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hi, this story is by Nightfury4eva, please keep in mind that this is how I view my dragons and this is how I write. if u like what u see with the art on here check out this page  

Hearts of shadow character list:         

My Post

Elka - female titan wing woolly howl, her fur is pale purplish-teal with royal blue tips, her underside is dark violet with pale blue stripes, in a relationship with Copper

Copper - male titan wing sand wraith, his scales are golden brown with burgundy stripes from head to tail with unusual green eyes, in a relationship with Elka

Kaya-rider/ trainer of the dragons listed as characters (except Copper, he's wild) short wavy dirty-blond hair tan skin greyish green eyes, the weapon of choice- dread fall ax

Vera -female death gripper, black spikes on top and white underbelly, dark mineral blue scales on top of the spikes

Nightshade - female titan flightmare, light purple scales with bright sea green wing tail and spike tips

Sunstone - fireworm queen, orange-yellow with red dots and a pale lemon underbelly.

Scarlette- female grim gnasher, white body with red scales on her back and down her spine blue underneath.

Thunder- female Titan skrill, black with dark blue spikes and teal on her wings and underbelly.

you will encounter more characters in the story 

  please note, *this is important to read first[]

the following story may be considered scary in some parts, slight violence, gore (will not go into great detail just some detail), death, slight crude humor(may make some uncomfortable), some profanity ( it will all be hashed out with * but the lesser words will be used), as well as 'suggestive' language. Again some parts of this story may be considered scary, please consider this before continuing thank you for your time.


prologue[]

        A long time in the past...in a place unknown to dragons and humans alike, a monster waited in the darkness, green eyes bright with promise waiting for the right moment to strike, it paces back and forth waiting for the rift to open, the day begins to go dark and the creature grows more restless, it knows she's out there the bright rift forms and the creature steps through.

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Neberu

meanwhile in the hidden world... Costa knew something was off, as day turned to night she sat watching the dark circle envelope the sun, she sat hearing the dark waves lapping at the black shores her blue and green scales darkened. the crystals that adorned her body turned dark and began to vibrate.

" whats going on?" she whispered to her mate, who shrugged looking worried.

she really didn't want to screw up her first year as the queen of the hidden world. she flew back inside and landed in her cave, her large claws clicked on the floor there was something out there something dark and bad, she knew it was here just not where or what it was. 

the creature looked around, the bright light burned its eyes, it hissed backing into a dark corner. alarm bells rang in the back of its mind, someone knew it was here a passing dragon looked surprised at it Neberu approached the dragon, and put its long-fingered hand on the dragon's snout the dragon's scales turned black and its eyes turned green as red energy flowed from the dragon to Neberu. when Neberu removed its hand the dragon's scales returned to normal. 

Costa was on high alert, something was wrong, she flew through the hidden world transparent wings reflecting the colors of the world. she looked around dark eyes scanning the colorful world, she spotted a dark spot in the brightness of the mushrooms. when she landed she spotted something she had never seen before.

Neberu looked to the sky, the dragon that knew it was here has found it. the frost blue dragon landed, it had huge horns and crystals adorning her, she had green splotches all over her body outlined with pale violet. Neberu instantly knew this dragon ran this insane colorful dimension.

"what are you?" Costa asked.

"I stopped knowing that a long time ago," Neberu responded.

"How did you get here?" Costa growled.

"you saw it too, I used the rift I'm looking for someone," Neberu said absentmindedly looking around.

"the dragon you're looking for is not alive yet," Costa growled somehow knowing who they were talking about.

"Pity, I came all this way, the flame of revenge burns eternal and I am ready to wait an eternity," Neberu hissed.

"What makes you think I'll let you stay," Costa growled.

"My intentions for this dragon are none of your concern," Neberu replied.

"you come here, from whatever plane of existence your from, and ask for the most powerful dragon yet and tell me that I don't need to know what you're doing," Costa growled.

"I need this dragon, to use her power for returning me to what I once was if she survives I'll use her as a superweapon to reap revenge on those who made me this way there is a war coming, join the right side, or the darkness I'm about to spread will consume everything," Neberu explained.

"you deranged fool, I will never join you," Costa growled.

she clapped her wings together, and a wave of power spread across the walls, Neberu was swept up in it, her crystals started vibrating and bright light began emanating from her she used the light to contain the creature she used her white-hot acid to melt an obelisk she tried to put Neberu into it, in a burst of white light the cavern exploded and caved in, all that was left was the obelisk and the dark caved in rooms.



...years later...

Kea flew through the cavern that ended her mother, she looked around at the wreckage, a dark abyss inhabited the middle of the floor she dove into it as whispers of death entered her mind. she flew deeper into the darkness as the whispers grew louder, they were growing to screams, furious yells shouts of agony and screams of terror, suddenly she landed, a dark obelisk in front of her the voices in her head went silent as dragons leached from the shadow surrounding. she stood in the darkness the obelisk started glowing soft green, it seemed to call out like it wanted to be destroyed, she couldn't resist, she sprayed acid on the obelisk and it dissolved into five iron bands.  and a black creature, with bright green eyes that lit up with delight. 

Kea stood there blankly as darkness closed in around her.



....many more years later...

a red and black Rot ripper glided through the hidden world, her nerves were on fire, every light every sound made her jump, she had to do it, there was no other way. She flew into her chambers and looked at the one egg that made it, what she wouldn't give to trade that one for the other two. She carefully picked it up and held her barbed tail close to it,  but she couldn't bring herself to kill it. shouts of fighting dragons sounded outside and she nearly jumped out of her skin, she flew off to go observe what was going on. At the scene were hundreds of dragons all very mad, she managed to evade them carrying her egg, this was just the opportunity she was waiting for. She quickly flew across the cavern roof and made it to the falls, she flew up and out of the hidden world she cast the egg into the ocean watching it bob for a moment then sink to the bottom she quickly flew back into the hidden world job unfinished she landed in her cave, her mate Keil was asleep on the floor she took one regretful look at him then plunged her stinger deep into his flesh, he stopped breathing. still not finished with her job she breathed in deep then plunged her stinger into her heart, she fell to the ground dead as the masses of angry dragons poured in around them.

the egg got swept up in a current and drifted away...not seen again for some time 
















Hearts of shadow[]

“ Where exactly are we going?” Elka asked flapping her powerful wings, as big as they were they didn’t make any noise fine fur covered her wings and blocked air resistance and sound.




