Chronicles From the End of an Age

Dark Lightning - 48Yrs BTA

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"I hope you have enjoyed your stay here, your highness."

A group of dragons glided through the sky, several hundred dragon lengths above the ground. There were five ruby coloured fire dragons with their scales glinting and shining in the sun, and five electric yellow lightning dragons speckled with orange, with their more jagged and pointed than the bat-like wings of the other species. Below them was a city, stretching far in several directions. It was made from smooth grey stone, chiseled from what had once been mountains. The buildings were tall and pointed, with fanciful archways marking the many doorways running down their side, each with its own balcony large enough for several dragons to land comfortably. Throughout the lower areas of the city were glorious green parks with lush trees and open spaces, and filled with the electric yellow colouring of the dragons that lived within the city.

"I have had an amazing time, Elder Joy'el," came the response from the dragoness known as Athaer, the Queen of Fire, "Your city never ceases to amaze me."

Joy'el, the representative of the lightning dragons, felt herself inwardly flush with pride at the other dragoness's compliment, "Thank you, your majesty. It has required nearly a century of work, but I am quite proud of what I have accomplished."

"I only hope I can make the fire city just as glorious," Athaer replied, glancing back at the other dragoness, "It is a rather desolate looking place."

"I do not disagree," Joy'el smiled.

When Athaer had first sent the message that she was coming to visit the lightning dragon city several months previously Joy'el had been surprised, and slightly unnerved, at the idea. Athaer had been their queen for nearly two years now, and during that time she had barely shown any interest in her other subjects, preferring instead to focus on her current home, barely even talking to them. Now however she seemed rather invested in getting to know the lightning dragons. From there she would be traveling to the other side of her nation to visit the city of Chaos dragons as well.

At first, Joy'el had been rather wary and somewhat frightened of the queen. Joy'el had been present at the battle that Athaer had defeated the previous king, seen the power and control she had demonstrated in that battle and had been as awed as the rest of the nation. It was a strange feeling, to be so amazed and daunted by a dragon so much younger than herself, Athaer was only a couple of years into her fifth decade after all, but Joy'el couldn't really help it.

Of course, the queen was still a mystery. No one really knew where she had come from, what her goal was, how she had accomplished such frightening power. It left many uneasy and slightly afraid of what was in store for their future. There was surely some sinister reason behind Athaer's taking of the kingdom. No dragon that powerful would do what she did for no reason.

But over the past week, as Joy'el had gotten to know Athaer better, her suspicions were proven quite wrong. It seemed the queen genuinely cared for her subjects and was quite willing to go over the wellbeing of the lightning dragons in order to see how they lived and if they were satisfied with their way of life. And unlike the previous ruler, Athaer didn't seem against being given advice or talked back to if the situation called for it. At least most of the time. As the two dragons had gotten to know each other, Joy'el now found it quite easy to call Athaer her friend.

Their group glided down toward their destination. Joy'el's 'castle' was more of a large house, not nearly as big as the black fortress in the fire kingdom. It had been calved at from the stone at the top of the one remaining natural mountain within the city, surrounded by several gardens full of trees and plants. They landed at the entrance, their claws scuffing the stone. Ahead was a door with an opening big enough to fit five elder dragons walking abreast. The group walked inside, folding their exhausted wings with some difficulty.