Prologue: Flood
Queen Flood was a calculating Sea Dragon. No action she made was meaningless, and she’d sacrifice anything to reach her goals, including her own subjects. She was a proud, shrewd, and merciless dragon who believed Sea Dragons to be the superior tribe, convinced that their close relation to water set them apart. Though, she was concerned that other tribes might try to take what they have.
Her deceased mother, Queen Tide, was a gentle yet strong and charismatic dragon, fit to be queen by words of her people. She was one of the few queens who kept ties to other tribes and believed they could help improve each other. It was strange that one of her own daughters grew to have the exact opposite beliefs from her despite her effort to change her mind for many years.
Queen Flood thought of her mother as weak, and naive, for believing that they’d need anything from other tribes to thrive. She believed that if the Sea Dragons had Ovolara to rule, their few problems would disappear. That as Queen, she can rule better than her soft, shortsighted mother. With a talon of steel, rather than making her subjects feeble and carefree of the threats outsiders might pose.
She was the only queen in more than a thousand years to claim the throne without the Queen Selection Ceremony, where the current queen picks the heir after all her daughters reach fifteen years of age. Rather, she challenged the queen one day before she turned fifteen, as she was the youngest of her two sisters. It was a shock and a tragedy to see Queen Tide fall at the claws of her own daughter. But alas, it was tradition, and she was the rightful queen.
Thirty years after Queen Flood’s crowning...
The throne room was filled with nobles, advisors, and army commanders bowing to their queen, waiting for permission to lift their heads.
“You may rise.” Flood said.
“When will the next Black Dragon expedition be ready?” She asked one of the commanders. He was a dark emerald green dragon with light green swirling stripes around his body.
“Two weeks your majesty. This expedition is one of larger scale than usual, it will take them time to gather the dragons from across their villages.” the emerald dragon explained.
“Very well.” she said with a frown. “Fin, you will be In charge of this expedition, as you said, this expedition is of a larger scale, so make sure those lizards stay on track”.
“Yes, your majesty.” Fin bowed.
She turned to another commander across from Fin. “Orca, Anything on your side?”
The black and white Sea Dragon stepped forward. “No, your majesty. At this point, I’m starting to doubt their existence…” Orca explained.
Flood frowned, unsatisfied. “Keep watch, they’ll eventually show. As long as we continue to melt their home, they’re sure to —”
Suddenly, the doors to the throne room opened. A blue Sea Dragon entered the room approaching Queen Flood, her scales were the clearest color of sapphire, filled with lighter blue spots all around her body and three dots under each eye. Her body was reflecting the sunlight that washed the open ceiling throne room like a gem. Her eyes were pale blue, as if their color was slowly washing away. And around her neck was a glass bottle made into a necklace, filled with clear water that was hard to see even while it was splashing around inside.
“Your majesty.” the sapphire dragon uttered, her voice as gentle as the sounds of low tides.
“Oh, this is a surprise, Our beloved seer Aqua. Have you perhaps come to us with one of your rare visions? Maybe stories about your never-ending travels around the continent?” She scoffed at the seer. Despite Aqua’s appearance that could compare to the beauty of the ocean itself, the queen views her as an eyesore, because she speaks in a manner similar to her mother’s.
“Not quite, your majesty. This time, I come to you with a prophecy.” Aqua said, unfazed by the queen’s mockery.
The throne room was filled with murmurs and shocked gasps, as if Queen Tide had come back to life.
“A prophecy...” Flood said, her tone finally acknowledging Aqua’s presence. “...As in a prophecy that comes to us once every few centuries to warn us of an approaching crisis, or guide us to a better future. Which is it, seer?“.
“I don’t know, your majesty. But I’m sure of one thing, I believe you must hear it before making any future decisions.” Aqua replied.
Flood shot a frown at the seer, “Speak.” she raised her voice.
Aqua took off her necklace, closed her eyes, and opened the glass bottle. In a gentle and captivating movement, water flew out of her necklace, glowing, and wrapping itself around the seer’s eyes in a strange pattern.
She opened her eyes, and spoke in a voice that shook the throne room.
When comes a time of ocean flood,
five tribes shall hold the light.
When comes a time of spilling blood
Five dragons shall show their might.
One chosen by darkness shall light the spark
and save the pearl in deepest dark.
To find the one who treasures all
seek nature, and heed its call.
To find the one which cannot be seen
seek the jungle of deepest green.
To find the one who’s filled with lies
Seek the frost and help the wise.
To the dragon of darkest night.
To blue, red, shapeless, and white.
Should your faiths and hopes ignite
The future shines and dragons unite.
The room went silent, as the water slowly went back in the bottle. Looks of confusion and shock were directed toward Aqua, then toward the queen.
“What...” She blurted, blankly staring into nothingness, “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” the queen snapped, shooting a death stare at the seer.
Aqua was unfazed and there was a brief silence...“Your majesty, I believe this prophecy is both a guidance, and a warning.” Aqua said in her gentle tone. “And I urge you to make a wise decision.”
“What are you suggesting...” the queen said with a hint of impatience.
“Stop melting the ice!” Aqua suddenly yelled in a desperate tone, completely different from the way she spoke so far. “This continent is the home of all dragons, no one has the right to claim to be superior!”
“Every tribe has something that sets them apart! We sea dragons rule the ocean, but Black Dragons rule the night, White Dragons rule the north, Red Dragons rule with strength, and Scaleshifters rule the jungle!” she continued.
“Please, if you wish to thrive... and preserve your life. let down your senseless pride, you must remember what your mother-”
“SILENCE!” the queen let out a petrifying roar. Her face went from fury to a cold, emotionless stare “Seer Aqua, daughter of the previous seer, Mira” she said in a commanding tone “You are to be executed for treason and planning to overthrow the queen”
Gasps and murmurs filled the room once again. Everyone was looking at Aqua, who didn’t seem to be surprised. Commander Fin’s face fell into despair as he heard the queen.
After a pause “Is this what you choose, your majesty?” Aqua said finally.
“Sea dragons are chosen by life itself, I should have severed your head as soon as you suggested that the other tribes were equal” she answered.
“Very well, may I at least choose the executioner” Aqua asked the queen. Queen Flood would have rather killed Aqua herself, but the mood didn’t allow it. She had to maintain a level of mercy and benevolence. “I allow it.” she answered Aqua.
Aqua turned toward commander Fin, and approached him with a gentle smile. “No... A- Aqua...” he blurted in a fragile voice.
“It’s okay, Fin. I was ready for this” said in her most gentle tone yet.
“But I-... I can’t...” Fin cried. “Please your majesty you can’t-”
“Fin, please” Aqua said as she drew his talons toward the sides of her face. “You promised” she whispered, with a sad smile.
The look on Fin’s face would devastate any dragon who had any empathy, but the look on Queen Flood’s face looked as if she was trying to bear putting her talons in burning coal.
Finally, Fin opened a pouch strapped to his side. Water came out from the pouch forming a sphere that kept getting smaller and smaller on top of his talon. Aqua bowed her head down smiling, and the ball of water suddenly shot in a line, piercing Aqua’s skull.
Fin contained his grief, as he looked at Aqua’s Sapphire blue body limp to the ground. “May I excuse myself, your majesty” Fin asked, not even looking at the queen.
“You’re excused” she answered. The doors closed, leaving the room once again, in cold, sad silence.
“Commander Orca, change of plans. You’re in charge now, gather all the remaining Black Dragons for the expedition in two weeks,” she ordered. “Tell them it’s their final one”
“By your order.” Orca bowed his head.
“This problem will be dealt with from its roots.”