“You’ll see,” the Light fury replied looking back.
 “Oh great, this is generally a bad idea,” Copper whined flapping wildly to keep up.
“Will you shut up, you keep whining and I will throw us both into the ocean,” Elka joked.
“Make me,” Copper said stubbornly.



Elka swung one wing around and flew straight at copper, she bowled him over and they both fell back. He slipped out of her grasp and did a backflip in mid-air to escape her. She spread her wings and stopped plummeting. He ran into her side and they fought each other while falling through the air in a tangle of wings and tail. Elka broke her wings free and let go of Copper he flipped over before hitting the water and flew back up to her.



“ Would you two stop goofing off,” the Light fury ordered.

“Yeah tell that to Copper,” Elka said looking over her shoulder.



Copper was flying at her from behind, she felt his claws grip the base of her tail, she flapped down and forward, going limp and doing a backflip she ended up in hover position whilst Copper fell.



“Uhh..is he gonna be o-” The Light fury started.

“He’ll be fine,” Elka stated.

“But it looks like…”

“He can fly,”

“But,”

“I did this once too,”

“Elka!”

“Okay, he’s not gonna fly,” Elka opened her eyes and tucked into a power dive, she noticed Toothless had come over.

 

The more the merrier, I guess. Her tail began to make a high-pitched whistling sound. She narrowed her pupils and slowly out-stretched her paws to grab Copper. She dove under him, she flipped upside-down and caught him then flipped over, Copper's feet barely scathed the surface of the water.



“A little late don’t you think?” Copper teased.

“Like you could do any better,” she retorted.

“Girls, girls you're both pretty. Now can we get to it?” Toothless joked.

“Fine king bossy,” Elka teased.

“He’s more of a tyrant,” Copper whispered to Elka.

Elka snickered, ” What?” Toothless asked.

“What?” Copper said loudly.



Elka carried Copper a bit higher. Then dropped him, he spread his wings and soared up to her and they caught up with Toothless and the Light Fury.



“I was starting to think we lost you,” the Light Fury joked.

“Well, you’ll have to do better than that,” Elka laughed. “Come on we’re almost there,” She turned and flew down a huge waterfall-like formation.



Elka and copper followed tucking in their wings and cutting through the air, they landed on a beach little ways down.

 



“You guys ready?” the Light Fury asked.

“Let’s go,” Elka announced flying off of the beach.





She entered a world of color and lights, everything was glowing she hadn’t seen anything like it before, yet it seemed so familiar. She blinked once and she didn’t know where she was. She had landed on a strange dark blue rock formation. She was sitting next to Copper, below her was Toothless and Light, they were beckoning them to come down, Copper took a step forward and slipped his feet flew out beneath him he fell off the edge of the rocks he landed on his side and rolled down the hill. He ended up in a blue bush, the sticky green sap was all over him.




“They see me rollin’ they hateing...”He sang.



Then everything froze and went quiet Elka called out to her friends, they didn’t respond, but someone else did.

“Leave here now,” the voice sounded like it was many dragons but all speaking at once.



Elka turned in a circle and looked around but she couldn’t find the source

“It’s looking for you, the longer you stay the longer you’re at risk, go before it sees you,” the voice echoed.

“What! Who?” Elka asked fear tinting her voice

“Look it’s not safe for you, there’s a secret lurking in the shadows and just around every corner. At the heart of it, all are creatures you wouldn’t dream of seeing in your worst nightmares,” it hissed softly.

 “Be careful who you trust, be careful when you speak, you never know who’s listening.”

Elka’s eyes widened with fear, the sounds, and colors of the world returned as if nothing had ever happened but one sentence rang above the clamor. “You never know who’s listening,”. 

“Elka, are you okay?” Copper asked from behind her.



She snapped out of her thoughts and turned around to look at Copper.

“Copper did...did you hear anything...weird one minute ago?”

N-no one minute ago I was falling down the hill,”

"No that was five minutes ago,” Elka corrected.

“No, it wasn’t,” 

“wait...You didn’t...it...time,” Elka stuttered looking stupid.

“Light help, I think I broke Elka,” Copper fussed. 

“Okay okay, I’ll handle it from here, you guys can explore meet here later, okay.” Light said flying up to Elka.

“But,” Toothless stuttered.

“You’ll be fine okay, Elka and I just need a bit of girl time,” Light said definitively stamping out all protest by giving Toothless a hard glare.

“Come on, before Toothless realizes that he’s the alpha,” Light whispered.

“He may be the alpha but he cannot control me," Elka muttered smirking.

The light fury took off spreading her iridescent wings and Elka followed, they sored high above the dragon kingdom. Elka took in the sights and smells of the strange new world, giant fungi reached up, threatening to punch holes in the ceiling, crystals of all shapes and colors glowed dimly, changing to a deep blue color when Elka passed by them. Plants of all shapes and sizes showed off their bioluminescence in an awe-striking light show on twenty-four-seven. it was all so amazing that she almost forgot about the stranger's mysterious warning.

"here we are, "Light announced landing gracefully.

"Wow," Elka whispered.

along the wall were carved statues of dragons, all sitting regally heads heald high, lush plant life surrounded them and crystals were growing out of their hearts and above their heads. above the statue's to the right was a label reading 'Queens' the line ended at the fifth statue and to the left was labeled 'kings' and it ended at the twelfth one but zipplebacks and Quakens were carving out another one that looked like Toothless.

Elka walked down the line of queens, they all looked like the same dragon. The statues had small antlers with prongs at the end and spikes down their backs, their faces had oblong black eyes and their bottom jaw had large teeth sticking out in front but they disappeared further down along their face, their talons were unlike Elka's with the foot about the same size but long sharp powerful claws attached to the base of their feet their bodies looked sleek like a nightfury's but had darker splotches adown their spine and face.

"Hey Light, what dragon is this?" Elka asked cocking her head at the statues.

"oh, those their Rot rippers," Light replied sitting next to Elka.

"never heard of them, "Elka muttered.

"yeah...that's because they're extinct...we killed them all," Light murmured looking down at her feet, her striking blue eyes misted over.

"...oh," Elka said sympathetically.

"why?" she then asked curiosity taking over.

"because of her," Light growled looking towards a dark statue where the line ended.

Elka got up and walked over to the statue, somehow Elka felt that there was a deathly elegance to this one she felt overwhelmed by emotion...not all of them hers. The statue was made of obsidian and the foliage around it had withered and died, the crystals around it were black. The only color around the statue were mushrooms and a giant emerald placed in one of its eyes.

