His Apprentice (The Dragon Prince Fanfiction)

Ch. 2 The Storm Spire

Heather stood by the opening to the Queen's chamber, high in the peak of the Storm Spire. Her crimson eyes looked out at the sea of pinkish clouds below the suspended bridge of the Spire. She was back as a Dragonguard, with all her honour, guarding the Queen for the first time in months.

She wore her neat Dragonguard uniform with her red bowblade in hand, looking as fierce as the other two Dragonguards beside her; two of the other Dragonguards who had not been at the Spire when the Dark Mage had killed Avizandum and taken Prince Azymondias' egg. Haco and Petra were the only two other Dragonguard's who had survived the battle with the Cinder-Heart arm unscathed-two others were being treated for injuries.

Heather drew in a long breath, delighted to be back serving her Queen, the Queen of Dragons; Queen Zubeia. And Prince Azymondias, of course.

She lifted her hand to the moonstone that hung around her neck, containing the illusion that was still a Sunfire-elf-dragon-shifter, with false wings; sun-kissed skin; brunette hair; and red eyeshadow markings with a swirl beneath her lower eyelids. But underneath the glamour, nothing had changed since the incident a month ago.

"Do you need a break? To let your 'true self' breathe?" Asked the Sunfire elf Dragonguard beside her-Haco.

Heather shook her head. "No, no, I'm fine... just thinking." She tucked the stone under her sash and stood still again.

But a few minutes later, she turned her head around, looking down the short corridor to Zubeia's chamber.

"You'll have to tell her soon," Petra said. The Earthblood elf had almost become a maternal figure since Tiadrin had disappeared and since Scorchmark-Heather's father-had disowned her out of fear; or so Heather believed.

"I know," Heather mumbled. "And I plan to... She just seems so busy with everything that's happ-ENED!" Petra and Haco shoved her into the tunnel.

"Just tell her. She's not him, Heather," Haco said. Heather knew exactly who he was referring to-her father.

"Give her our wishes!" Petra said, too loud for Heather's sensitive ears to cope with, along with it being loud enough to guarantee it would reach Zubeia's hearing. Heather sighed, exasperated, and faced the chamber ahead of her.

Can't disappoint Her Majesty, she thought to herself. She started down the tunnel, the clinking of her bowblade touching the ground echoing against the stone walls as she walked.

The walk to The Queen's chamber dragged on and on, much longer than Heather had ever remembered; the warm light that beamed into the chamber slowly grew closer with each step.

A soft rumble came from the chamber; Zubeia chuckling. Heather smiled absentmindedly as she heard it. For so long, Zubeia had filled the chamber with soft snores. Hearing her chuckle was a pleasant break from her slumbering breathing.

Finally, Heather stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at Queen Zubeia and Prince Azymondias, as the dragonling chirped at his dam from his spot on her head. He was a tiny pale blue speck against her dark blue scales.

Azymondias looked up from his dam to look at whoever had entered the room. He cooed and glided down to meet Heather at the top of the stairs. Heather bowed to him and Queen Zubeia, as was customary.

"What brings you to my chamber, young Dragonguard?" Queen Zubeia asked and Heather began down the steps, Azymondias on her shoulder.

"Your Majesty," Heather began, inclining her head as she addressed the Queen. "I wish to speak to you about a... personal matter."

Zubeia lowered herself to lie on the ground and inclined her head to study Heather. "I have a feeling it is about the talisman you wear around your neck."

Heather froze. "You never cease to amaze me, Your Majesty," she said, staring up at the archdragon. Zubeia's lips lifted into a smile. "You are correct, Your Majesty, I wear an illusion to hide the remnants of an accident that occurred some time ago. And for me to no longer have to hide my physical appearance, I need to get in touch with the Archmage, Aaravos."

*-*-*-*

Zubeia had been very understanding about Heather's predicament, and with word that the Dark Mage who created the Cinder-Heart army hiding close to the Storm Spire, the hunt for the Dark Mage had begun.

The moon and stars were high above the search party and they scoured the base of the Spire, looking into each crack in the rock they came across. The party comprised Petra, Haco, Heather, Ibis, a dozen Sunfire elf soldiers and five master mages; the best magicians in Xadia, Ibis being one of them.

Heather drew in a long breath as she knelt on the ground; she could smell him. The filthy, disgusting smell of dark magic filled her nostrils, and it was getting stronger.

"Well?" Hissed a mage. Heather wasn't sure which one as she never bothered learning their names when Ibis introduced them earlier; that and the dark magic was distorting her senses.

"He might be near... I'm not sure..." Heather whispered, rising to her feet and walking in the direction of the foul scent.

The mage tutted and hesitantly followed with the rest of his party.

He's probably scared about the Dark Mage absorbing his power. Heather tried to convince herself. Mages are richer in magic than soldiers.

We're all scared of being absorbed and used in some disgusting way. Another part of Heather argued. She swept aside her thoughts and focused on the trail, gripping her blades' handles.

Just ahead of the search party, Heather could see a faint lilac glowing come from a narrow cave mouth up ahead.

"There," she pointed to where she could see the light. The elves behind her all looked to the craggy opening, furrowing their brows.

"So?"

Of course they can't see the light, they're elves. They can't see light that's that faint.

"There's light coming from that cave. It's faint, but I can see it. It might be worth checking out," Heather offered quietly.

After a short, quiet discussion, Heather broke off from the group, completely invisible with the help of the Moonshadow mage who had come with the group. She easily slid into the opening in the rock and adjusted her sight to the lilac lighting in the cave. Inside she saw the Dark Mage, standing in his white dirt-dusted gown, and his apprentice, with half of her hair now completely white. They were both staring at the opposite wall where the lilac was being emitted.

She resurrected him! Heather realised with a scowl. She followed their gaze.

The source of the light was a large cocoon dangling from the ceiling of the cave. It pulsed as white noise came from it.

The caterpillar has to be in there. He has to be in there.

Heather backed slowly out of the cave to the search party, still invisible from all but dragon eyes.

"The Mage and his apprentice are in there, as is the caterpillar," she whispered to the group. Her voice had spooked a few of them.

"Remember that our objective is the caterpillar, not the mages," Petra said to the others. The other elves nodded.

On to phase two of the plan.