The sprawling forests, glistening rivers, and bright blue sky were his home, no matter what Midnight told himself as he folded his wings upon the highest ledge on the mountain. Shining from the cloudless sky, the sunlight twinkled against the backs and wings of many different species as they passed in and out of the caves below.
Walking into the cave, the black scaled dragon walked past numerous dragons, some with swirling dark blues and purples, some with yellow, and others either sharing the same scales as himself or the bright colours of the sun dragons.
Each quickly bowed their heads as he walked by.
After a few moments of walking, the black scaled dragon entered a large cavern, sunlight beaming in through small holes with carefully maintained roots and plants. A dragon that appeared to be almost identical to himself sat slightly higher above the small group of three dragons below.
Shuffling his red, blue, and green wings, Midnight continued to walk towards his brother, identical except from the silvery eyes that Prism bore. Bowing his head to his brother, Midnight kept his green eyes upon the other elemental dragon.
"Excuse us for a while," the king said as Midnight straightened up and passed the now retreating dragons. "I apologise for summoning you here so urgently, but I needed to pick your brains."
"I also wanted to talk to you, regarding some matters upon Ballasmara," Midnight said as his green eyes flickered over to some dragons standing in the shadows.
Following his look, Prism nodded and turned away, entering one of the caves. The younger brother accompanied the king as he recognised the cave; with one entrance, they would not be overheard without them noticing.
Deep inside the mountain, Prism turned and wrapped Midnight with his wings, who in turn rested his head on his brother's neck. They stayed there for a few moments, embracing each other as the noise became rare and parting and Prism broke the ear-splitting silence.
"Are the Ballasmara dragons giving you enough trouble; I wouldn't want you to be too bored," Prism said. "These Humanyos dragons are making me insane," he shook his head before turning towards Midnight and watching him.
A grin worked its way upon Midnight as he glanced towards the tunnel before speaking. "The war is still going, bringing all sorts of trouble upon those who want no part in it. The gold speckled fire dragons are doing well, one of whom has made a lasting impression upon both the rainbow dragons and the high-ranking dragons-"
Yet the king interrupted Midnight, despite the tilted head and the usual patience to listen to whatever the younger brother had to say. "Which one? There was quite a few last time you told me. Anything about their parents?"
Midnight paused, casting his mind back to the long-winded message that the rainbow dragon had produced. "Ember, she hatched fourth, and apart from her power - which was described as terrifying - she has no other major qualities that the leaders would be interested in.
"Their mother is dead, and as far as we can tell, she grew up with the fire dragons and was powerful - but not very powerful," Midnight paused as his claws shuffled against the stone. "Their father is still very unknown, just emerged and met their mother before disappearing, that is everything that we have gleaned about them."
Silence filled the cave and the two brothers.
Prism's silver eyes narrowed before nodding and looking back at Midnight. "The Humanyos Queen chose a mate, we do not know anything about him yet," Prism paused as Midnight froze, this couldn't be good.
"He is just a ghost," Prism said before continuing. "He pops up, so all we know is that he is blue and then he disappears for an endless amount of time on end.
"Part of me thinks that he goes to Ballasmara; they have their own teleporters. Just keep an eye out for them, we don't know everything, and it terrifies me," Midnight's brother said, voice barely louder than a whisper.
Taking in a deep breath through his nostrils, Midnight could smell traces of varying dragons from the main chamber that awaited their return as well as the intoxicating outside world of his home.
"I am always careful," Midnight grinned.
The larger male whacked him with one of the red, green, and blue wings, but just a playful, gentle bat. Taking a step backwards, the pair turned and exited the cave, catching the other upon their lives, but avoiding topics that were too sensitive for the casual ears.
As Midnight and Prism re-entered it, the small cavern now had less light streaming through the webbed cave ceiling, but more dragons dwelled around, waiting.
Five small dragons, all elemental, emerged from the shadows and leapt upon Midnight's back. Their small paws pattered against his scales as his ears were filled with happiness from his nephews and nieces, which Midnight hadn't quite gotten to know yet.
Lowering himself down to his knees, Midnight grinned as he tilted his back so that the youngsters toppled off before he gathered them up with his paws into a small circle. Slowly he lowered his head down to the one-year-olds' head height.