"that's Nyra," Light hissed

"why is her statue black?" Elka asked.

"she was a scar on the hidden worlds past, a queen who was working with a great evil hidden in the heart of this place she was trying to destroy us, draining our emotions and life. This went on for years before we put a stop to it. We killed her and her mate and cast her egg into the ocean then the king ordered that all Rot rippers be killed on account of what Nyra did," Light explained.

'  Elka knew there was more to the story than that, that this dragon was not in fact evil but she couldn't explain. She shuffled her feet uncomfortably. there was a long pause where both Light and Elka were silent, the only noises were the soft humming of the crystals and the occasional explosion from the construction team.

"come with me, there's something you should see," Light said springing to her feet.

They walked to the mouth of a cave, the rock surrounding it was dark indigo and everything reflected off the water, royal blue crystals were coming off the walls hanging over a stepping stone path directly below two smaller caves on the opposite wall. Elka splashed through the water looking at the intriguing wall at the far end of the cave it looked like a color full beach on plateau's of coral sand and all, three curved deep green glass formations sat on the sand glistening in a pale yellow light.

"This is the throne room of the queens, legend has it that the small plants in here glow blue when our new queen returns," Light explained

Elka sat on one of the stepping stones and took in the beauty of the place, the trickle of running water, the bubbling from the geothermal pools, and the soft humming of the crystals. She closed her eyes and listened. all of it then went silent, as if the world was put on pause. Elka opened her eyes and her heart started beating faster. Something was standing in front of her, a black dragon that looked as if it was made of smoke it held it's head high and its antlers resembled Elka's.

"y-your a Rot ripper... Nyra right," Elka muttered eyeing her as she circled Elka.

Nyra's black eyes burned with green flame " be careful child, names have power beyond belief your lucky it was just me and not anything worse," she hissed.

"a-are you the voice from earlier?" Elka asked looking at the ground.

" good job," Nyra laughed, no real praise in her voice.

"what's looking for me?" Elka blurted.

Nyra's gaze darkened, "I wish I could tell you, but don't make the same mistake I did, don't let it find you," Nyra hissed.

"Why does it want me?"Elka whined fear pulsing through her like electricity.

Nyra's black eyes burned with a green flame and the same color aura appeared around her, she muttered ancient words that didn't seem from this planet green lightning struck Elka's paw, pain shot through her but coming out of her wound was not blood, but a pale blue substance that was not quite liquid not quite a gas. It pooled on the stone and her wound closed up.

" that is what it wants," Nyra muttered nudging the substance.

" what is it?" Elka asked not wanting to know the answer.

"your life, " Nyra answered staring Elka in the eye"it wants to take your life."

" who?" Elka whined acid built up in her throat, she felt like she wanted to vomit.

"do you promise you will not say its name," Nyra asked dead serious.

Elka nodded, Nyra reached out a long claw and wrote letters in the water. When she was done Elka leaned over to read them. as soon as hse did a thousand images flashed through her head she could hear shrieks of dying dragons blood all over the walls, life spilled all over the hidden world. however terrible those were it was nothing compared to the last thing she saw, it was night she looked out from the cave she was hiding from something she peered out of a corner and standing in a dark doorway was a dark figure it's head bent to the side and eyes were as green as a neon lime peel, it got closer and closer to Elka, I reached a long boney finger out its sharp teeth glinted and then it touched her. Elka was jolted back to reality she was staring down at the writing in the water she finally read the name of what was hunting her.

Neberu (pronounced Neb-EEr-rU)

Shattered dreams[]

 Elka could feel Nyra's gaze boring down on her back, a bazillion questions raced through her mind. What's so special about me? Why is Nyra here? is she a ghost? am I insane? Why am I talking to an evil dragon? Is there more to the story?

"I can answer a few of your questions" Nyra replied coolly.

"Hey, get out of my mind," Elka growled.

"I a not a ghost, that would mean I'm dead," Nyra explained.

"But you are dead," Elka said uncertainty tainted her voice, she gave Nyra a skeptical look.

"no, I'm not. the same thing I showed you earlier is pure energy, power, life force if you will. When I joined the shadow legion Ne-... I mean it took part of that energy away and stored it in a crystal, along with the power of many others eventually when it gathers enough it'll use you to channel that power whilst adding your energy to its collection. if it takes all of your power you die, and it's not a nice way to go you get torn apart atom by atom,"

"why me?" Elka yelped

"because you are more important than you think, I tell you any more about your self and you become a beacon," Nyra hissed.

"Why did you join the shadow legion? what even is that?"

"the shadow legion is a group of dragons that willingly or not were touched by...it, they are without most of their life and only survive by pledging their allegiance to N-...it, it can take over their minds at any point in time, but they always look like normal dragons on the outside. the only reason I joined was to keep y- er...my eggs safe, it made a deal with me, my eggs and free will for my allegiance and power. I took the deal and survived by killing others for myself. when the dragons found out they killed me my mate and threw my surviving egg into the ocean,"

"Why do you keep referring to Nebe-" Elka was cut off by Nyra putting a paw to her mouth.

" DON'T EVER SAY IT'S NAME, if you do you will summon it to your location, and it can't know you're alive!" Nyra roared.

Elka was about to say something else but Nyra was doing something weird, she turned her head to the side then darted to four spaces looked up and down cocking her head to the side, she looked around wearily.

"look I have to go, I can't help you anymore right now if you have any problems tell me. Say my name and I'll be there, okay," Nyra cast a last look at Elka and shattered into black smoke that soon dissipated.

The world returned to normal Elka soon realized that Light was staring at her."


"are you okay? you look like you've seen a ghost, "Light asked empathetically.

"Yeah, something like that," Elka muttered absently mindedly."

"...okay...oh hey it's time to go, do you think the guys have burned the world down yet?" Light joked.

"in all seriousness, though it was possibly a bad idea to leave them alone," Elka laughed masking her fear.

Elka and light flew back the way they came to find Copper and Toothless wrestling in the weird plants, Toothless seemed to be winning...whatever the stakes were. When Elka and Light touched down the boy's froze, Toothless was standing over Copper, his front feet on Copper's stomach, Copper was on his back all four legs in the air

"Toothless, just in case you don't know Copper is my boyfriend," Elka joked.

"haha very funny..." Toothless said sarcastically rolling his eyes.

Toothless got off of Copper and Copper got up and shook himself.

