Young Writers Society

Follow the mysterious voice from our minds, they said. It'll be an adventure, they said. We'll be fine, they said. No creature would dare challenge such an intimidating group of dragons! Of course they would. They always do. And now I'm trying to avoid getting a spear shoved through my luscious feathers by the most horrendous looking dwarves I've ever seen.

Right. Then there are the dragons. The oh, so mighty dragons which are supposed to be my protectors. It just so happens that these little worthless beings are too much for them. Just from the start, it seemed the little imps were just going to be a thorn in our side, that with a giant bat of their paws. Soon after, they continued streaming out, more and more of them, like a stream of endless midgets.

It sure didn't take long for most of them to get cornered. However long they tried to put up a fight, every single one of them fell eventually. Oh, and they don't even seem to bother with me. What's up with that! I am so much better than all of those dragons combined. You don't even see phoenixes here... I think.

"Look at me you idiotic hoodlums!" I caw as I swoop down and once again claw at the helmet of a dwarf. My tactic only seems to irritate him slightly, since now he barely lifts his swear into the air to wave me away. The nerve of him! Rage kindles inside of me, and the fire inside itches to be released in a torrent of fury, but I know this well. I'll try to strike with my wing and - Bam! - I'm off balance and slam into the ground.

"Hey! You ignorant scum! Take me on, you won't!" Once again, I dive down, slamming my beak into the helmet, actually denting it slightly. Though a shock of pain shoots through my beak. Probably not the smartest idea. The dwarf looks up at me, a look of pure annoyance on his face. Not even a split second to early, I roll out of the way of his spear once again, him finally yelling something at me.

Pain still reverberates through my beak, and suddenly I don't care anymore. Whatever the heck happens to this dragons doesn't effect me! Not once have they shown any appreciation for my willingness to lighten their adventure. They were blessed to be in my presence, but they treated me as a nuisance. I don't even care now what they did for me or what these stupid disgraces of life do to them.

Some dragons still try to fight off the attackers who still are pouring in, swapping out with other tired dwarves. "I hope all of you die!" I screech, before whirling around midair and speeding away.

~Days Later~

Stupid, stupid, stupid. You are a stupid phoenix. Running from a fight. You could've shown them all up. Proved to them you are more worthy. I want to scream. Thoughts of bitter hatred and regret repeat in my mind, never ceasing. Over and over again, it slowly tortures me. I hate it. I hate myself.

For the past couple hours, I've merely flown over the landscape far away from the caves where they were all caught. I bet they've all died by now. It's your fault. You ran. You think you don't care but you're too stupid to understand. Your only admirers just died in your stupidity. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Enough, I get it! Small droplets of fire form at the edges of my eyes. My tears of the fire of rage continually burning inside me. I get it. There was so much more I could've done. I could've even found help. Gone back. But I didn't.

Gliding aimlessly on the hot air drafts high up in the air, my destination is nowhere. Now I merely wander again, like before the hypogryph. A part of me fears landing, even though I've flown for sixteen hours straight. I'd probably collapse, since I can already feel my wings aching, but then I'd dream. And hate. And torture myself all over again. I must fly on.

As I try to shake the weariness from my eyes, I guess I don't really notice what's in front of me. I didn't think that many other would be flying at this high; most are either way up higher or closer to the ground. Instead, another dragon before me seems to be distracted as well, and I happen to collide with him. But I'm affected much more than he is.

A strangled squawking noise emits from me as I'm forced in hard scales. This behemoth of a creature probably doesn't even notice the precious phoenix he just flew into. Seconds later, I swear I hear a stretch and a snap and a wave of pain flares up in one of my wings. I screech once more, which is probably what gets his attention.

I begin to spiral downwards as a tuck my wing into my side. Frantically, I try to stablize myself with my one good wing, but even that is still tired and sore from the collision. Except that oversized dragon has to go and be the hero. In one motion, he dives down after me and hooks me in his claws, probably breaking several of my ribs in the process.

"You broke my wing!" I screech at him as he lowers me down to the ground. "You evil demon, you broke my magnificent wing and I'm going to die because of your evilness! Shattered it completely!"

"Stop that," he growls sharply. "You'll be fine -- and it's not broken."

