The dark stone brick walls felt suffocating around her, she could hardly see them from how dark it was, but if she ran her talons across them, she could feel the grooves separating each individual brick. She could feel their age with their rough surface, small bumps and nicks within each one, each having their own story on how they got them.

Almost like a dragon who wanted to show off their battle scars and tell their bone chilling stories on how they revived their wounds that would cling to their bodies for the rest of time.

There were no windows within the long hallway, making it all the more claustrophobic. When she tried to spread out her wings, they brushed against the sides of the walls, the cool stone sending shivers up along her spine and making the spikes along her back quiver like an IceWing's.

Lydia felt as though she should know where she is, but she didn't. She'd never been here before, if she did, she would've remembered being within a dark hallway made of bricks as black as night. One lesson her mother made sure to bore into her mind was to always memorized her surroundings, it could one day save her life.

She could remember her mothers words clearly. It was one of the first lessons her mother had ever given her and it has stuck with her ever since. She would sometimes hyper focus on memorizing her surroundings, though she'd only do that if she was in someplace new.

"Always keep an eye on your surroundings Lydia. Take notice of every little detail."

The princes continued to make her way down the dark hallway, moving slowly and listening to the tap of her talons, the swish of her tail as well as her mothers voice that rang within her ears like an echo.

"It could someday save our life if you ever need it, so remember it, remember everything you see if you're in a new area you've never seen before."

The taping of her talons upon the cold, smooth stone brick floor, started to fill her ears. Drowning out her mothers voice as it soon became the only thing the young princess could hear. It sounded deafening. She couldn't help the way her ears flatted against the sides of her skull in discomfort as they tried to muffle the noise. The tapping of her talons had started to become a loud thundering echo, making her want to walk softer across the stone.

Why is it so loud?

Soon, her talons didn't even sound like they were tapping on stone anymore. Now, the loud noise was starting to sound more like rumbles than anything, loud rumbles as though this unknown place she was in was falling apart.

Was it falling apart?

The world around her rumbled and shook, the ground vibrating along with the walls. Lydia ducked her head down and crouched low to the floor, her shoulders hunching up, the thumbs of her wings wanting to hook around her horns for some sort of purchase.

The rumbling stopped almost as soon as it started, Lydia calming herself down enough to stand back up. What was going on? The cold shiver had returned, making her spines quiver.

She opened her mouth, about to call out for either of her parents, Wiseflight, anyone! But her voice died out at the back of her throat as something appeared at the end of the hallway, a small, soft golden glow.

"Follow the torches."

A voice whispered in her ear, rolling the 's' as bough they were trying to mimic talking like a snake. Her ears twitched as she tried to locate where they were coming from, but it almost sounded like they were all around her, inside of her head and mingling within her thoughts.

"Follow the torches"

Lydia's body stiffened, feeling as cold as ice, by soon enough she gathered the courage to start moving. Walking ever so slowly towards the light, that she was assuming was this torch that the voice was talking about, keeping her steps light and quiet as though she were stalking someone or something.

Soon, the NightWing Princess made it to the torch that was standing upright upon the ground, lighting the area around it in a warm, dim glow.

Up ahead, she noticed there was another torch, and behind that, another one.

"Follow the torches"

"Follow the torches"

"Follow the torches"

"Follow the torches"

"Follow the torches"

The voice continued to repeat loudly around her and soon she started walking again, then she sped up into a speed walk, then a trot, now she was fully running as she followed he spread out pathway of torches. She ran past one and then soon fast past another, then another and another.

"Follow the torches"

Lydia skidded to a halt in front of the final torch, no more in sight beyond her and when she turned around, the past torches she ran past were gone, leaving her with the only light source, that being the dimly lit standing torch that hardly reached up to her elbows.

"Follow the torches"

This time the voice wasn't a loud, ringing echo, it now has an owner, one she could not see but was standing somewhere in front of her. Hiding within the shadows like a mister lurking, stalking, waiting.

She saw movement in front of her, like a flash that dashed towards her. But before Lydia could see what was calling to her and rushing at her, her scarlet red eyes shot open.

