Unfortunately My Academy: Winter Bites (Aerouant Academy - Book 2)

Prologue

Deafening roars thundered across the night sky as a massive red, scaly dragon pursued a black feathery creature blending into the night sky. The cries emanating from it were shrill and sharp in protest, but it zipped just out of reach of the snapping jaws. In one last ditch effort, it made a dive into a dead drop, wings tucked in as it spun downward towards the earth.

The drop was miles high as the Earth rose up to catch them both, splattered fires the only thing marking the ground in clusters through out the trees. Like the opening of a volcano, the feathered creature descended into a wide crater that tunneled beneath the earth. Without stopping, the dragon also followed it down into the darkness, flame bursting around his mouth as he launched an angry flame after the creature it had been chasing.

Together, the two raced through various pathways, iron lanterns lighting the way as they carried through the untouched territory. The various balls of fire, aside from the lighting embedded into the smooth clay and boulder framed walls, helped identify the feathered creature.

Ebony black feathers shimmered with a hue of purple and green as the lights grazed the surface. Beady yellow eyes constricted as they flared to life, redirecting the creature with its long, sharp beaked muzzle down another dark tunnel until it opened into a large cavern, the red dragon zeroing in on the other creature's lengthy tails.

Three tails guided and helped the dark creature to navigate the cavern, circling the open space and tiring out the red dragon as the mass of it continued to chase it around in an oblong form, jerking out when it tried to capture it through the extension of it's neck as the creature shifted up or down along the walls. In one last ditch effort, the red dragon sprung out like a cat from the far back wall and launched towards the feathered creature as it headed for another dark area of the cavern that appeared to tunnel where there remained only darkness.

Just as the dragon was about to clamp razor sharp jaws down on one of the creatures three tails, it dead dropped to the ground, black talons scrapping across the floor as it skidded across. A frustrated growl throttled from the deepest reserve of the dragon's throat as the wings along it's back jutted out to stop the advance into the black hole.

Unsuccessful, the dragon was swallowed up, leaving the feathered creature to stare after it. The lengthy creature was grim and thin, with four scaled legs that resembled that of a bird crouched in preparation for flight, but it also resembled a snack like appearance with wings, and t close inspection, with the help of the lighting, revealed that it was a feathered dragon, it's feathers standing on end at the back of it's head where twisted black horns jutted out and inward at the tips.

A large crash caused the disturbed cavern to vibrate, followed by a flame barreling towards the cavern where the other dragon stood ready to flee. When the projectile was just inches from reaching the frail black dragon, it dispersed across an invisible barrier like it would upon a glass window, where the flames licked across and faded to the edges meeting the entrance of darkness.

The flames shared a visual of an angry red dragon approaching, its red leather wings pressed tightly against it's massive frame as the space confined them from opening in the tunneled portion of its entrapment. The gold eyes of the dragon adjusted to thin slits as it assessed the other dragon, the flames fading before it let out a stream of fire along the liquid pooling in the tunnel. It burned a rancid smell as the dragon came face to face with his oppressor, a ring of fire clinging to lightning marks of liquid trailing down the walls and remaining alight.

Blood dripped from open cuts where the red dragon had been marked up by the other end of the cavern clouded in darkness. As they faced off, one to the other, the black dragon began to shift, the feathers diving into pale skin and the legs and arms warped until the creature had completely transformed into a scrawny woman. Long jet black hair framed her angular jaw line with the eyes remaining a sharp yellow with pupils partially dilated in the lighting. The feathers of her dragon form had converted into a wardrobe of death and her talons became black pointy nails, her nose was also pointed but her color was pale as snow.

Standing tall and relaxed, now that she was comforted at the knowledge the barrier held up, a sinister grin spread out on her painted charcoal lips. An eerie laugh escaped her as delight over took her body, the dragon was not equally pleased as it glared upon her from up high.

When she had gained control of her emotions, she smirked back at him, "Since you will be in there for a really long time, I suggest you hunker down onto your thoughts. You are a fool to think you could keep the knowledge of her from me," she sneered.

In response the dragon propelled his spiked head at the translucent barrier but was sent back by the magical force binding him in his cage. Another raged roar cried out, but the power did quake the earth although it was muffled on her side. Ears ringing, she looked upon him, enthralled by his misery.

When he had settled down, aside from huffing black smoke in simmering rage, she regarded him with distaste. "I will find her," she declared, "I will make her life a miserable hell, and I will destroy everything you worked so hard for, for her, and turn it into utter chaos. You shall fade into nothing but a legend, you and all your offspring." Satisfied with his demarcation as he burned with hatred looking into her eyes, she took her leave with a heartless farewell, "Goodbye my Dagda."

The dragon was left no choice but to watch the vile woman depart him, the lights across the cavern where she had been, slowly dimmed out until the flames of his dragon fire were the only light sustaining him, but they too eventually simmered out until he was consumed by utter darkness.