Wings of Fire: A Game for Glory

Chapter 3: The Festival

Envy looked up at the sky as he walked through the NightWing city. He has never been in the city in all of his life, and he admitted that it was so, so gorgeous. It was dusk, the precious sunlight draining away as the sun was completely vanished from eyesight, but the rays that created magenta and purple hues were still above the horizon. The stars and the three moons cower behind a thin layer of cloud, and Envy sighed as a warm, soft gust of wind hit his scales. The City of the Night was beautiful, especially when the sun is down.

Music was filling the air, festive beats lifted the spirits of the NightWings and made the dragons want to move, jump and sing. It was a time to celebrate being alive, celebrate the wonders of creation and be one with the community and the night itself. The air tasted so heavenly with the chefs alongside the parade, every delicious thing ready to be shared with friends and family. Envy was so, so excited-- the hatred of his father was already fading away as he looked at all of the lanterns that hung from the homes of the citizens. They were glass jars filled with fireflies, though a few were made with torches, but either way, Envy loved how they shined within the night.

As Envy trotted along side the guards that escorted the royals to their destination, Envy felt a tingling in his talons, as if something was erupting within him. He shook his talons. Probably just super excited, Envy reassured himself. Whenever weird things like this happens, he always thinks he is dying. He had no time crying for help in the healers' den when there was probably nothing wrong.

"I'm so excited!" Fateslayer says as he trailed next to his brother. Fate looks almost exactly like his mother, but the only difference was that he had blue eyes, inherited by Beastslayer. "Me too," Envy said. "Even my claws are tingling!"

The brothers laughed and continued to chat before they were abruptly stopped.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. Greetings, Princess Silverday, Prince Envy, Prince Fateslayer." A NightWing dragoness with lavender purple eyes bowed down, lowering her wings with a smile. She had a nasty scar around her arm, and it looked as if something was tied onto it to cause the scar, like a rope. Envy winced.

"Hello, Shadowripper." Starflicker says, folding her massive wings as she looked down at the dragoness. "The ceremony is going to start soon. The food is prepared, and everyone is already praising the moons."

☆.｡.:*　　.｡.:*☆

After hours and hours of celebrating, the more Envy enjoyed himself, the more Envy forgot his worries. He laughed with other dragonets, feasted on delicious food-- he was having the time of his life, at least before his body was starting to quake.

As midnight struck and the ceremony was coming to an end, Envy was hiding behind one of the souvenir stands, his legs trembling as smoke leaked from his nostrils. His mind raced, trying to think of an explanation for his shaking. What is happening? Envy thought as he wrinkled his nose, holding in his breath.

He huffed, and suddenly, a burst of flame shot from Envy's jaws, shooting into the sky as he forced his head to face upwards. Envy gasped, coughing lightly as he took a breather. Why can't he control his own fire breath? Was he sick? Envy attempted to think of a valid explanation, but he came up with nothing at all. Before he could make more assumptions, a dragon called his name.

"ENVY?" A feminine voice screams. "ENVY? WHERE ARE YOU?"

It was Shadowripper. Envy took a few extra breaths. His shaking finally subsides for now, but it is still not enough to stop the energy that was raging inside of him, whatever it was. Envy now realizes that he must try his best to not create an outburst like that again, especially at the last ceremony of the night.

Every dragon was gathered around the NightWing palace's courtyard, an U-shaped stage that was lined with gold on it's edges. Lanterns also hung from the edge of the passageway, the fireflies that fluttered around in the clear glass jars constantly tried to escape.

Starflicker stood in the middle, and beside her was the two royal males, Envy and Beastslayer. Envy lowered his head, but Starflicker smacked his shoulder, reminding him to stand up straight, neck high with elegance. He snorted, and he lifted his head up, the mossy-green membrane of his wings shimmering under the festival lights. Queen Starflicker opened her wings, automatically silencing the crowd.

"Subjects of the NightWing kingdom," the queen announces. "I hope you all has had a splendid time during the Moon Festival, where we praise the moons who has given us the gift of precognition and mind-reading. Without further introduc--"

The music seemed to have died down, including his mother's voice. A dull ringing began in his ears as he watched Starflicker mouth random words that Envy couldn't interpret. Envy made an effort to stay as calm as possible and not ask to dismiss himself from the ending ceremony, his tail beginning to curl into a spiral. He needed to stay-- he had to. He couldn't look disrespectful in front of the NightWing subjects. Envy lowered his wings as his body was beginning to quiver. Oh moons-- it barely got started... please, not now..

Envy turned his head, spotting Beastslayer, Shadowripper, and the other royal officials looking at him as if he was going insane. He sensed Shadowripper's thoughts.. "What's wrong with him..?", before he watched the dragoness mouth the words, "Are you okay?"

Envy didn't dare to open his mouth, fearing that whatever was charging up in his body would escape in an instant, and flow along the current of his words. Envy closed his eyes, feeling some kind of heat surge up his throat, and a chilling cold ripple through his talons and tail.

"....before you all dismiss tonight, I wanted to address the situation that happened earlier today," the queen's eyes slowly move towards Envy, who was still shaking and crouching down while smoke lifted from his jaws and snout. She continued to speak, disregarding her son for now. "I ask of all of you to not worry, the situation is being handled appropriately and I assure you that every one in the NightWing kingdom is saf--"

An instant later, there was a blinding flash, like sheet-lightning, and a huge ball of varicolored fire belched upward as Envy screamed, not in pain, but in complete fear. Envy couldn't hear anything else but the deafening explosion that seemed to had come from his jaws, the ringing in his ears increasing no matter how much he tried to stop it. Just in that instant, he sensed the citizen's fear, their anxiety, their confusion. What was really happening?

Envy collapsed to the ground, the ringing dying down as he laid onto the ground. A large circular mark surrounded the prince, showing how far the explosion had spread. There was a stunned silence all around him, thick and pressing down onto him from all sides. He felt so horribly exposed, and he didn't want to open his eyes.

Dread fills his chest as he lifted his head, facing the silence. He slowly blinked away the blur in his eyes, facing the crowd. All of their eyes were widen with horror, a few dragons even flew off when they saw Envy lift his head. What have I done..?

Envy warily turned his gaze towards his family, but, instead of seeing his mother and father, he saw another dragon, laying on the ground as flame scorched the black dragon's scales, smoking, crimson red blood leaking to the ground from the severe burns, thick gray smoke billowing from the body and into the sky. Envy felt like his heart stopped. No.. Oh holy moons--

"...Shadowripper?"