WINGS OF FIRE- The Forgotten Island

Chapter 7: Dreams of Stardust

Opal woke, feeling the talons of her friend shaking her awake. Light filtered through the hole in the side of the mountain, the rays of light illuminating the room with warm yellow light. Opal looked up at Quartz, who was smiling at her.
"Good morning." Quartz said softly. Opal smiled back and blinked, trying to get the sleep dust out of her blue eyes. Quartz looked around at the crystals in the room.
"You have to come and see what I just found!" Quartz said, suddenly racing down the tunnel.
"Wha—what?" Opal said slowly getting up. Quartz stopped and poked her head back in the cave.
"What did you find?" Opal asked.
"Come and see!" Quartz raced town the tunnel out of sight, leaving Opal in her room, alone. Well, not alone, because Seasnake was sleeping in her spare nest again. Opal walked over to her and prodded her awake.
"Hey back of— oh!" Sea almost whacked Opal with her tail again when she realised who had woken her.
"What's going on?" Sea asked looking around.
"Quartz wants to show me something, so I thought you'd want to see it too." Opal explained. Sea nodded eagerly.
"Then let's go!" She said slithering down the tunnel. Opal grinned raced after her. They emerged at the entrance to Quartz's cave, peeking through the entrance. They saw Quartz by her spare nest talking. She was leaning over and stroking something, talking to it. Sea hissed softly and Quartz looked up and turned to the mouth of her cave, seeing Opal and Sea.
"Come in, and see what I've found." She said gently, gesturing toward her. Opal slowly crept toward her with Sea trailing behind. They reached Quartz' nest and Opal gasped. In her spare nest, being cradled by Quartz, was a large orange-red GemWing egg.
"Where did you find this?" Opal asked putting her talon on its smooth surface. It sparkled like a large, newly polished gemstone.
"Abandoned by the Whispering Stream in Jade Forest." Quartz said, "the little thing was very cold and wet when I found it. I slept with it all night to keep it warm."
"Why would someone abandon their egg?" Sea asked confused, "I thought GemWings thought that all their eggs are precious."
"Not all of them," said Quartz grimly. "There are some that think their eggs are cursed."
Sea gasped and stared at the egg.
"But I do not believe that." Quartz snapped. Opal had never seen her this protective over anything before. But Opal felt the same. Cursed or not, there is still a baby dragon in there waiting to come out.
"But how could three dragonets protect an egg by ourselves?" Opal asked. "And how would we raise it?"
"By the feel of it and the thickness of the shell, it seems like the egg was produced yesterday." Quartz told them. "The poor thing was all alone, and cold beside the spray of the river. I decided it was the right thing to take it home with me. It should be safe, and even if my sister found out, she would never hurt a dragon egg."
"Makes sense," said Sea, "your sister loves everything, especially new life."
"So if this egg only was produced yesterday," Opal said, "then that means when it hatches—"
She couldn't finish the thought. Both Sea and Quartz nodded.
"You did the right thing Quartz," Opal said after a moment. "It's a good thing that you found it before the VoidWings did."
She flicked her tail and headed out of Quartz's cave, glancing back at the orange egg. She headed down to the main cave, for her breakfast.
      . . .
After her Aythem, Opal went out for her lessons that day. She and Quartz had Opal's first Quartz lesson together. Quartz stayed in Opal's lesson group and didn't mind learning everything again.
"I kinda have forgotten a few things to be honest." Quartz chuckled. Their lesson was interesting, learning about how to manage the power and control your emotions.
After the Quartz lesson, Opal and Quartz went to flight lessons. Malachite was waiting for them at the same cliff. Holly was less of a nuisance and because of that, the lesson went more smoothly. Sea was there too. Sea obviously made her home with the GemWings.
"I like it here." Sea said, "also I like you."
It was three more normal days before Stardust came to her dreams again.
"Stardust!" Opal called, racing over to her, wrapping Stardust in her pearlescent wings. "I was wondering when you'd show up again."
"I was a bit caught up in the other BrightWings' dreams." Stardust explained. "Couldn't exactly escape."
Opal chuckled.
"So what you been up to in my absence?" She asked winking.
"Normal stuff, like learning and reading, lots of reading." Opal replied. Stardust looked at her with dreamy eyes.
"Something tells me you like reading as well."
Stardust nodded.
"I really want to meet you in the waking world." Stardust said, "we have so much in common!"
"Yeah, I would like that too." Opal said, "tell you what, go to Diamond Lake and wait for me there, I'll go there tomorrow."
Stardust nodded eagerly. As Opal's dream World started to fade, she head Stardust call out; "bring some scrolls for me!"
                                                                      . . .
Opal woke suddenly waking Sea.
"Wha-What is it!" Sea whirled around. She saw Opal and settled a little
"Nothing!" Opal said pouncing on her. Sea giggled and wriggled around until she had slipped from the GemWing's grasp. Sea looked proud of being slender and little.
"Easy." She said smiling. Opal whacked her tail at Sea but missed. Opal smiled and then headed down to the Main Cave. Opal flew over and took two Aythem Crystals. Instead of sitting down to eat her Aythem, she actually flew out of the main entrance. Opal angled her wings and headed for Diamond Lake. Little did she know, Sea was following her. It took her a while to get there, and when she did, someone was waiting for her. Sitting by the edge of the lake, gazing down at the reflection, was Opal's dream friend, Stardust. Or it looked like Stardust. Opal glided down and landed softly beside her. Stardust jumped as Opal put her talon on her shoulder. Stardust turned her head and spotted Opal, her face brightening.