I try to scramble to my feet and continue throwing insults at him, but my wing flares up with pain at the slightest movements again. Thus I argue from the ground, "It's completely broken. Your overly dense thick carcass has destroyed my precious bones and I'm going to be a cripple for ever and ever!"

"Stop whining and hold still," he commands. "It's only been sprained."

"No thanks to you!" I snap. "You do you think you are anyway!"

The dragon's laugh is scratchy and it rumbles deep in his throat. "I am Jura. Sunseeker. I'm not sure if my name is as common to a phoenix, however."

My intense fury and rage starts to die, and once more I revert to pity. "If you're just going to end it, do it now."

"Now why would I do that? You still have use for me yet, Chrystilla. I shall leave you to rest for now, but soon I wish to continue forward again. I sense other dragons yet further on."

Before I can protest, or even think anything, Jura lifts up into the sky, leaving me in a surprisingly sheltered cove...? When... I cut the thought off. I haven't slept since before the dwarf incident...

Kirimbi~Cell 5

I stared at the others, then I stared at my pearl. My pearl had turned an ashen-white, the glow wasn't coming.

Maybe it was just time.

But it couldn't be, the prophecy had yet to be fulfilled. Might be that I couldn't catch metaphor... But I doubt that Getting yourself stuck in a jail cell counts as a great success. Well, at least according to prophets, Gene was the last death of one close to us. I stared at the white thing that was apparently a ghost. I didn't blame it, it was not going to survive, or was it? It was hard to keep my eyes closed as the waves of tears of both sadness and confusion battered against my eyelids.

I had to get out of here, get the others out of here, my ancestors wouldn't be at peace until I did, or died in the process, in which case we would all die, me and my ancestors. I started to try to pace in my cage, small as it was. My brain had not aged as I had, and I still had trouble thinking as a young one would.

I started to think about the others, they needed to get out too. Save humanity and all that jazz. I looked at the bars, heavy duty, and they stung. But... What if...

I had a mental argument with myself, and some of my ancestors.

"That's stupid" some said.
"At least we would die honerably" Said others.
"But what's the point if we all die?" Said one.
"Why can't I make any important choices without you guys coming into my head?" I questioned, they refused to speak. They knew where their energy came from, they knew that my life-magic would run out sooner or later. Time, that's all any of us ever gave them.

I had decided, but not what any of them thought I had decided. I walked up to the bars of the cage, and made eye contact with one of the guards. He looked into my eyes, and I know what he saw in them;

Death.

A stream of magic flowed from him as his face began to sag, it broke the bars out of the place where they were socketted. The wrinkles on his face started to turn to dust as his life magic streamed into the bars, and I. It tore the bars apart, and I walked out of the cage, with a new conciousness rattling around in my pearl, but this was not a dragon, nor a phoenix, it was a dwarf. A dwarf that had a family, and kids. A tear tried to escape from my eye, but I could not cry at a time like this, a time when dwarves were flocking around me, afraid to come too close, but determined to keep me contained.

I yowled now

"If you want out, do it now!" The other dragons heard, and something I heard some screeching,

the phoenix had arrived.

-Hope rekindled-
~Thoren~

I break out of the cell and snap at one of the nearest dwarves. He dodges and swings his axe at me, his face white with fear. He looks as if he is ready to faint. I spray the formation with fire, striking terror in their ranks the cave rings with cries on both sides. Suddenly the other dragons break free as well and the dwarves are put at a disadvantage. Even worse, they don't have any nets to recapture us.

I look up suddenly as that dratted Phoenix alights on my shoulder. I shake here off.

"Now isn't the time to bother us, okay! Find another perch to shout insults at the dwarves!"

She fluters up onto the broken door of my cell with a hurt look on her face. "How rude of you! How dare could you insult me like that. I was just stopping for a rest and you now have the cheek to insult me and simply brush me off. Literally." You should be very grateful that I came back to save you or else you would be in dire trouble!"

"You flatter yourself too much, Phoenix! I wouldn't mind if I saw you strung up! You haven't done a single thing for us! It was Kirimbi who did all the work. If fact, you are nothing but a distraction! You should stop distracting us dragons!"

"I am not a distraction! I am a glorious Phoenix and you should be glad of my company! You dragons are such cruel, mean hearted creatures! I never should have agreed to go along with you."

"I'm glad you finally realized that. Now will you please get out of my way?"