"Okay, we're gonna go to one more place you guy's ready?" Light asked.

"why not?" Copper responded fanning out his wings.

They all took to the air flying up to a bright room where gigantic yellow crystals stood in the center, the queen's throne room couldn't hold a candle to this. huge platforms were below with hundreds, no thousands of dragons gathered there. Light flew to the corner of the crystal and awaited our arrival. Toothless landed next to her, Elka hesitated a little before landing not sure if she was allowed to because it seemed to be the throne room of the king and she was far from royalty. She landed next to Light on the opposite side and she shoved herself into a dark corner where the eyes of the dragons could barely reach.

" Why did you choose to land here again?" Copper asked sitting next to her.

Elka didn't respond, she watched Toothless walk up to the front of the crystal, spread his wings, and roar. the uproar of the dragons in response was astonishing, the echoes of all the dragons bounced around the wall then simultaneously they all bowed Toothless stepped back and looked at Light.

" hey Elka, you should go up there," light nodded towards the top of the crystal.

" haha, very funny Light," Elka said rolling her eyes.

"I'm serious Elka, you should go," Light muttered.

"WHAT! NO, NO WAY," Elka said almost yelling. 

"just go," Light responded pushing Elka into view.

Elka froze, shooting light a glare. she stepped up to the front, blue colorations forming where she placed her feet, she closed her eyes and breathed in. "one more thing, all of this. power, life, fear. this is all a game" Nyra muttered. 

Elka opened her striking pink eyes and spread out her wings watching the uncertainty and doubt in the eyes of the thousands watching. her heart sank and she closed her eyes again. " a game that has been played over and over with the same results each time,"



She held her head up regally like she wasn't just some idiot who got pushed.to her surprise...or fear they started bowing one by one, row by row, they all fell. she stood there in disbelief and worry, but it was too late to walk out now. she roared the blue underneath her feet pulsating through the crystal and on to the walls beautiful designs of swirls pulsed through the room. the dragons roared in response to her echoing off the walls their calls shook the earth, she stood there panting from excitement head held high. "to survive the game, to beat the system you must play to win.......game on!"


(to clear up a few things, the crystals turned blue because the molecules were reacting to Elka's low body temp, also I will be skipping ahead by two months because the fight with Grimmle could take up an entire book)

Pushed away[]

It had been two months since the defeat of Grimmle, and Elka was still reeling from the loss of her trainer. she had unwillingly become the queen of all dragons which shouldn't have been allowed but ok. and she had become mates with Copper.

Elka sighed walking through the bustling hidden world was hard, even harder when every ten feet there would be dragons hoarding around you and bowing all the time she had enough of it, she was annoyed by all the formalities and customs she had to get used to now that she was 'queen'. she hated her new title. Why did I even try to do something when Light pushed me up there, I should've just acted like a fool and be shamed by the entire world.

she thought kicking a stone through the crowd. Someone shrieked, a blood-curdling noise Elka looked up eyes scanning the crowd for movement, a circle of dragons all muttering and shifting uncomfortably looking down at something. Or someone. she bound towards them.

"move," she muttered and the crowd got out of her way.

She gasped in the middle of the crowd was a dead Death gripper, blood still flowing out of it. It twitched a little then lay still she felt bad for the poor thing reminded of her friend Vera who would never have accepted a death like this. she started to step towards it then something on the ground caught her eyes she looked down and her heart stopped, written on the ground in blood was a message: the keys are aligning when I find who I'm looking for this will only be the beginning- beware the hearts of shadow.

"Everyone leave, NOW!" she roared a sense of serious foreboding washing over her.

Her pupils slitt alarm-bells flaring int he back her mind she scrambled behind a coral formation and looked out to see a monstrous Nightmare contorting in pain blue and yellow scales turning smokey black yellow eyes rolling up into its head and replaced with neon green ones with slitts for pupils.

"Master, no sign of her, maybe Nyra speaks the truth and she is dead," the voice sounded like rusty knives were trying to sharpen themselves on concrete.

"fool refer to me by my name! She must be alive," a different voice replied out of the same dragon.

"yes Neberu," the Nightmare responded.

Elka sucked in her breath the Nightmare was heading in her direction. The Nightmare must be part of the shadow legion. she flew up to the second level on the coral shelf, it fit her colors better. she realized just how lucky she was for having silent flight when the Nightmare walked by.

"Nyra!" Neberu roared.

There was a soft hiss then Nyra appeared.

"What!?" she growled.

"you dare speak to me like that," Neberu hissed.

"What, sir?" she added.

"will you make yourself useful and tell me the whole truth for once?" Neberu growled back.

"by what telling you what you want to hear even if it's all a lie," she retorted.

 The Nightmare glared at her green lightning formed all over Nyra's body, Nyra shrieked falling to the ground, as soon as it had come it stopped and Nyra was left on the ground gasping for air chest heaving.

"try me again and you'll know what real pain is," Neberu hissed. 

"fine have it your way, it's dead there's one in a million chance it's alive," Nyra panted.

"it has pulled off one in a million before. Nyra you can leave this discussion is over," Neberu muttered watching Nyra go then leaving its self.

 Elka let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The Nightmare looked around then continued on its way, Elka glided down shaking. she walked over to the Death gripper and touched her nose to its head in respect, she called over some dragons to bury it. she absent-mindedly flew to her new home in the throne room of queen's, she sat in her cave and stared at a puddle contemplating the events of the day.

"Elka?" Copper asked from behind her, Elka jumped.

"Copper, oh my Thor I'm glad your here!" She cried running to him and throwing her head over his shoulder. 

"uhhhhh.....you okay Elka?" he asked trying to weave his way out of her 'hug'. 

"No," Elka admitted letting Copper go.

".....D-do you wanna....like...talk about it?" Copper muttered shifting uncomfortably.

"you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Elka muttered darkly. 

"try me," Copper said walking deeper into the cave.

Elka explained about the Death gripper and the writing in blood, she left out Neberu, Nyra, and the shadow legion because she thought Copper would freak out.

"Whoa, who could kill a Death gripper like that?" Copper asked.

"I don't know, "Elka lied.

"look I'm tired right now so talk to you in the morning?" Elka muttered quickly pushing Copper out of her home. she lied down on the soft plants in her nest and closed her eyes.

She fell into a feverish sleep plagued by nightmares, all of them horrible. she tossed and she turned but couldn't get comfortable. she was sitting up silhouetted by the pale blue light of the crystals, another silhouette sat nest to hers, outlined by blue. 