A sharp inhale shook Lydia down to her core as her heart pounded wildly within her chest.

Everything around her was familiar once more. She was within her room, laid upon her bed that was covered in silk soft blankets and pillows, making it as soft as a cloud. Though she couldn't compare them herself since she's never touched a cloud before.

Her talons curled in upon themselves, tangling within the folds of the cloth beneath her. Her wings hunched closet to her body, pulling the covers up to her ears.

That was just a dream, she told herself as she focused on calming her breathing to help slow down her racing heart that continued to thunder loudly within her chest, attempting to drown out her own thoughts. Just a creepy dream about a dark tunnel and....

She looked up in order to look at one of the flickering torches hung upon her wall, watching the flames as they flickers and waves.

And torches...

Why was her nightmare about following torches? It felt stupid, and the more she thought about it, the more it started to confuse her.

It was just a dream, I shouldn't dwell on it like this for too long, Lydia told herself as she started to get herself out of bed and get ready for the day.

She put in her silver chain earring with the circular piece of ruby and put on her tiara. She never went anywhere without the silver tiara, especially if she was anywhere with her parents. Charming would always slime and his scales would glow happily when he saw her with it, since he was the one to pick it out and give it to her. Though, when she first got it, it was a little to big for her. He still loved to see her wear it though.

Animosity also always seemed to smile, as much as she could anyway, when ever she saw Lydia with it on. It seemed to bring both of her parents joy and Lydia's heart swelled with the thought of both of them smiling at her. She loved her parents dearly and she wanted to make them happy, just like they loved her and always wanted to see her happy as well.

Within a few moments after she had finished getting herself ready, there was a knock upon the door, startling her at first as she thought back to the creepy knocks upon the door when she had been being taught by Wiseflight.

Lydia shook her head to push the memory away as she made her way over towards the door, hesitating for a few moments as her talons hovered above the doorknob.

Knock, knock, knock.

They knocked again, startling the NightWing Princess once more before she ducked in a breath and opened the door, forcing her features to relax, her spines resting down along her back and her wings growing lax, no longer stiff and hunched.

On the other side of the door, she was met with a young NightWing guard, she'd seen him around before, but not that often since she was sure he was normally posted around the outer levels of their hidden kingdom, where she was allowed to go without either of her parents around. Which wasn't often, maybe once a year, sometimes twice. She was always told that she'd be able to roam around that area soon enough once she was a little older.

"Your majesty." The young guard said, dipping his head down in respect as his wings twitched upon his sides, his tail stuff with nervousness. "I've been ordered to come get you and bring you to the throne room to accompany the King and Queen."

The guard looked no older than herself, maybe seven years old but definitely no older than that. He would still be in training so this must be an assignment of his to complete. His scales were a dark blue shade, his underbelly a lighter tone and more grey in colour. His eyes were a warm brown like a pool of sparkling honey.

It was almost hypnotizing to look into.

"Of course," she nodded, forcing herself to focus, watching as he straightened himself up right once more after she spoke. "Lead the way."

With a nod from the young guard, he started to lead her out of her room, making sure to go back and close the door behind her before making his way once again back in the lead.

As the pair of young NightWing's walked, Lydia let her mind wander, thinking back to the strange dream she had mere moments ago. Thinking of it made her mind go fuzzy as details started to blur and merge together. Almost as though her mind was trying to forget the dream entirely.

The words that that the voice had been repeating to her within the dream started to echo within her mind as she walked, drowning out the sounds all around her.

"Follow the torches."

What did that even mean? Aside from the obvious that is. And who did the voice even belong too?? It didn't sound familiar in the slightest, and last she checked, one can only dream of other dragons they've seen or heard.

Or maybe that's just for faces?

She knew it was something along those lines and the more she thought about it, the more it made her head hurt.

I need to just forget about it, it wasn't real so it shouldn't matter, She told herself as she forced her mind to focus back upon the reality around her. Only real things matter. That's what her mother always said. If you couldn't grasp it within your talons, then you shouldn't dwell upon it forever.

