Young Writers Society

Zoltar stood there parallelized, picturing the figure as the Exltron with it's burning red eyes. He hadn't known Howler Dragons got this big. Adrenalin raced through his veins as his body told him to run on instinct. He forced himself not to though. This wasn't the Exltron and he didn't want to embarrass Hisster more than he had.

“Greetings, your greatness,” Hisster said in an oily voice, gracefully bowing with his ebony wings spread, “We have come here to humbly ask for your help.”

'Right,' Zoltar thought sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. 'Does Hisster really think these dragons are going to buy this whole act he is putting on? Surly they can see right through him.'

The figure in the corner stepped into the dim light. Zoltar let out a quiet gasp. It was a Howler Dragon, but not like the ones he’d seen. Everything on this beast of a dragon seemed to be more robust than the other Howler Dragons. Muscles rippled under its obsidian scales as the dragon walked. Its frill was like a great shining crown and each of its paws had six glinting, silver talons unlike the normal five.

The Howler Dragon glared at Zoltar, his gleaming eyes narrowing to menacing slits and growled in a deep rasping voice, “I am Krakatoa, leader of the Howler Dragons. Why do you not bow?”

Realizing his mistake with a jolt of fear, Zoltar extended his wings and awkwardly bowed. His wings felt like they were sticking out the wrong way and he was worried his talons weren’t crossed over each other properly. He heard a disappointed sigh come from Hisster’s direction.

“What is it that you need from us, Shadow Talon?” Krakatoa asked in a menacing tone as he shifted his steel gaze towards Hisster, "Dragons from other tribes don't cross onto our land without good reason."

“We need your assistance in a takeover, your majesty. The Wisp Talon tribe. We wish to take over their island, but don’t have the dragons needed. I've heard that you provided these services in the past against the Lightning Talons,” Hisster replied in a cool voice, but Zoltar could see that even he looked nervous from his tail’s cat like twitch.

“Mmm that we did, but it was for a high price. That has not changed Shadow Talon. What will you pay us in return for the favor?” Krakatoa advanced slowly forwards, never lifting his burning eyes away from Hisster's.

“We have treasure, lots of it,” Hisster answered in a slightly more panicked tone. He took a step back from the mountain of black that stood in front of him.

"Treasure!" the Howler Dragon spat, throwing back his head and barking a loud laugh. "I don't want simple treasure, I want something of more value to me," Krakatoa growled as he stepped into the shadows once more. He picked up some sort of tablet from behind his throne.

"I want the long lost Ruby of Fire," he demanded, eyeing the slightly panicked look that came across Hisster's face, "It is our source of power. So if you want us to kill these Wisp Talons for you...you must bring us the Ruby of Fire," Krakatoa hissed, his forked tongue slithering out from between his fangs, "It's up to you. I will accept no other payment."

"Okay. Okay. I'll get the Ruby. Just promise you'll get rid of the Wisp Talons," he burst out finally.

Krakatoa smiled a wicked smile and pushed a stone block with words carved onto it into Hisster's paws, “Excellent. Give the things listed on this tablet to the Riconra in the Peaks of Solitude. They will give you the ruby, but only for these things. If you try and cheat them out of it...well..." He paused as if savoring the words in his mouth, "they’ll destroy you and your clan…so don't try anything."

“Yes sir,” Hisster nodding, his eyes darting towards the exit. Small beads of sweat were starting to break out from between his scales and his breathing seemed to have gotten louder.

Zoltar dipped his head as a small smile crept across his snout. It was kind of funny to see how Hisster was being pushed around like little puppet by these dragons.

“Come, let’s go Zoltar,” Hisster urged, trying to not look like he was in a hurry to get away. He pushed past all the Howler Dragons crowding round the entrance.

Zoltar turned and slowly followed Hisster, trying not to bump into any of the already grumpy Howler Dragons. After a few steps Zoltar became aware of Krakatoa watching him go and picked up the pace a little.

"Shadow Talon."

Zoltar flinched and looked back at Krakatoa, his burning eyes locked on him.

"Make sure that other Shadow Talon brings the Ruby of Fire to us before next autumn and trust me when I say that you don't want to be late."

Zoltar nodded and hurried after Hisster, his head pounding. 'How was Hisster going to find this Ruby in less than a year? There weren't many soldiers left and this quest sounded rather dangerous. Was Hisster going to come on the mission with the soldiers or was he just going to let them do the hard work. What had Krakatoa meant when he'd warned them not to be late?' Zoltar was sure it hadn't been a friendly suggestion. Whatever it was he didn't want to find out. 

The one thing that bothered him most was the subject of the mission. What on earth was the Ruby of Fire? He'd never heard of it before in his life. Did it have some sort of magical properties and if so what implications did that pose?

When they finally reached the surface Hisster launched himself into the air without delay with Zoltar in tail. Clouds of ash and soot were whipped into the air as Zoltar flapped his wings, trying to gain height and keep up with Hisster.

Dark thunder clouds were rolling over the plains like the plumes of smoke streaming from the volcano in the Shadow Lands. Lightning flashed around Zoltar and Hisster as they sped home. Thunder boomed and torrents of icy rain battered their wings. Strong gusts of wind tried to hurl them out the sky. The ground below disappeared as Hisster and Zoltar soared higher into the clouds, struggling to get above the raging storm.

Eventually after an exhausting fight, Hisster and Zoltar broke through the top of the thunder storm. The sun was shining and the sky was blue as robin eggs. Below the clouds churned and growled like an angry sea.

“How are you going to fined the Ruby? One year seems an awfully short time to fined some mythical gemstone,” Zoltar said, soaring closer to Hisster, hoping to get answers to all his burning questions.

“I will send a group of dragons to collect the things and Ruby for me.”

“Who?” Zoltar questioned, enjoying the sun on his back. Maybe Hisster would send him and give him a chance to prove himself a worthy Shadow Talon and get revenge on the Wisp Talons who'd stolen Scorpus's life.

“Not you, that’s for sure,” Hisster snapped suddenly, putting a sharp end to Zoltar's hopes. “Firstly you are too young. Secondly, you are clumsy. The way you acted back there could have gotten both of us killed and finally you don't have acid fangs like the rest of us."

Zoltar flinched at these words. It had been implied before, but never had Hisster actually said it to his face. Threatening tears stung the back of his eyes, but he forced them back. It would only make it worse.

Hisster turned his head away from Zoltar, smoke billowing from his snout, “I’m sorry, but you’re too inexperienced. I will get the rest of the soldiers to get the ruby.”

Hisster dipped back below the now still clouds and left Zoltar alone and humiliated.