Wings of Fire: Holocaust of the Skies {FINISHED}

Chapter 3

Gavin galloped home, excited to tell his mother about the news. He was so happy and determined he ignored the rude comments made by other dragons about his appearance. His mother was about to hear the news of her life... the fact that her own son is animus. He had talons of power.

"Mother!" Gavin yelled when he entered his home cave, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Starflicker was taking a light snooze until she heard her son's voice. She lifted her head, stretching her wings and neck. "I heard you went into the queen's palace," Starflicker said. She stood up and walked to her son, wrapping her wings around him. "I have some amazing news!" Gavin grinned and he fluttered his wings.

"News? Well, tell me right away." Starflicker smiled and sat up, folding her wings by her side. Unable to hold in his delight any longer, he jumped up and down. "I'm animus, mother!"

Gavin expected his mother to be happy for him. Happy that her son has magic.

But according to Starflicker's expression, she wasn't cheerful and jolly at all. She looked terrified.



It made sense that she was fearful about the news. Her son was technically the most dangerous dragon in the whole tribe. He had magic that could overpower even the most physically strongest of dragons. Using too much magic comes with a price. His soul could break and he would go completely insane and unstable, threatening the safety of all the NightWings. But, Gavin was determined to use this power wisely and for good. When he mentioned about bragging about his powers, his mother stopped him. "No one should know about your curse. Only the queen and her council will know. I doubt she'll tell her subjects about this information."

Was this magic really curse? Everyone thinks NightWings don't have powers anymore. In the scrolls, Gavin read about a NightWing named Moonwatcher who could foresee the future. But he hasn't heard of any dragon that was animus except Princess Anemone of the SeaWings and Prince Albatross of the SeaWings. Albatross has been dead for years. He overused his animus power and went insane, causing the Royal SeaWing Massacre. He was soon stopped once he was killed by narwhal-horn spears. Being animus can be dangerous, but it could also be beneficial. Gavin hoped his mother could understand that.

"Mom-"

Starflicker was already pacing back and forth. "Mother, please calm down. It's not a curse! I won't be evil! I won't go insane! I promise!" Gavin ears turned back as he frowned. I won't be evil. But Starflicker only sighed and softly cupped her son's face in her claws. "It is a curse, little one. No matter what you think. But, even if you are cursed, I still love you."
"But I'm NOT cursed," Gavin says defensively. "I'm blessed with this power! I'll protect the kingdom, and-"

Starflicker slowly shook her head, disappointed in his goals. "High hopes, low chances," Starflicker remarked.

☾

Gavin visited the queen more often than he expected. He visited the queen only for long, tiring battle training and animus magic training that would cause him to be both mentally and physically tired. He learned how to levitate objects, and he would levitate almost everything he could get his claws on, though the queen and his mother both scolds him for it. The queen told him that the NightWing island may be attacked soon, and an animus dragon would be helpful.

One day Gavin was in the queen's palace again. On the way he pasted a studying hall and he borrowed some scrolls, one of them of course about animus magic. It was about dusk when he heard voices coming from one of the rooms in the throne room, so he quietly crept from his reading spot and followed the noise, where he was lead to a big, wooden door that was near the exit to the throne room. It was the dining room. It wasn't even dinner time yet.
Gavin peered through the keyhole, seeing the queen and her council, chatting about something. They all looked angry.
"...the dragonet should've been killed once we found out he was animus!" An inky black NightWing snarled. "No," the queen calmly said. "He's only a dragonet. He doesn't know everything about his powers. Plus, he can protect the kingdom."
A NightWing with a large scar across her eye stepped forward. "He still has the potential to kill us all. We have no idea what that dragonet will do or what he plans to do. Dragonets don't know any better."
Gavin knew they were talking about him. It seemed like a foul coincidence that he had to hear the council's plans of killing him. He listened more.
"...the only NightWing animus we have. We have an advantage, Thetis!"
Thetis roared, causing the other council members, even the queen, to back away from him. "I have a family! I have two dragonets and three eggs on the way! That accursed dragonet is a threat to us all! And OH, where is he now, huh? In the throne room! ALIVE!"
The queen hissed, stomping her claw onto the ground. "Lower your voice, Thetis! I am still the queen, and you are still simply part of my council. That does NOT give you the right to raise your voice."
Thetis huffed, lowering his head apologetically. "My apologies, Your Majesty."
The queen sighed. "Now, Thetis, we are not going to kill the dragonet. I have heard of the Royal SeaWing Massacre with Prince Albatross, but do not worry. He hardly knows how to cast a spell. He is no danger to us. We'll teach him out how to bring out his inner beast to the other tribes."
Thetis made a loud snort of disgust, but he agreed with the queen's words. Soon, the council and the queen began to walk to the very door Gavin was peeking through. Gavin quickly ran back to his pile of scrolls and pretended to be reading. The door swung open and the dark dragons walked past him, towards the exit. Thetis looked down at Gavin, and he looked up at him. Thetis snorted, giving him a repugnant look before following the other members who shortly left the room. I will protect this tribe. I'm not going to be some dragon who kills other dragons for fun, Gavin thought as he silently prayed that Thetis would be attacked by a SkyWing.
"I'm sorry for the wait, Gavin," the queen apologized. "Its okay, Your Majesty." Gavin replies as he looked up at the queen. "Come," she says. "I'm sure your mother is worried about you."

☾

The first attack on the NightWing island Gavin has ever seen days after the queen officially wanted him to use his animus magic to protect the kingdom. The battle was not long, but it did show him that war wasn't all fun and games.
Suddenly there was a loud THUD, and a large SandWing was on the ground. Blood was painted on the SandWing's two front claws, and there was a large gash on her neck that leaked with blood, but it didn't seem to bother the dragon. She curled her barbed tail inward as she sniffed the air.
The dragon was only a few tail-lengths from Gavin and Starflicker's cave, and she could see their home in any minute.
Gavin was shaking.
He didn't want to die. Not so early, and certainly not by the claws of a SandWing. He didn't want his mother to perish, either.
The SandWing's black eyes then looked in the direction of the cave. A horrifying and sickening grin formed on the SandWing's mouth as she walked towards the cave, it's barbed tail unfurled and ready to poison.