Lydia looked around herself, watching the flaming torches hung upon the stone walls that passed by them as they walked. The two grew closer towards a familiar corridor, one she would walk down nearly every night.

The throne room.

The young guard continued to lead her until they went through the stone tunnel into the large, towering room the spiralled upwards to the point that any dragon clinging to the stone up above would look no larger than one of her own talons.

Situated across the throne room were a trio of thrones, each carved out of stone and smoothed down to make sure it wasn't rough or bumpy to the touch.

The first two were her parents, the one situated between them was hers. It was smaller than Charming and Animosity's thrones, it was curved upon the top, two ends of the back curling upwards and onwards as bough they were talons trying to grasp a sphere.

"There's my little princess!" Her fathers voice rang throughout the large and open, windowless room. His wings flared out along his sides, his jewelry jingling with his movements, sounding like wind chimes and soft music.

Animosity and Lydia's gazes met and the princess couldn't help to hide her smile that tugged upon the corners of her mouth, her mother doing the same, closed mouth smile.

"Lydia my dear," Animosity started as the king and queen both got off of their thrones and met their daughter within the middle of the large space. "We've got quite to surprise for you."

"A surprise?" She wanted to wince at how clear the excitement could be heard from within her voice. A fluttering feeling filled her chest as her ears perked up in anticipation.

"Yes! A surprise!" Charming smiled, wrapping one of his wings around her. "We've been keeping an eye upon your progress with Wiseflight, and we believe you're now ready for a very special lesson."

"Will Wiseflight be teaching me something new?"

"No, not Wiseflight. These lessons you will need to be taught by the best, and your training will start tonight at moon high."

"At moon high? Who will be teaching me? And what lessons am I getting?" Will Wiseflight still be my teachers for my regular lessons? She wanted to ask, but she kept that one to herself.

"I'll be teaching you," Animosity stated as she wrapped her tail with Lydia's, their tails intertwining together. "And it'll be one of the most important lessons."

"These lessons will help prepare you for your purpose, my little princess." Her mothers talons classes the bottom of her jaw gently as she lifted her head to meet her mothers warm glowing ember yellow gaze. "Your destiny."

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

The tapping of multiple sets of talons echoed within the stone tunnels as they walked. Princess Lydia couldn't help the way her eyes glued onto each torch that passed by, each being a reminder of her strange, yet unsettling, dream she had that day just before dusk fully broke across Pyrrhia, awakening the tribe.

Walking up ahead of her was her mother, the silver crown she wore atop her head twisting up and nearly brushing the top of the tunnels. Along either side of Lydia and behind her were four guards, one of which was the one that had gone to fetch her earlier.

The tunnels they were walking down twisted and turned, slopping as though it were heading upwards. She soon could no longer recognize the tunnel they were within, since it's one she doesn't believe she's ever been within.

Lydia wanted to ask where they were going, but she didn't want to break the silence that was spread out among them. Comforting yet eerie.

They continued on through the tunnels, there were no longer any small circular stone carved windows within the walls. The only thing keeping the tunnel around them lit was the torches. The torches that lined along the walls that seemed to grow more sparse by the moment, each one stretching out father apart from one another.

The voice from her dreams started to ring throughout her head, echoing off the walls of her mind as though it were within the tunnel with her and the others.

"Follow the torches." The voice whispered into her ear, making the spines along her back rise up with unease.

Lydia's eyes screwed shut as she shook her head, pushing the thoughts of her dream away. She couldn't keep thinking about it, it was just some stupid dream and that was it. It wasn't important and she shouldn't keep dwelling upon it any longer.

I should just forget about it and-

She froze in place, the ground below her no longer smooth and bumpy like the stone tunnels. Instead it was polished and smooth, cold to the touch like ice. The young NightWings scarlet red eyes shot open and she gasped as she saw that she was no longer within the stone tunnels, but was instead back within the dark black stone brick one from within her dream. It was as dark as ever, no windows to let in any light and there were no torches to be seen. It was just dark.

"No..."

This couldn't be real, she was just following behind Animosity and surrounded by guards, how did she even get here?! This is impossible, I must be dreaming, she tried to tell herself as she spun around, looking for anything, anyone.