A large puff of air sent them tumbling backwards, head over heels, comical in their retaliation. They pounced on his paws, legs, and snout with their squeaking war cries, uncoordinated and tiny, he could easily squish them, but he pretended to be beaten down by the miniature dragons.
Feigning injury and defeat, Midnight collapsed onto the floor whilst softly batting at the youngsters. One of the females pounced on his head and stood there, neck bent so that she could see into his green eyes with her silver pair.
Midnight grinned as he threw the youngster off his head, sending her tumbling across the floor in a series of squeaks before he gathered the siblings up in a small group in front of him. Each dragon had orange-red, silver, blue, blue-green, or green eyes, all of which watched as he grinned.
"So, what am I going to have to do with you then?" A quick flick of his tail sent the female into the group as well. "Turn around and you will try to defeat me. So instead, I could eat the lot of you!" Grinning, he revealed his long ivory teeth.
If only life was as simple and joyous as these hatchlings were.
They crouched, bearing their shining, little, prickly teeth whilst Midnight's tail wrapped around them. Both Midnight and Prism knew that if harm ever touched the youngsters, both would hunt down the perpetrator until only they remained.
Prism's voice was soft as he spoke from just behind the dark prince. "You should come more often, at least." A brief pause before he continued speaking. "It is only your decision keeping you away, it would be easy to arrange something."
Prism could never know how much Midnight had thought about doing so, that it quietly haunted the back of his mind like a lost soul on a soft breeze.
Instead, Midnight closed his eyes, shutting away his desire before opening them to face his dear brother. "I cannot, we know it would break whatever chance of gaining peace there in our lifetimes, but I swear that I will return if the need arises."
They were both young, the flicker of sadness that swept through the king reminded Midnight of that. Their planet and family had given a lot to help other worlds, and they will give much more before Midnight passed into whatever came next.
It was needless to say that some believed that too much had been given too freely, but they all knew why.
"How long can I use your opinions before you travel?" Prism said as Midnight stood up. Silence followed as Midnight looked into his brother's shining silver eyes.
A weight that would always haunt Midnight pressed down upon his mind, whilst his lack of answer provided enough of one. Fear spread into his eyes as his mind wandered to the future and if he would see everyone like this again.
"No," Prism stepped closer; his tail thumped against the floor when he stopped, and his eyes filled with emotions as complex as the magic that they wielded. "Don't do that to you, to them, to me. I don't care if the world is falling apart or burning, we need to keep together."
"We cannot control everything, especially when we most want to," Midnight whispered as the squeaks of the small youngsters continued to fill the air. "I will try my best, but I make no promises. I just can't.
"Good luck brother," Midnight bowed his head before striding over to the exit of the cave, the bright sky growing in size.
"Train her, leaving the dragoness where she is may harm your efforts," Prism said, his voice loud enough for Midnight to hear - along with some others who frowned in the corner of his eyes.
His reply was out of his jaws in an instant. "I will do, along with keeping an eye out for you."
Just like that, the prince left to return to Ballasmara, just on the brink of becoming a future of living hell or heaven. Leaping into the sky, Midnight gazed at the numerous dragons flying around - most weren't native to this world but were extinct in their home world - the few native species weren't native either but had lived in Almaisier for some long period of time.
Mountains stretched into mountain ranges dotted with caves which were filled with dragons, both alone and in groups, and Midnight flew past them and over the rich, green forest.
Part of Midnight wanted to fall through the trees, become injured and stay here with his brother and family, but that was the selfish part that would always remain hidden and buried from taking control. But the vulnerable dragons on Ballasmara needed him, so he would only return here for good if something happened here, or if his business was finished.
A small clearing approached below, and the elemental dragon angled downwards before he dived. Clearing his mind, Midnight passed the tree canopy before throwing his wings open and landing upon the soft and wet ground.
Rustling in the trees hooked his intrigue as he sniffed in the direction before rolling his eyes. A dark purple snout appeared from between the leaves, followed close behind by a narrow head and a pair of large wings.
He turned away from the galaxy dragon, Midnight locked eyes with a shadow dragon; this female had moved much quieter than the previous one. The two dragons closed in and stood by him, waiting for Midnight to speak.
"Let's go," Midnight sighed, looking up into the clear sky as dark blues and purples swirled around him and the two others. His home world vanished before his eyes, and his mind and body twisted.
His vision cleared, revealing a clearing at the base of a cliffside in a world where war echoed throughout every living being.