"Copper?" she muttered looking over her shoulder instead she saw two neon green eyes surrounded by black.

she gasped and recoiled at the sight of them barring her fangs than the haunting vision melted into Copper his expression fearful he was backing away from her.

"s-sorry thought you were something else," she muttered expression softening.

" don't you mean someone else?" he asked.

"no," she said rubbing her head along Copper's. 



"oh, I just wanted to see if you were okay you were screaming," he said looking her in the eyes.

"yeah, nightmares," she muttered laying back down Copper settled next to her.

'she felt his warmth next to her and closed her eyes yet again this time she finally managed to get to sleep. she had no dreams but something rang around in her head, some words she couldn't remember. She woke up early and went out to do her patrol she only had to do this every other day, Toothless said they all had to do this, her shift lasted from midnight to seven am. she flew as she tried to remember what had happened in her dream she was so lost in thought that she accidentally hit a stalag tight and brought her back to 'reality.

'she cursed under her breath, and focused up she flew out of the water fall and was bathed in the silver moon light, ' she sored into the sky looking down onto the black stony shores of the hidden world, Toothless sailed past her, his shift had ended. 

She flew in circles around the border of the Hidden World, after a while her eyelids felt heavy and she nearly fell out of the air once or twice. She landed on the black beach, staring into the water that so perfectly reflected the stars, ripples crossed the surface she looked at it a bit harder, she then realized that a shoal of herring was close to the surface. She tensed her muscles and lept into the water, she splashed around for a second before managing to get her mouth around a  herring and leaping out of the water victorious, she shook herself spraying water everywhere. 

"impressive," A high pitched scratchy voice hissed behind her.

Elka stiffened, she tensed her muscles and slowly turned around, she lit up her icy fire feeling the cold seep through her body and the pale blueish-white light bathed the beach in color. she finally lay eyes on who had spoken to her. a shady black outline sat in the shadows it's piercing green eyes locked with hers. She panicked and shot at it, three icy charges exploded on the sand leaving frosty crystals in thier wake. when the mist cleared the dragon remained sitting there, it made high pitched coughing sounds witch Elka assumed was laughter.

" you missed," it said beginning to walk towards her. 

"I won't miss next time," She growled raising her hackles and slitting her pupils.



"I'm sure you won't," it sneered, "however It's a shame that you can't kill the shadow legion."

It disappeared in a puff of smoke, she stood there for a second all was silent then whispers broke the night. The dragon wasn't back, it was a different thing, a humanoid creature with bright green eyes appeared in front of her it was looking right at her when it laid eyes on her its eyes lit up. it looked at her then spoke.

"I have been waiting a long time to finally meet you, Elka," it hissed she recognized it from the monstrous Nightmare.

"What do you want," she demanded trying to be as threatening as possible.

it merely looked at her "that is not of discussion," It muttered darkly. 

it approached her and reached out a boney finger, she recoiled at the touch but soon she had nowhere to fall back to, it tapped her in the center of the forehead and her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell to the ground and faded to black.

Nightmares[]

she opened her eyes, the bright daylight seared her eyes she let out a small hiss and closed them. she opened her eyes again she blinked a bit then slowly sat up she groaned head pounding, she noticed something wet was running down her face from her nose to the side of her face, she licked it wincing at the tangy metallic taste of blood. She walked to the ocean and looked at herself blood was running out of her nose and her fur was matted and clumped stuck together with dry bits of her blood, she licked her paw and ran it through her fur, the tangled clumps slowly worked themselves out. she sat there staring at herself wondering what had happened. she looked back at where she woke up and saw that a ton of blood was staining the sand she shook herself hearing a strange noise she then realized a heavy iron band was now attached to her right foreleg, it was engraved with skulls and she couldn't see how to get it off.  

she tried smashing it on rocks and prying it off didn't work. She tried getting it wet then blasting at it to shatter it but nothing worked.  

Okay don't panic, dragons get attacked by nightmare demons all the time. okay, who would be able to get it off, Nightshade would just tell me to rip off the leg, Sunstone could melt it but she would freak out and panic if I told her, Copper would look concerned and not know what to do, Scarlett would laugh at me, Thunder would go on a rampage trying to kill Neberu, Vera yes Vera would work she has acid that could melt the metal and I can rely on her. Having made up her mind Elka took off flying into the hidden world.  



She scanned the crowd, looking for her friend but she couldn't find Vera, Elka kept flying thinking of a place Vera would hangout. she knew Vera preferred to stay away from anyone and everyone, Elka kept flying she came to what she was looking for a giant hole in the ground beneath it was darkness she hovered for a second then dove down into the blackness. as her eyes adjusted to the dim light she realized it was like a whole different plane of existence, black statues lay in ruins all over the ground pillars lay crumbled and the place seemed to light up with blue and silver with strange markings on the walls.

something hit her from behind sending her spiraling to the ground, she landed heavily on her back, a cloud of dust erupted from underneath her. Elka coughed struggling to get to her feet the metal band weighing her to the ground it was glowing silver with pale blue mist swirling around it, she winced the sharp loud feeling of a stinger driven into her back, Elka collapsed on the ground aware of everything around her, Vera stood over her snarling.

"Hey Vera," Elka croaked looking up at her.

" * * * * Elka, I didn't know it was you!" Vera muttered.

"same vocabulary as always I see," Elka teased.

"well, what is it," Vera asked.

"whats what?" Elka responded.

" you didn't come all the way here to insult my use of words did you,"

" Okay so I have this metal band around my foreleg and I can't get it off, can you melt it?" Elka asked.

"what's it made of?"

"regular iron I think, "Elka muttered.

"Okay, show it to me,"

Elka held up her leg with the band on it, Vera looked at her funny then slowly responded.

"there's nothing on your leg,"

"what?! but it's right here!" Elka said hitting it with her paw.

"Elka there is no band!" Vera growled.

"you- you can't see it?" Elka asked.

"no Elka I can't see what doesn't exist," 

Elka let her foreleg drop to the ground it hit the rocky ground hard, CLANG! the noise echoed through the cavern.

" -the * * * *!" Vera growled.

"see!" Elka exclaimed trying to stand up.

Vera reached out her pincer to try to touch the band that she could not see and to Elka's horror Vera's leg when straight through the band.

" oh, Thor," Elka muttered in shock.

"what?" Vera answered, looking up.