With a shove a brush her aside and charge at the group of terrified dwarves, ignoring the innumerable insults and pleas that flew from the Phoenix's mouth. Soon I am flying headlong into the dwarves, barely airborne, but somehow managing to keep afloat. With a roar I land in the middle of the dragons, ignoring the innumerable axes, swords, and spears that back against my armored sides. Lashing out with my tail, swiping with my wings, and lunging with my neck I am able to clear a space for me to stand."

For a second I pause, realizing something is wrong. I catch a glimpse of movement above. I think that I can see a dark figure or figures. Suddenly I realize their purpose.

"Get out of here! Move as quickly as you can! The dwarves have men with nets high above us on cat walks!" My voice echo's through the chasms, but it is drowned out by the noises of the terrified dwarves. I do the only thing that comes to mind.

Taking off from the ground I soar quickly to the top of the hall and spray the sides and cat walks with fire. Soon have a dozen are burned up and the rest are cast from the rafters, so to speak down to the chasm below, ultimately doing little harm, some of them even fall among the dwarves who have formed a circular formation to ward of the other dragons.

I pause for a second, surveying the scene. Kirimbi seems to be fighting like mad along with the others. Cynder and Glamdor seem to be using their mind control powers to terrorize the dwarves and Ramur soars above the rest, swooping down ever so often to pick up a few dwarves and drop them from altitude. All in all we are doing pretty well, but just now a new batch of dwarves, with armor, charge into the hall.

I swoop down toward them and spray them with fire, but their armor somehow protects some from being hurt be my fire. Instead I copy Ramur's tactic. Soon the entire body of dwarves is annihilated.

"Well, that wasn't too hard," I say. "Thanks to Keirimbi."

"Rest assured," Glamdor replies, "They have more help coming!"

I walk out of the immense cavern of beautiful craftsmanship and stare out at the world again. All seems relatively peaceful. But is is. I nervously take flight and breath in the fresh air. Ah that's good!

All of a sudden I glance down only to see a horde of dwarves pouring out from the mountain directly in front of us. All of them move silently. They seem to have nets, and not only that, they have catapults. Some of them have stones, though a number of them have more nets.

Immediately I dive down to the ground and land gracelessly. "There is a horde of dwarves pouring out of that mountain ahead!" I shout. "They have catapults and nets with them. What are we to do now, Glamdor?"

"I'll see to that!" A large booming voice says. I turn to see a humungous, and rather old looking, dragon. "I am Jura! Welcome to earth, my friends!"

Jura Sunseeker, One of the Seven Earth Dragons, Lord Of North America


For centuries, he had never had a reason to leave his mountain. Even when the rock trolls and dwarves arrived, he found no reason to oust them. His only ally was the Ice Dragon, Tolar, Lord of Asia. Even then he had never left very much. But when the Dwarves sent an emissary, carrying word that several dragons had been captured, and they were going to kill them unless Jura Sunseeker bowed to their king. That had made him snap. For centuries, he had allowed dwarves to mine in his mountains. And now they wished him to bow to them. He was the Lord of The Northern America's, one of the seven, the youngest son of the Elder, and the wisest of the twelve gem holders, he held the Sun Stone.

But when they continued to demand things, such as his sunstone. With a single flick, he sent the dwarf flying out of his cave, and opened his wings. His golden armour, crafted and enchanted to never rust, and always conform to his body. Never would have to worry about his scales being harmed. He snarled and began to walk out of his cave. He glanced around at his cave and snarled. He was the Sunseeker, and they would learn to fear his name.

His flight was uneventful until he ran into the Phoenix, who immediately began to squall. Sighing to himself, he took her too one of his lesser caves and made her comfortable before leaving. He gazed up at the sun, squinting his eyes. "You can never reach the sun." These words echoed through his mind. He shook his head to clear his mind. He squinted and searched the landscape, and finally spotted the reason for all his troubles. He grinned each tooth glinting in the sun. He managed to hear the last of the of the younger dragons remark and smiled, swooping in for the landing. "I'll see to that!" He boomed." I am Jura. Welcome to earth my friends!"

Spoiler! :

Just trying out the color..

Oh no, who's this? Another do-gooder? Not to mention, that thing is huge. Wait.. Jura? Didn't the Elder mention him in my studies? I stared with awe and annoyance as the huge dragon swooped in and knocked down all of the dwarves. Apparently, he had it out for them. Their machines were smashed to bits, the nets were the size of his claws-the little men were utterly defenseless.