"This has to be a dream, this has to just be a dream," she kept telling herself out loud, listening as her own voice leapt off the walls, blinding back to ring within her own ears as though to taunt her. "THIS HAS TO BE A DREAM!"

She wanted to scream, cry out for her mother, but she could only feel panic set it's icy cold claws deep within her scales, making its way towards her heart that pounded loudly within her chest.

"Follow the torches."

"Follow the torches."

"Follow the torches."

"Follow The Torches."

"Follow The Torches."

"FOLLOW THE TORCHES!"

The voice shrieked within her ears, making her scream out loud in shock and fright. Without a second thought. She started to race down the dark hallway, running blindly through the dark that seemed to want to swallow her whole and seal her away from the outside world.

A world she may not ever get to see.

She kept running as fast as her legs would carry her, the air roaring around her as it whipped past her ears. Her breathing came in short, quick breaths that came out as puffs of cold air, almost as though she were within the Ice Kingdom rather than where ever she was now. Lydia kept running, the tunnel of black stone bricks kept going for what seemingly looked to be forever, nothing changing around her aside from the silence. She could no longer hear the voice roaring within her ear, it was just quiet.

She felt relieved as she started to slow down to a quick trot rather than a full bolt. The young NightWings legs felt wobbly, her chest heaved from the effort it had just done to keep up with her movements, her heart pounding so loudly it probably was bouncing off the hallway walls back at her to ring within her ears.

Soon enough, the NightWing Princess came to a full halt, allowing herself to catch her breath as she looked around. Something must be different now, I've been running for how long! She was hoping to find some way out, or to even find someone!

I want mom, and I want my dad! Animosity had been right in front of her before everything changed. This has to be a dream. I'll wake up and be back in bed, that guard in training would come to escort me to the throne room where Animosity and Charming would be waiting for me.

The more she walked, the more she stared to believe this wasn't a dream. Everything felt to real for it to just be that. Unless it's a nightmare, she tells herself. When Lydia was younger, she would always have nightmares about anything scary she'd been told. Either by her own parents or soldiers who would tell her stories, she even had gotten nightmares from some of Wiseflight's lessons about past wars upon Pyrrhia.

One in particular that had scared her the most was one that happened nearly a century ago, when the past NightWing Queen had disappeared and the SandWing Queen had started to try and take land from nearly every kingdom. Sparking wars between all of the tribes because of her lies. No one believed one another and it almost tore all of Pyrrhia apart.

It scared her so much as a little dragonet, that she had nightmares about Animosity and Charming going missing and then war breaking out. That night, it didn't take long for her parents to rush into the room after they heard her muffled cries, they were quick to reassure her that it would never happen, and that night her father slept with her, saying "I'll be here to keep you safe"

This is just a nightmare, I'll wake up back in my room, she whined as she heard a clank, making her jump. Why couldn't this all just end already?! It was the same thing she dreamt about, so why is she having it again if she's already had it?

"Follow the torches."

The voices whisper was soft and quiet, as though it could sense Princess Lydia's unease And was trying to sooth her, even just a little.

Up ahead, there was a small flicker of golden light. A torch. Lydia stared to slowly make her way towards it, she was hesitant but if she remembered correctly, this nightmare only ended once she started following the odd line of torches that lead her through the dark, black stone brick hallway. Her wings ruffled against her sides as she moved closer and closer towards the torch that flickered hungrily, yet calmly, within the dark.

"Follow the torches."

The voice said again as Lydia stopped to stand less than a few feet away from the torch. It's flickering didn't stop, it only seemed to calm itself within her presence. The flames moved as though it were trying to touch Lydia's scales, it's hungry, warm golden glow brightened.

Lydia felt as though she could no longer move her body upon her own will. One of her talons lifted up and reached out towards the flames, her claws spreading out as though it were to grasp the large ripe fruit ready to be picked. She could feel her body relaxing against her judgment, her eyes growing heavy as her eyelids drooped.

