Ember

{ eleven }

Ember listened as Aunt Jenna explained the whole backstory, "Your parents had this dragon shifter. He was once like you... He shifted into a powerful dragon but he got corrupted by that power. He turned evil and decided to have all power to himself. He had the ability to suck power out of others. He was part moon dragon and nightshadow." Ember's eyes widened.

"Woah..." said Emily.

Aunt Jenna continued, "And since he was half moon dragon, he could see into the future and see what you are. One night he went after your parents and your parents fought as hard as they could to not let him get to you. I had to grab you out of there myself. I saw as the house bursted into flames. Your parents died, saving you."

Ember took a deep breath and asked, "Well what about when my mother said I was the key?" A look of confusion shot on Aunt Jenna's face.

"You were the key?" She said slowly. Ember nodded and tried to explain further but Aunt Jenna interrupted, "You are the key to what the prophecy foretold."

"The prophecy?" Emily asked.

Ember had her mouth open.

"I'm in a prophecy? What is it?" Ember asked excitedly.

"That's something that you have to ask our soothsayer." Aunt Jenna replied, "now eat your soup." She added and Ember nodded.

She ate the soup and saw out the window that the sun was almost setting. She ran out the house and ran towards the soothsayer's shed. She knocked on the door and the soothsayer opened it.

The soothsayer was an old woman who had a bunch of necklaces around her neck and tattoos. She had a fire going in the middle of her house, the walls were covered in animal skin and there was an essence in the air.

Ember smelled it and smiled. It smelled of orchids and a bunch of flowers mixed together to make one pleasing smell. The type of smell that just warms you up inside. Ember sat in front of the soothsayer, the fire in between them.

"What is it that you seek?" The soothsayer asked Ember.

"I seek the prophecy and what role I play in it." Ember said strongly.

"Oh." She chuckled, "That prophecy." She cleared her throat, "Ahem.. there's no prophecy.." The soothsayer said as she threw some spices in the fire.

"What? But my mother said I was the key?! My aunt said there was a prophecy!" Ember cried out.

The soothsayer moved to the side of the fire to see Ember's face. She stared into Ember's eyes. The soothsayer sighed, "Your aunt probably assumed it was a prophecy but it's not. What's the name of your mother?" She asked Ember.

"Um.. Amber." Ember responded and the soothsayer's eyes widened.

"You mean Amber Rose?" Ember nodded and the soothsayer gasped,

"I loved that woman! She was incredibly special and kind." She said softly as her smile turned into a frown.

"I'm sorry about your parents..." She paused and held Ember's hand. The soothsayer's hand was cold and wrinkly. Ember smiled sadly and the soothsayer moved her hand away. "Your parents were fighting your long lost brother..." Ember's eyes widened.

"What?!" She said a little bit too loudly. Ember dropped her jaw in surprise and confusion.

"Before they had you, they raised a son and that son was as powerful as you were. You had a very powerful family. Your brother gotten corrupted and turned into this monster that killed your parents. They didn't want to lose you too so, they sent you here." the old wise woman explained.

"What about when my mother said I was the key?" Ember asked the soothsayer.

"You're the key to saving him." The soothsayer declared and Ember was dumbfounded.

"Wait... ho-how... do I find him? My brother." Ember asked her. The words my brother were as weird as calling your dad by his first name.

"You'll find him with time. Somehow siblings always find each other." The soothsayer smiled warmly and told Ember to leave, "I need to talk to the spirits but did I answer all of your questions?"

Ember nodded and left the straw shed. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Woah... I have a brother?!" She exclaimed and chuckled.

"That's so weird.... and I'm the key to saving him?" She whispered to herself as she walked back home. She walked into the house and Emily got up from the couch.

"So? How'd it go?" Emily asked.

"Weird. I mean... I-I learned more about my parents and what they were up against." Ember replied and Emily nodded.

"Yea." Ember said as she walked up the stairs.
"Wait." Emily called out and Ember stopped herself immediately right after she said it.

"So... that's it? That's all you're gonna say to me?" Emily asked.

Ember shrugged and nodded. She walked upstairs and into her bedroom. She was really tired and from hearing everything about her parents and just finding out she has a brother. She needs some beauty sleep. She flopped onto the bed and snored right to sleep.

•••••••••

**One Day Later...**

It was in the middle of the night when Ember breathed heavily and was drenched in cold sweat. She heard a dragon roar and she hyperventilated.

She looked up in the sky and saw a giant dragon that blocked the entire moon which made the night, pitch black. Without the moonlight to make up shadows and outlines of objects, Ember was completely blind.

Then the dragon whooshed down to the ground, in front of Ember as the moonlight shined on him. The giant moon dragon had nightshadow traits as well. He looked at Ember in the eyes. His eyes glowed yellow and when you looked into them, you saw your worst nightmares.

Ember whimpered in fear and screamed as she ran for her life. The nightshadow/moon dragon roared as he bit Ember's shirt. Ember got yanked up and thrown into the sky.