I give a light-hearted chuckle. The poor little creatures thought we were the worst of their problems when they captured us. Glamdor turned towards me, and looked into my eyes. I knew he could tell what I was thinking, of course. He chuckled in spite of himself.

I returned my attention to Jura, the beast of the skies, watching him destroy the machinery like they were toys. A group of dwarves got his attention and he swatted them away. I laughed again. I turned my head towards Glamdor once more when I felt something run down my leg. My eye crests twisted in confusion. Glamdor followed my eyes to find.. Blood.. I was speared by a lance, thrown by a somewhat dismantled trebuchet. I looked up to see a hidden dwarf laughing his head off-the same one I had made a threat to.

How dare you.. Agh! No not again! I remembered my mom again, her pale violet face calm and unsuspecting. Her deep eggplant purple eyes radiated love towards me.. My father sitting behind her, the same affection showing in his face. Then it happened. The nightmare began again. I roar with fear and anger, and Glamdor knew what that meant. He backed away a few yards and gave me my space. There was no stopping me now.

My roar got the dwarves attention. Jura was on the far side of the field, destroying the last of the machines, so I wanted to tackle the remaining dwarves here. Hahaha, what fools they were. My tail glowed brilliantly, instantly grabbing their attention. It was like a sacred gem-they began to drool and ogle over it. I flapped my wings as gracefully as ever. I rose into the sky and stopped in front of the group. I land perfectly this time. I keep my tail in front of me, my wings still out-stretched.

Do not sleep, my friends. Please, enjoy your last comforting moments. They dazedly nodded their heads in response. I remembered the last moments before everything went dark:

Mom stretched her head down to me. I smiled a toothy grin and she smiled back. I screamed inside. No! Mother don't, please don't.. But it was too late. I noticed my dad was gone. So I looked back at mother again, but she was gone. I turned to my right to see a door and my mother's tail underneath. I went up to the door and heard a deep voice.

"You shouldn't have done that, my lady. On the board of the Elder's or not, seeing your child after the memories have begun is not allowed."

I saw her smile through the crack in the door. Then the dragon clad in armor raised his claws and struck. She was gone. I stared in shock. I did not scream. I only felt anger. Anger that I knew would not be avenged. Crimson flooded the floor and seeped into my room.

I shook my head. The memories were too painful. Her small scream of Death both terrified me and made me hate the Elder. I still wonder what has become of my father. I felt the ground underneath me turn hard and lifeless. It was working. Now, they will suffer.

The green gas spreading from my wings descended to the ground and misted all around the dwarves feet. It climbed up to their faces and began its work. Their faces contorted in pain, and some of them began to yell. My poison was chocking the life out of them. I released them from my enthrallment and flapped wings into the air again.

I landed gracefully a second time beside Glamdor. The other's mouths hung open. Ghost looked like he was still stuck in my memories-a painful expression etched into his face. Glamdor just sat by my side, disguising a grimace. He knew I would be suffering later. Unexpectedly, the phoenix had arrived a few minutes ago. Her beak hung the lowest in fear and shock of all the dragons. Most of the dragons expressions were easy to read:

Ramur thought it was unethical, Kirimbi couldn't wait to gossip about it, but wouldn't dare with me around. Thoren was frozen in place, obviously reassuring his beliefs that I am dangerous. The phoenix was the only thought pattern I couldn't read. Not that I was interested in hearing a full blown, detail-by-detail story of what I just did. I heard their screams in the background of my reverie. I let go of my thoughts and focused on the hug mass of muscle waiting for us at the end of the dwarven machine bits and pieces pile.

"Well?" I questioned them. "We have a guest to meet. Not to mention, he did save our lives. Jura will be a valuable ally, so be polite. Right, phoenix?" She nodded her head. I looked once more at Glamdor and we ascended into the clear sky to meet our new friend.

Kirimbi- The Truth be told.

