Pounding Heart

4 : Visions of Darkness

     I sat up in a grassy meadow. The moonlight reflected blue plants back towards me, and the blooming flowers glowed with a beating red color. Fireflies danced and flickered through the cool air, and I glanced around, confused.

What happened?

     "Unholy monster..." A voice hissed. I spun my head around, but no one was there.

What's going on?

"... Foolish royal hatchling." It laughed darkly.

"Who are you?!" I screamed, but echoes of that dreaded voice slithered into my brain and all I could hear was-

"Disgusting slime..."

"... Unfit to keep your life."

"Filthy snake..."

"The Suns of Kirah"

I clamped my paws over my ears and begged for the voice to stop, but it only laughed harder. It felt like my eardrums would burst, the laughter shook my brain.

"Zepth..." It all ceased. I opened my eyes and slowly brought my paws down.

Queen Hyla stood before me.

Her serpent eyes narrowed to slits, and smoke fumed from her nostrils.

"Hyla." I spoke with a mix of fear and hatred.

"Zepth." She repeated with equal distain. "You think this is over? You think the Blood Wars have ended? You are sadly mistaken, foolish hatching."

"What can you do?" I regained my courage and lifted my chin. "You are dead."

"But I am alive inside you." She sneered, flicking her whiplike tongue out of her teeth. "This is not the first time you've dreamt of me, and it will certainly not be the last."

"What do you want from me!" I roared and charged through her. She vanished in thick smoke, the fog spreading and blinding me. "Why won't you just leave me alone!"

"... The Suns live..." She whispered. "Without me, they act on their own. I assure you, they will seek revenge."

My eyes widened and I coughed in the mist. My throat was closing up and I couldn't breath. The world was going black, and the last thing I saw was a pulsing red flower. A dragon's heart.