Eternal Fire

Chapter 36

   Pinning her green fire that had a mind of its own to the ground, Ember forced the fire to disappear. She stumbled backwards, only aware of her paws which hurt every single time she put them down on the grassy ground. She sat down and looked at the scales on her lower legs that had been charred by her very own fire, that green beast, and the claws, once white, were now blackened. All were damaged and would take a longer time to heal by themselves, unless she got a healer to repair all the damage done.

   Ember lifted her head, looking at the circle of dragons that stood around, watching her. Her eyes met Tsavolite's, then Fenn's, and finally Dando's, her paws throbbing as she tried to not put too much weight on them. "Ouch." She turned towards the species that rivalled the fire dragons. "I see why you don't like us fire dragons, the fire really hurts." She smirked before turning to Amluse, meeting his eyes. "I need to see the Queen; they can come with me." She knew that Amluse would know that she meant the three dragons she had grown up with.

   "No. It isn't possible, I'm not allowing it." Amluse said.

   "Why?" Ember tilted her head as she looked into the eyes of the king, the blue scaled lizard in front of her.

   "I need you here." He said, his voice was emotionless as he looked right back into her eyes.

   "To do what? I've gathered all the leaders here for you, what else do you want me to do?" Her tail stabbed the ground behind her as she mentally grumbled about her front two paws which burned from fighting her fire.

   "I need you here, that is final." He growled and looked around at the carnage of the battle that Ember had interrupted, bodies had begun to be removed, the injured treated, but the place still stank of death.

   "Amluse, please, think of the long term." Ember stood up, slightly limping as she hid the majority of the limp, towards Amluse. She felt something wrap around her tail, she stopped and tried to turn around. She was stuck. Earth grew up her legs and around her tail, restricting her ability to move. "Midnight, is this you?" Her eyes darted to the black scaled prince, one with the ability to control the earth- among other things- who shook his head. "Fenn? Is this you?" Her friend looked at her, worry in his eyes saying no. "Who is doing this?" She said, her voice probably loud enough to be heard by those in the armies that were waiting to be told what to do.

   Her eyes went back to Amluse's back, but he turned, and she saw his face, and eyes that weren't his, they were emotionless and cold; the colour was slightly greener. "You have achieved your purpose, if you do not do what you are told, it is easy to dispose of a dragon." Ember stilled, wanting to back away from the imposter, but was held in place by the earth. "I expect that you, and your friends are loyal to your ruler first, yourself second." This was not Amluse, was this the same dragon that had knocked her out at the end of the peace treaty? "Will you do what I tell you to?"

   "Who are you?" She growled, glaring at the one who had threatened her.

   "No questions asked, can you do what I tell you to? Or die." The dragon asked, there was two options. Yes or no.

     "Yes." Ember said, her voice was quiet as she gave in to the dragon in front of her, bowing her head a little as she continued to stare at the dragon.

   "Good." Earth retracted from her legs and tail as a portal opened, green sparks flying everywhere. The burning in her paws were gone too, and when she looked down, there was no evidence that she had ever been burned by her fire. Her friends stood next to her as they watched the portal open, revealing masses of dragons from Humanyos. The dragon turned towards them. "Stay true to your word." The blue scaled imposter turned around fully, his back towards the green and blue dragons and towards the leaders of the two armies.