I watched as Cynder killed the rest of the dwarves, my head throbbing with the voice of the dwarf I had killed. I was able to temporarily push all the voices back by focousing on Cynder. And then I focoused on it for a few hours afterwards, probably chattering about it to no one in particular. I could barely focous when Jura talked. Then my concentration gave way, mid-flight. I fell, but caught myself before I got too close to the ground. I put my paw to my face as the voices spoke, forcing me to land. I ran in circles, crazed by the voices protesting the company of a dwarf, the dwarf protesting dieng. I barely noticed as the other dragons landed beside me, as my energy ran out, as the pear drained my energy.

I crashed to the ground, too exhausted to run any more. The voices hadn't let up. I put a paw up to my face, wrinkles were starting to form. I calmed my heart rate, my breath, and recited the prophecy I had been taught until I was with the rest of the dragons.

The last of the lungs
with scales as snow
and whiskers as water
will go on a quest
one will die,
much will be discovered,
some may be forgotten.
The oldest will find a grave
dug by the paws of the last
and seven others.
All will find power,
and may use it wisely
and the line will cease
and the souls in the pearl
banished.

They stopped talking for a moment after I said that, they knew their banishment was at hand. I also noticed that every living dragon nearby was staring at me.

I locked my gaze with theirs. I knew what they wanted to know, and they needed to know it before we got any further. I stood, my legs trembling. I walked into the firelight, where they could see my wrinkles, marks of age. And I spoke, in a voice you might expect to hear from your grandmother.

"The pearl was an ancient relic, treasured by all who set eyes upon it. Jade Dragon and the Phoenix carved it from a beautiful crystal, until it glowed with a luminous quality. It was stolen from them, but an old dragon brought it back to them. Telling them the prophecy that you just heard me utter, and that they would live until the last of their line had died. So my family lived in seclusion, growing old, dieng, and living again in the pearl, drawing the life energy out of the next in their line. I do not look forward to their future, for there are no other lungs to which I can marry."

I moved my paw to my face.

"I am a mere youngster of 20, but I look as if I've lived a hundred years. Especially after I added another to the pearl, another mouth to feed you might call it, feeding my life energy. There is no known way to evict someone from the pearl, so each generation ages faster than the first."

This kind of struck me as funny. I giggled a bit.

"If it had gone on much longer, we wouldn't have lived a year before we died."

I uttered a small cry of pain as my ancestors and the dwarf started to protest again, they would let up in a while, about the same amount of time as it takes to mourn, it takes them to bicker. But I wasn't going to be able to sleep until they did.

Boy, I had a long couple months ahead of me.

~Ramur~

More than anything, I was bewildered. It was as if every dragon who had a secret had decided to let it spill out right then and there.

I, for one, have no secrets. I'm an ordinary mountain dragon with gray scales and big wings. It is true that I have exceptional eyesight, but that isn't something I've hidden from the others.

Jura's entrance was most fortunate, especially at that moment in the battle. I was getting exhausted, especially with the injuries from the day of Gene's death. Making use of my large wings, I made myself helpful by swooping down and grabbing a few dwarves in my claws, then releasing them from up high. Thoren started to help me, and the two of us started an effective Ferris-wheel system. It was a perfect day at a human's amusement park, except for the fact that we dropped our passengers at the top of the rotation. Their spears weren't exactly amusing either. By the time Jura arrived, I was happy to retire from my Ferris-wheel duties.

Jura eliminated many of the dwarves in a matter of minutes, putting our system to shame. His utter size and monstrosity was shocking, to say the least. He set a dozen dwarves on fire at once, and knocked five more to the ground with a quick swipe of his paw. Spears did little to stop him.

It was then that Cynder seemed inclined to demonstrate her hidden powers. It was all very bewildering, as I have said, and since I was eager to watch our new friend, it wasn't until her unique rosetail began to glow when my eyes were drawn to her.

The dwarves seemed to pause in their fight, and Jura paused, too. I could feel a sense of sadness emanating off Cynder, but in a flash it was gone.

She lifted her head, her rosetail flaring with anger. Slowly, her bat-like wings expanded, and a green toxin began to seep from the leathery folds. The dwarves, who did not try to escape it by any means, watched Cynder blankly, their mouths slightly open. The emerald gas spread through their army with a shocking speed, sliding along the ground and creeping up their bodies. Once the toxin reached their bearded faces, they seemed to be knocked back into reality for a mere second, only to be choked to death.

My eyes watered from the fumes of the poison and my tongue shriveled from the taste of death. Spears clattered on the ground as each victim was claimed by the gas and each soul was ripped from this earth.