" y-your leg went through it," Elka said looking at Vera's pincer.

Vera's gaze slipped from Elka's eyes to her leg.

" WHAT THE HEL !" Vera yelled looking at her pincer.

"What!" Elka said arching her back and looking around.

" I saw something, it was dark and when I opened my eyes there were dead dragons, strewn around the hidden world, some had been gored and others had been gutted, blood lined the walls and something was chasing me, then when I escaped the world....you were on the beach with bands around your other legs and one around your neck, you were glowing silvery blue and this misty liquidy stuff was flowing out of your mouth, you were contorted in pain and Copper lay dead at your feet, then I realized I was staring at my own dead body and I saw Nightshade, Scarlett, Sunstone, and Thunder all dead, and this black smokey figure was standing over me, green eyes with blood-stained hands and mouth. it looked at you smiled wickedly then turned to me and muttered 'it won't be long now' it laughed and I snapped back," Vera muttered.



" Vera that thing you saw the one with the green eyes. that's what did this to me," Elka muttered.

"what does it want?" Vera asked.

"It wants Elka's power, in a sense," someone else echoed.

" * * * *!" Vera roared turning quickly.

"What the Nyra?!" Elka hissed.

the black whispy dragon was sitting behind her Vera backed up eyeing Nyra.

" wait Elka you KNOW her?!" Vera asked.

"Yeah, long story," Elka muttered.

"what are you doing here?" she asked turning to Nyra.

"the better question is what are you doing here?" Nyra hissed. "I was looking for Vera," Elka muttered.

"why?" Nyra asked.

"It's none of your-" 

"it found you, didn't it?" Nyra murmured fear lacing her voice, she locked eyes with Elka and in a heartbeat, Elka knew that Nyra's words weren't a guess. 

"look-" Elka started.

"no you didn't listen," Nyra growled. 

"It wasn't my fault!" she whined.

"It's too late for deciding who's to blame, but you screwed up and everyone's gonna pay the price for it," Nyra hissed.

"how am I supposed to fix this?" Elka cried.

"hide," Nyra muttered.

"not possible," Elka retorted.

Nyra hissed " I know this thing better than anyone, there is no way you can fight it! now leave you shouldn't be down here. both of you," she muttered looking at Vera.

Elka took off paws leaving the ground, Vera quickly followed both flying up into the bright world above, Elka and Vera paused for a moment to adjust to the sudden shift in light, Elka headed back to her hame and Vera followed. they landed in Elka's home and looked at each other and an awkward silence covered the room.  



"Elka who was that!?" Vera roared.

"someone," Elka replied dodging the question.



"what are you not telling me?!" Vera hissed infuriated

"what's going on with me does not involve you!" Elka growled back.

"now it does, that shadow dragon or whatever just said something was after you so now it is my problem too," Vera snarled.

"fine, since you obviously can't leave it alone I'll tell you, but no one else can know," Elka hissed.

she reluctantly told Vera everything, by the end of it all Vera just sat there starring at Elka.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Vera asked

"how? how could I just tell someone?! do you hear me? I sound insane!!" Elka roared.

" well, now you do!! just listen okay, our friends are still here and if I were you I'd find them I'll be with Nightshade if you need me," and with that Vera left.

Elka sat there listening to the sound of water dripping from a stalagmite in the cave, the navy walls seemed to close around her sealing her off from the world, she remembered her old friend Luna and then other memories started to pop back into her head, most of them she wanted to forget. she remembered when Ryker killed Echo the deathsong hearing the silver dragon's final screech of agony before falling limp, or when she watched her best childhood friend Luna struggle to breathe choking on water turning red with her blood, or when Johann cut Kaya's eye open with a dagger in an attempt to kill her.

Elka slumped over she felt worse then she had in a long time, she wished someone anyone would help her. she looked up at the ceiling and fell on to her back she sighed and looked at the left wall, she decided that it was an uncomfortable position so she flipped over she saw the large clawed foot of a smokey black dragon, she yelped and sat up Nyra standing right beside her. 

"someone's feeling sorry for themself," Nyra muttered.

"why'd you follow me?" Elka asked.

"why not?" Nyra responded.

"It's creepy fam!" Elka growled.

 "I was going to tell you that you should join your friends," Nyra responded.

"oh yeah, so I can once again get told that I'm insane. and why do you care anyway? Elka snapped.

"Because you're acting funny and you should be with your friends," Nyra replied.

"what are you, my mother?" Elka joked the look on Nyra's face was half shock half fear.

"what do you know?" Nyra growled.

"what...what do you mean i-it was a joke," Elka said unsure of what Nyra was talking about.

Nyra seemed to calm down and Elka was still confused.

"look, you should go out while you can before things get worse," Nyra replied looking at the ground.

" wait they get WORSE?!?" Elka whined.

Nyra said nothing but nodded still starring at the ground Elka realized that Nyra had four of the bands on her and chains attached to one of them.

"What happened to you?!" Elka yelped looking at Nyra's bands.

"I made a mistake a long time ago and it came back to haunt me," she muttered turning away from Elka. Elka got the sense that it was a touchy subject so at that she left to go find her friends. 

Elka scanned the crowd looking for her friends desperate to get away from her problems. she spotted Nightshade and Vera arguing with Sunstone, Scar, and Thunder. Elka landed behind them and they swiftly turned faces lighting up upon seeing her.

" heyo wassup!" Sunstone said sniffing the air and looking in Elka's direction. (Sunstone is completely blind due to abuse when she was little, the dragon hunters had ownership over her and kept her in the dark and when she misbehaved she got stabbed repeatedly in the eye)

"okay it still creeps me out when you know where I am," Elka muttered.

Sunstone shrugged smiling.

"oh look the 'queen' finally has time for us," Scar said sarcastically.

"shut up Scar she's been busy with the.....Bud light virus....going around...yeah...that's a real thing," Thunder started to say then trailed off.

" uh-hu... yeah because that darn thing spreads so fast and is super deadly," Scar muttered rolling her eyes.

" you two are the dumbest life forms I've ever seen," Nightshade hissed.

" what about Snotlout?!" Scar said.

" fine the second dumbest happy?" Nightshade corrected.

"very" Scar responded.

"so what were you guys talking about?" Nightshade stiffened and Vera shook her head no, and Sunstone grimaced.

" well, THESE idiots think that water is wet! IT ISN'T, THE DEFINITION OF WET IS WHEN WATER TOUCHES A SURFACE SO WATER ITS SELF IS NOT WET!" Scar roared.