"Opal!" Stardust said, wrapping her wings around Opal.
"You know my name?" Opal said tilting her head, confused. She wondered why a completely new dragon knew her name. She took a bite of her Aythem.
"I was in your dream remember?" Stardust said, as if it was obvious. Opal scratched her head with her claws.
"Yes but was it you?" She asked. She was completely confused. Stardust nodded.
"I think I can walk through dreams." She said with a smirk. Then she laughed.
"Are you Stardust?" Opal asked finally. Stardust stopped laughing and smiled at her.
"Yes, I wonder how you know." She said. Then she turned her gaze to a huge bush behind them.
"Alright you can come out now." Stardust said gently. Opal turned to looked at the bush just to see Sea slithering out of it.
"Sea!" Opal said, "you followed me!?"
"Just wanted to see where you were going," Sea replied, "who's this?"
"Stardust." Opal said, "I met her . . . ."
"You can tell her," Stardust whispered into Opal's ear, "I'll do the explaining."
Opal took a breath.
"I met her in my dream last night."
"What!? That isn't possible!" Sea cried spreading her wings, "How could you dream of a dragon you haven't seen before, then meet them in the waking world?"
"Perhaps it's magic." Stardust said winking at Sea. Opal heard wingbeats heading towards them, and turned around. The dragon that landed by them was Tanzanite, with Holly blue Agate trailing behind.
"Opal, there you are!" He said, panting, "you need to come quickly! Mt Unakite is being attacked!"
"The whole mountain!?" Opal cried.
"No," Tanzanite said, "just the main entrance."
"C'mon!" Opal called to her friends as she took to the sky, "we have to stop this!"
Opal, Stardust and Seasnake followed Tanzanite and Holly, back to Unakite.
"Is the Queen safe?" Opal asked as they neared, the looming form of the mountain casting a long shadow on the fields below them.
"Yes we got her to Jade Forest as soon as we found out about the attack." Said Tanzanite, "with any luck, the purple dragons won't find her there."
They reached the main entrance to see so sign of attack.
"It's inside." Said Holly pointing to the entrance. Opal swooped down and entered. It was chaos inside. GemWings were everywhere, trying to escape four VoidWings. But it seemed like more, since they were everywhere at once. There were also a few dead GemWings too amidst all of it. She hoped none of them were Quartz. Opal saw Quartz's sister, Moonstone, but not Quartz herself. Quartz was no where to be seen. Opal glided down to Moonstone, who was shivering amidst the chaos.
"Moonstone!" Opal called. Moon looked up and saw Opal.
"Have you seen Quartz!?" Moonstone called back. Opal froze. That was exactly what I was going to ask you! Opal thought.
"Have you?" Opal lowered her voice as she landed beside Moonstone.
"I saw her this morning cradling an egg." Moon said. "I think she escaped with it amidst the attack. I hope she and the poor thing are okay."
Opal looked around and saw Shulker as one of the four.
"Shulker!" Opal called.
"Opal what are you doing!" Moonstone cried. But Shulker had already seen them. He opened a rift and teleported to them.
"What are you doing!" He hissed, "you're going to get me caught out!"
"Why are you doing this?" Opal asked, "you can tell me."
"I told you I don't know!" Shulker whispered. "All I do know is that I'm meant to be leading this attack."
"You are?" Opal said thinking for a moment, "why don't you try to get the VoidWings outside?"
"I could try." He said. He rifted away and barked orders at the other three. They back out of the entrance and turned back at them hissing. Sea slithered up and bared her fangs. Stardust walked up and illuminated her wings and Opal went in front of both of them already digging her claws into the earth.
"Opal what are you doing!?" Sea and Moonstone asked, both simultaneously astonished. Opal said nothing and dug her claws harder. Small crystals started to grow around her claws while others grew at the entrance. The VoidWings stopped their assault and looked on with wide eyes. Even Shulker was astounded. The crystals grew fast, covering the entrance to Unakite's main cave. Opal left a little hole to poke her head through. Instead Sea poked her head through and hissed loudly at the four VoidWings. Through the pale translucent crystals Opal could just about see all four VoidWings rift away. Shulker was the last one to leave, and he smiled at the wall of crystal before jumping into his rift.
(Sorry this is a little shiet. I had no other ideas.)
"What was that about?" Moonstone said, "and how did you do that!?"
"I don't know." Opal said as she walked up to the tunnel leading to Amethyst's room. Before she could step into the tunnel, her parents Rainbow Quartz and Emerald came rushing up.
"Opal!" Rainbow cried, "you have the power of a Quartz."
"I know." Opal replied. "I guess it's genetic."
"I'm so proud of you," Emerald said smiling. Opal hugged them both affectionately and then turned to the tunnel.
"I have to find someone and see if they are okay. I'll be back soon." Opal said as she took off up the tunnel to Amethyst's throne room. Sea and Stardust trailing just behind.
. . .
Opal had been flying for a few hours when Jade Forest came into view. A few GemWings were flying over it. The GemWings that had escaped. She could see Peridot, Jasper, Jade, Rutile and Ruby all flying over the forest as if guarding something. Opal swooped down and dove into the lush green trees. She landed in the same clearing where she met Shulker. Soft rustling in the bracken bushes beside her made her pale ears twitch as she turned toward them. Out from the bushes, looking warily from side to side, was Queen Amethyst and her friend, Quartz who was still clutching the orange GemWing egg.
"What happened here?" Opal asked.