"Stop!" I roared. "Cynder, Stop!" If she heard me, she ignored me, for the poison did not cease its flow until every dwarf was dead.

When it was all over, Cynder composed herself again. She did not seem overly disturbed by what she had done, but I knew her emotions were always difficult to discern. When she ordered us to follow her, we all did, unthinkingly. But my view of her - as a beautiful, mysterious dragon - had changed, for I had seen the green gas ebb from her wings and choke the life out of over a hundred dwarves. It didn't seem fair. She had cheated.

I gently supported Ghost in my claws, carrying him against my belly as we flew. I was absorbed in my own disturbed thoughts when he spoke to me.

You do not know her past, Ramur.

I tilted my head to get a better look at him; his sickly form and pale skin softened my heart. I opened the gate in the brick wall of my mind, ignoring the lessons from my days of school in Mystic. Never let a dragon you do not know enter into your mind, they had said. I am sorry, dear teachers, but this dragon was a special case.

How are you feeling? I asked him courteously, putting aside the subject of Cynder's poison for a while.

Tired... he said wearily. Tired, and... heavyhearted.

I am well aware that I am not adept at comforting another dragon, particularly one whose name I hardly even know. I didn't really say anything, but thought of what I should say, and I guess for Ghost that's the same thing as speaking. I sensed his overwhelming sadness as he talked to me.

Now that the immediate danger has passed, I feel weaker. It's as if I was able to hold myself together when it was needed, but now that I am safe... And then the poison dragon shared her memories with me...

What memories?

Unlike most of us, she remembers...

For the first time in almost a week, I can finally sit a watch the sun drift lower and lower into the sky. Lazily closing my eyes, a wave of calmness rushes over me, relaxing my grip on the stone I've perched myself on. The rock behind me feels cold against my wing, but it gives off a soothing feeling, nursing the throbbing pain that still lingers from my injury a day ago.

After some time of flying, the pearl dragon had drifted down, weariness getting the better of her. Mere moments later, the group stumbled upon this nice cover carved out of the mountain. In the center, the ground dips down into a bowl shape, though not too deep and really spread out in the middle, probably even large enough to fit Jura and have room to spare. It hollows into the mountain, carving out a nice overhang towards the back. Even the overhang seems to be perfectly molded to arch up just enough to be able to watch the sun set.

Soon after we had all landed, a chorus of rumbling tummies rang out. After a moment or two of banter, a small group was designated to hunt down a mountain lion, just enough to out something in everyone' empty tummy, but not enough to chase away the hunger. On the crew was Glamour, Thoren and Cynder. And I feel like I was the only one who protested a dragon that has poison seep from her skin going and touching everyone's meal. Even Jura decided to go and find his own game. Or maybe that was because it would take a mountain of meat for him to feel content.

That then leaves just me and the other three dragons, which doesn't bother me too much. These all seem too worn to be of much nuisance. Snatching a glance back, everything seems so peaceful.

In the center of the large bowl lays the pearl dragon, or Kirmibi as I believe she's called by the others. Her body is curled in a perfect fashion to show that pearl of hers in its best light while also securing it safely in her paws. Even her spot on the ground allows her blue scales to gleam in the receding sun. Letting out a croon of approval, I ruffle my own crystal feathers to bask in the last warmth of the day.

Further back are the other two dragons left behind, the albino one, who everyone seems to call Ghost though that's an absurd name, and his transporter, Ramur. Taking full advantage of the shadow from the overhang, the two sit close together, seeming to be sharing a conversation I can't hear. Or they're just exhausted. Maybe even both.

Since this is the first time we've all had any rest, it's given me more of an opportunity to think. To watch. And just watching makes my heart ache and long for another. These dragons all together seem so close. However long they've been together it seems to me like it's been a lot. But what about me? I don't have another Phoenix to bear this burden with me.

My head turns back to the setting sun. It's always so beautiful and throughout the day it shines alone. Sometimes the clouds come and steal its light, but it's always there. Then when it sets, all the starts come out to rejoice? How it that fair? I let out a long sigh. It's just because the sun is so different.

Not too long later, I notice a group dragons out in the distance valiantly flying this way. From the distance I can't tell what's in their claws, but I do know it's enormous.

"I think it's supper."