Wings of Fire: The Forgotten World

prologue

By thedragonshifter

                    *100 years ago*

     Crack! The sound of Queen Darksong's palace collapsing to the blackened earth filled the already tense air. Dust spiraled around the black castle as the walls fell in upon themselves, tiny pieces of grit showering from the air upon the civil war below it. Lightning cracked above the heads of furious Smokewings as their claws slashed against scales and icebreath and firebreath flew out of their mouths.

     Dragonkiller stood at the foot of the destroyed castle. His face was twisted in an expression of both triumph and horror. If Darksong gets killed in the castle's collapse, then I can become king. But, she's my mother! Why should I feel joy if she dies? I can't help but feel I little guilty. He sat there, staring up at the rubble, looking for the slightest bit of movement. But nothing happened. " she has to be dead. Darksong was in her palace when it collapsed." He muttered to himself.

     With a sigh, he turned around to face the battling dragons, but the fighting wasn't any more of a surprise to him then was the Queen's death. Smokewings always did fight each other, it was in their culture. "Dragonkiller, she's dead." A dragon with scales so dark that nobody could see his patterned scales down his neck, and wings so purely white that nobody could mistake him for a fire breather. This dragon looked almost identical to him, for it was his brother.

     Dragonkiller dipped his head in greeting to his brother,"Shatteredmoon, I figured that out from the destroyed castle." He growled. Shatteredmoon huffed a puff of ice from his nose," so, who is going to be king of the Smokewings?" He asked, his voice low. Dragonkiller stood from where he was sitting, an inch taller then his brother,"I am, Shatteredmoon, and you know it as well as I do. Mother even said to us both that I would be the one who is king." Shatteredmoon straightened his neck to appear taller," mother is dead, remember? And now I get to be king of the Smokewings!" He snarled savagely.

     Not to his surprise, Shatteredmoon unfolded his wings, his tail lashing and ice clouds billowing out of the cracks in his scales. This was a battle challenge, and also the only way Smokewings knew how to solve problems. Dragonkiller glared at his brother,"fine, but-" he had no time to finish before Shatteredmoon lunged forward, his jaws outstretched. Dragonkiller met him head-on.

    For a few moments, they both stood on their hind legs, wings outstretched, and jaws snapping. But, Dragonkiller's heavier weight gave him the advantage. Shatteredmoon fell backwards, his eyes stretched wide in surprise. His brother's legs flailed helplessly underneath him, but he gave up and closed his eyes shut, expecting Dragonkiller's death blow to come. "I'm not going to kill you." He roared as he gripped his brother's shoulders in his talons and hauled him to his feet.

    Shatteredmoon's face was just as surprised now as when he had lost the battle, but it didn't stay that way. "Mercy is a sign of weakness. The Smoke kingdom is going to fall under your rule, King Dragonkiller." Shatteredmoon growled as he backed away," but don't expect to keep that title for long, King. Because the next time you see me, I am going to be the king of all the tribes!" Dragonkiller flicked his ear in dismissal," I'd like to see you try. The only thing you've been able to do is sit in the corner of the palace and sulk."

    Shatteredmoon ignored his comment, "Just you wait. Pretty soon, you'll see my dragons, all from different tribes, burning down your kingdom. And I will kill you next time, brother..."