of tides shifting and rivers flowing, cutting new paths through Earth’s territory. Fire spoke of whole forests falling to his touch, and the burning pits at the centre of the world. Just before he finished his report, he mentioned something that had been troubling him.

“Aether, why is the younger generation of dragons and riders ignoring our warnings and cautions? The dragons of fire and water have started war with each other and won’t stop fighting.”

Water nodded in agreement and Aether’s eyes flickered as he went into a trance. The other elements weren’t surprised, he often did this when he was about to prophesize.

“Beware, be warned, for aether will either end or save the world in which we make our home. The time do come when a choice is made. The future of our world be laid upon the claws of a young one, peace and prosperity follow on, but if this young one makes a fall, then Fire, Water, Earth and Air will desert this world, leaving it bare.”

Once the prophecy had left Aether’s lips, the other elements began to whisper among each other, voices laden with concern. If this prophecy spoke the truth, then the world that they had worked hard to create and maintain would be destroyed, unless an aether dragon, chosen by the prophecy, managed to stop the fighting.

“The solution is simple then, we must find this little aether dragon, and help him in his quest.”

Aether spoke in his normal tone, being quick and decisive about a solution. The council ended and all the elements split up, going in their own direction to find the dragon from the prophecy.