"NO Scar water is wet!" Nightshade growled.

"oookay then, whatcha want to do? Elka asked.

"  I wanna chill in your throne room," Sunstone said looking to the others to listen for their responses.

"I'm down," Vera muttered.

"same," Nightshade said.

"Okay let's go," She jumped in the air followed by Vera, Nightshade, Scar, Thunder, and Sunstone. They flew down the winding indigo tunnel past the blue crystals and landed on the shelf of coral near the red wall and the geothermal pools.                                    

IMG 20200315 115601

"so what you guys wanna do?" Elka asked.

"torture small animals?" Scar asked enthusiastically.

"other than that," Elka said.

"can we chill in the hot springs?" Thunder asked.

"ooh! good Idea," Nightshade agreed in the corner Scar pouted about not being able to torture small animals.

They lept into the pool splashing the water. Elka splashed them with her wing, they all flinched away and splashed her back. they all laughed throwing water at each other and the song seemed to linger capturing that moment forever. they eventually got bored of chilling so they decided to fly to the king's throne room(as recommended by Vera) they came to a fork point, Vera went left and Elka hovered there confused.

"uh...Vera wrong way," Elka chimed.

" I know," Vera said.

"oookay...," Elka muttered skeptically.

 The rest of the flight was in silence, Elka tried as best she could to blend in with them to not be noticed by the crowds of dragons below her. she was confused about where Vera was taking them and why she had to lie about it to get everyone to come. She hovered over something when it came into view for Elka she hissed at it and hovered over it mad at Vera. below her was the place she and vera were before. as the others caught up Vera dove into the darkness and the others followed.

"of course she did because Vera doesn't give a crap about this," Elka hissed to herself reluctantly following them into the hole.



she followed them through the mazes of black blood-stained sculptures of dying dragons, and one that perhaps disturbed her the most was one of a spear with a monstrous nightmare's skull on it, rotting flesh held the jaws together and below it was a human skull eyeballs rolled up into its sockets, hair, and skin still attached to its skull blood dripping from its mouth and it pooled on the ground, the strong metallic scent of blood filled the room. Nightshade hissed softly her electric blue eyes scanning the cavern for movement, Thunder sparked up, Electricity emanating from her scales lips drawn in a nervous snarl, Elka couldn't help but find herself doing the same thing eyes slitting and a guttural growl emanating from her throat. Scar just looked around a gleam in her eye, Elka would never understand her. Sunstone wrinkled her nose and emitted a heat signal she used this kind of like echolocation, she'd emit her heat the activate her heat Pitts feeling her way around, anything that the heat couldn't reach was being blocked by something, using this she can find and pick up objects.

"Vera where are we going?" Nightshade growled.

"what? are you scared," Vera asked.

"for your sanity," Elka responded.

The others snickered at Elka's remark. all of the sudden Scar burst into laughter.

"HAHAHA! look at that guy *snicker* he died, HAHA!" Scar continued laughing, she laughed so hard she fell out of the air and onto the ground.

she landed next to a dead silver bellied green scale, it was just bone now but it had the special spines of a green scale. Scar continued her giggle fit. the others landed next to her, Elka also started laughing not thinking about what she was laughing at. she slowly breathed in and out and started singing a song that was funny in the situation. (twin skeletons (hotel in NYC) Fall Out boy)

"There's a room in a hotel in New York City
That shares our fate and deserves our pity
I don't want to remember it all
The promises I made if you just hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on," 

Scar knowing the rest of the song couldn't breathe she was laughing so hard. eventually, she calmed down and stood on her feet.

"whoo that was funny," she muttered.

"you were laughing at a dead dragon," Thunder muttered confused.

"exactly, funny," Scar replied walking of whilst Thunder looked on in confusion.

 Elka stepped back from the others her foot slipped and she fell into another darker hole her cries for help reached deaf ears and she kept falling, she hit the ground with a thud she scrambled to her feet and walked down a dark corridor. her breath echoed through the tunnel. a light came from the end of the corridor. and she heard a familiar voice echo off the walls, she crouched down and slowly walked to the corner of the tunnel, a nitch was carved out and a fire burned in it, a human skull was impaled on a spike it was beginning to burn across from her were multiple impaled things,  a dragon skull, a human skull, and a bloody heart. 

"the old world is fading," a voice announced.

in a heartbeat, Elka knew it was Neberu. 

"and the fire that we're about to light will end everything that once was," it paused.

Elka peeked around the corner, sure enough, the nightmare its self was standing on dead crystals blue fire lit in the corners of the room, thousands of dragons sat beneath it watching patently.

" We have found our CHAMPION!" It yelled as the dragons roared in excitement. 

the blue fire at the edge of the room exploded. It looked to Nyra who looked shocked.

"It-it lives?" Nyra asked.

"SHE lives," Neberu corrected.

Neberu surveyed Nyra's expression with a disdainful look.

"and how do you feel about this?" Neberu asked.

" I-I don't know, I'm happy I guess," Nyra responded.

"lies," Neberu growled.

"where do your loyalties lie?" Neberu growled advancing on Nyra," what have you told her?" Neberu's clawed hand lit up with green electricity as dragons in the crowd jeered and hissed.

"STOP!" someone yelled from down the corridor, all the attention was diverted, Elka heard wing flaps and she curled her wings around herself and tucked her head and tail in pretending to be a rock  (surprisingly the rocks there happened to have purple and blue glowing fungus so she blended in).when the noise passed Elka cautiously got up and looked to see who it was.

she gasped looking upon who it was, she was mad and scared, she couldn't think straight,  standing next to Nyra was none other than the Light fury! 

"Stoppit! none of us knew she was alive," Light said in Nyra's defense.

the dragons went silent and looked at each other and grimaced.

"How can you gauge how truthful someone is based on thier response to an irrelevant question?" Light cried.

the dragons roared in agreement.

"silence!" Neberu roared and the room went deathly silent.

"Light you make a good point... instead of asking questions, you two may prove yourselves to me," Neberu muttered Nyra, and Light exchanged worried glances.

" and if you don't... well Light you're still in debt to me, and Nyra well," Neberu sparked up its hand Nyra backed up, then Neberu turned its attention to light, its palm began to glow green and light shreiked she backed into a wall trying to shake something off when she opened her eyes they were green she tried to blink it away but it clung to her, Neberu's palm went dark and her eyes returned to normal.