As soon as her talons touched the flames, her eyes closed. Not even for a second were they able to hold themselves shut against her will before hey shot open. Lydia had a hard time holding in the breath of relief and surprise that flowed out past her teeth as she was back to where she was moments before. Walking down the line stone hallway with guards on either side of her, her mother Queen Animosity walking less than a few feet ahead of her.

I'm back, relief washed over her like a cool dousing of water poured on top of her. Her wings listened from their tight positions upon her sides, her tail relaxing and no longer stiff.

"You okay your majesty?"

Lydia flinched before she realized it wasn't the voice, instead, it was that of the young solider in training who had gone to fetch her earlier that night. The other young NightWing's gaze looked calming and welcoming to Lydia, she couldn't help the way.

"Yes," she nodded her head, finding the way her earring swayed as something comforting, feeling the weight hang from her ear as well as the weight of her tiara. "Yes I'm alright."

"Daughter, come up here." Animosity called back, looking over her shoulder and meeting Lydia's gaze with her own, glowing ember one. The Princess didn't hesitate to quicken her pace to catch up to her mother, soon the two NightWing's walking side by side.

"Today your lesson will be very important. You'll need to remember everything I teach you, remember it as though your life will depend on it my daughter."

"Like my life depends on it." She repeated out loud for her mother to hear, which in turn she revived a nod of approval from the NightWing Queen.

As the group continued their way through the rising tunnel, the ground soon became jagged and uneven, rocks of all kinds of sizes were littered in their path and the torches became fewer and fewer, spreading out father apart from one another within the stone tunnel. Then, the torches stopped appearing entirely, but Lydia could still see thanks to her night vision.

But the only way I could truly see this well within the dark is if there were some form of dim light, she thinks as she looked around, still wary with her steps to make sure she didn't trip over any loose pebbles or stones. Within moments, Lydia's questioning thought had been answered as the sight before her made her stop and look at it in awe. It was a large cave with stalactites and stalagmites scattered everywhere, hanging down low from the cave ceiling and some protruding upwards from the smooth, cold ground.

Everything looked glossy as high coated in sparkling morning dew, which Lydia had only seen a few times at night when she felt bold enough to stay up late to see the sunrise. Those nights she had convinced a pair of guards to take her to a window to watch it, she could still remember the warm smiles on their faces as they watched her. The first few times she had seen the sunrise was with her mother, the two liking the bold red that the sky turned into from its cold, calming dark blue.

Lydia could hear the slow, yet calming and soothing, drip, drip, drip of water somewhere within the cave.

Then, Princess Lydia saw it.

Up above them was a small hole within the roof of the cave, small enough to where a dragon wouldn't be able to squeeze its way in, unless they were a newly hatched dragonet that is, and looked to have some kind of foliage above it that would help hide it from view up above. Beautiful sparkling silver moonlight flooded in through the gap, shinning so brightly that it could've been mistaken for the highest quality of silver jewellery that any dragon could ever buy.

She could help the feeling of awe that swept over her as she took a few steps within the large open cave. The guards let her do so, as well as her mother who just silently followed along side her daughter with an amused glint within her warm glowing yellow eyes that sparkled like pools of gold or warmed honey.

"Where are we?" She asked, her voice filled with awe. Lydia's eyes never once leaving the sparkling moonlight that fell into the cave like a waterfall.

"This, my daughter dear," Animosity started as she moved to stand within the moonlight, two of the five guards flying up to where the moonlight shone through the small hole. They pulled on what looked to be ropes, dyed black to keep hidden within the dark coloured stones around them. As they were pulled, more moonlight flooded in, revealing the three crescent moons high above them as the whole widened, revealing more of the night sky high above them. "Is where you were hatched."

"And where the prophecy was delivered." Lydia pulled her self away from the moonlight, her anxious state from her strange dreams and odd daydreaming being pushed into the far off corners within her mind, nearly forgotten in that one moment.

"This," Queen Animosity's wings shot open, revealing the beautiful starry pattern along the under side of her wings. "Is where your next sessions of lessons will begin, your lessons to fully prepare you for your future."

—————————————————————

- MindlessTyper