Wings of Fire: A Dark Nightmare #1

Chapter 5

Queen Dreamstalker didn't even look like a dragon anymore. Holes were in her face, leaking blood, and one of her eyes was gouged out. Her face was soaked with blood, and it was so dark that she didn't even look like a NightWing anymore. Her face was still twisted into an agonizing expression even though she was dead. Blood covered the ground and continued spilling from Queen Dreamstalker's open jaws. 

Blood stained Queen Fissure. She backed away, then threw the sharp halves of her blood horns onto the ground, her teeth bared at the NightWings. "Who is next?" She questioned.

"Y-you killed our queen," a dark purple NightWing stepped forward.

"So? More of you will die if you don't give up the hybrids," Queen Fissure hissed. She looked down at Queen Dreamstalker's dead body, then kicked her head. "You don't want to end up like her, do you?" She taunted.

Nightmare bared his teeth. This was the last straw! He scrambled upwards, about to launch himself on the queen, but something suddenly grabbed his tail and pulled him backwards. 

Nightmare turned around and saw a blue-gray dragon standing behind him. His horns weren't straight like a NightWing, instead they curved like a SeaWing. A sail ran down his spine. Abysswatcher! 

"Don't risk your life. I'm mad too, but there is nothing we can do. Queen Dreamstalker gave her life because she wanted us to escape, not die. We must leave," Abysswatcher whispered. The bioluminescent scales along his side glowed.

"B-but I have firescales, I can beat her," Nightmare reassured. "Did my firescales hurt you when you touched my tail? Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Even if you have firescales, you are young and don't even have any experience with fighting. Now, we must go," Abysswatcher dipped his head, then flicked his tail. "Follow me, there is a secret entrance outside."

Nightmare stood up, his tail dragging across the stone floor. 

"If Queen Fissure were to get a hold of you, then every tribe would be in even more danger. Queen Fissure would most likely use you to kill other hybrids, and would probably go even farther than killing just hybrids," Abysswatcher commented. 

"You're right. I'm just a weapon basically," Nightmare sighed, his head drooping. "Its all my fault Queen Dreamstalker died. She wouldn't be dead if I had just given myself to Queen Fissure. I would rather have myself be used than Queen Dream-"

"Shut up, will you?" Abysswatcher hissed. "Stop blaming my mother's death on you! It's not your fault, and it's not anyone else's! You don't even know her! My mother has always been arrogant, and she loves me so much that she gave her life for me! For me and for some dragon she barely even knows. You're pathetic. I may as well leave without you. And if you so desire, then give yourself up to Queen Fissure so my mother's sacrifice wasn't in vain!" Abysswatcher hissed, his wings spreading out. Suddenly he leaped forward, his talons lashing at Nightmare.

"Abysswatcher, stop! I promised Queen Dreamstalker I would protect you and get you out of here! I don't want to hurt you!" Nightmare whined. "You'll only hurt yourself trying to hurt me!"

"Shut up! Let me shed your blood as much as my mother shed hers!" Abysswatcher cried, leaping on Nightmare. He ignored the burning of the firescales.

"Stop! I don't want you to get hurt!" Nightmate growled. He kicked the prince off of him, his giant wings spreading. He saw burns all over Abysswatcher's chest. The dark dragon was panting. 

"Stop acting like you know Dreamstalker," Abysswatcher puffed. His eyes were dark with pain. "She has always wanted to fight Queen Fissure and stop her from killing hybrids. She told me that if she were to die, then she would want to die an honorable death. She told me that she wanted to die by Queen Fissure. And today was the day she accomplished this."

Nightmare stared at the hybrid, his eyes wide. "You mean, she wanted to die like that?" He asked, forcing himself to not tremble.

"Her mother had foresight. She knew that Dreamstalker would go out this way. But she never told her daughter. Instead, she told this to me before she died. I lived my whole life knowing when and how Queen Dreamstalker would die. And the worst part: I couldn't even tell her, I didn't have the courage," Abysswatcher sighed. "So do you think you're the one suffering?"

"I'm sorry. I just... I always blame myself. If I were to lose my family, I'd blame myself. If you were to be killed, I'd blame myself. That's just what I do. I am supposed to protect my friends and family," Nightmare murmured.

"You can't protect everyone. But... I will protect you. You are my sister's son. So I-"

"Found you!"