" what do you want?" Nyra asked.

neberu smiled wickedly.

"I want you to draw her out," Neberu hissed.

Neberu held up its hand and in the blue flame shone a picture of Copper.

" This is her mate find this dragon,​​​​​​ and kill him," Neberu growled, Light and Nyra looked horrified, and a cold dread sank into Elka's heart they were going to kill Copper.




The fire[]

Elka turned around and flew off as fast as she could, her heart beating as fast as her wings,  she flew up through the opening her friends calling her name in a panic.

"Elka! there you are!" Nightshade exclaimed.

"no time they're going to kill him," she said eyes darting wildly around the room, she flew in a figure-eight muttering that repeatedly.

"what?!" Thunder asked.

"just go!" Elka roared flying off quickly.

Thunder immediately caught up Nightshade was behind her followed by Scar, Vera and Sunstone.

Elka flew as fast as she could knowing that they could catch her. 

there's no way that Light and Nyra would actually kill him, but then again.

Crack! she hit a mushroom shelf head-on she hit the ground hard she struggled to breathe blood pouring from her broken nose, she got up and kept flying while trying to breathe, Creeeaaak... BOOM! the mushroom shelf fell over Elka stopped hearing the screams of her people she stopped and landed reluctantly to help, she asked a zippleback and a quaken to help her lift the shelf off of any trapped dragons, they did so with the help of her friends, they lifted it and dozens of trapped dragons out from underneath the mushroom everyone thanked her she nodded, blood still running down her face and took off again.



she flew as fast as she could Thunder right next to her Nightshade struggling to keep up and she has lost the others.

"Slow down!" Thunder yelled.

Elka didn't listen. she was to caught up in her panic to realize what was happening. Elka ducked into the throne room corridor in time to see Light powering up her blast, blue eyes now green, Elka bowled into her side, knocking her off the crystal shelf.

"ELKA!" Copper yelled perking up.

"heyo!" she responded.

something hot hit her flank knocking her off the crystal, she hissed pulling herself back up to see Light standing over her powering up her blast Elka yelped and let go spreading her wings and gliding away the plasma blast hit the water enveloping the room in steam, Elka flew up behind Light and knocked her into the water and blasted her (shooting to stun). and flew down herself, the two faced off against each other, hissing and growling Elka shot her blast next to Light, that was a mistake she remembered what her blasts did in the water. forgetting Light was trying to kill her she ran up and sheltered her with her wings and just in time as the water erupted into turmoil, bubbling and foaming ice shards shot around the room. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! her blast exploded underwater Elka gritted her teeth as the freezing liquid hit her back repeatedly then it calmed down, but Elka knew it was far from over, sometimes when it seems to have calmed down it has really gotten worse. Elka lept into the air carrying Light, who had stopped trying to kill her. Elka let her go onto the crystal shelf and landed herself.

"It looks fine now," Copper muttered looking at the water.

"Are you sure about that?" Elka asked grabbing a plant frond sticking it in the stream and hitting it against the wall, it shattered into a billion pieces and made a sound like glass as it did.

Copper hovered there wide-eyed. 

"that could've been my leg," he responded.

"I can fix it!" Light said back to herself, she flew down and shot it multiple times, the water boiled and steam rose from the surface.

"yep, but now we need to leave the nitrogen to oxygen neon and argon concentration is way off," Elka muttered flying out of the room followed by Light and Copper. what met her outside of the throne room shook her to the core, fire, everywhere dragons shrieking the blue flames licked the cavern roof. 

" * * * *, I look away for ten seconds and this is what happens," Elka growled.

she spotted Toothless in all this chaos and flew to talk to him she landed carefully Light and Copper flanking her.

" Where WERE you!" Toothless growled.

" I-I" Elka started surprised by his hostility.

" You're the queen of the hidden world! You need to take responsibility for your people!" Toothless hissed.

" But," Elka began.

"No! You're only thinking about your self, you have responsibilities now so maybe you should at least act like it," Toothless said flying off to control the fires, a group of scouldrons accompanying him as well as Light.

" he's wrong you know, you're a great queen," Copper soothed.

" no, I'm not, he's right I don't deserve this title, I didn't even want it! Light just pushed me, I let everyone down and I can't even hold my own against N-" she paused, she knew she already had said too much.

" against who...?" Copper asked.

" n-no one," she replied, Copper, shot her a look.

"I think we should get to putting out the fires," she muttered flying off.

she blasted a fire and it hissed sizzled and went out, she flew to a separate cavern.

" Copper you take the north wing I'll take the west," Copper nodded and flew off.

she coughed the smoke in this cavern was way worse she could barely see she shook the smoke out of her eyes she powered up a blast and aimed at the rock wall, her markings glowed silver cutting through the smoke. her blast hit the wall and exploded in a shower of white and blue light she was blown back a few feet but recovered and summoned the rest of her strength to ram full force into the wall, it shattered rock shards hitting the ground, a large hole was revealed and the central room was revealed.

" EVERY ONE OUT!" she roared.

a storm of dragons flew out of the smoke some scouldrons and snow wraiths stayed to help her with her fire, a timberjack swept its wings and blew the smoke away so they could see the fires.  Elka told the scouldrons were to fire she eventually reloaded her blasts and they put out the fires, the cavern was all grey and blackened by smoke.

" This place is a mess," she muttered surveying the damage the fires had caused. 

"Thanks, guys," she said to the scouldrons who nodded and headed to the main cavern.

she flew to the north wing to check on Copper, he was probably good but she wanted to check anyway. When she got there the fires still raged and the dragons huddled around something Elka couldn't tell what it was. the crowd parted upon her arrival, she whispered to each other, she caught hints of what they were saying.

"...there was a..."

"...is he okay?"

"...whats happening?"

"...fight..."

"...dead.."

"...no,"

she turned them out and when she finally saw what was there her heart stopped. the fire, the smoke the deaths of those caught up in it, was just a distraction! a light show to split us up.  

she choked on air she looked down at the cold grey stone, stained red with blood, lying on the ground glazed over eyes blood pooling beneath him was Copper. out of the corner of her eye, she watched a flare strike walk-off she sat on the ground and just stared at him, burn marks up and down his side cuts across his back, she brushed her tail over him hoping that he would magically be alive.

"...what happened here?" she asked a dragon next to her.

"t-there was a-a fight, between h-him, and a flare strike, I-I don't know why," the dragon muttered.

Elka was quiet for a second, she rubbed her head on his a strange wheezing sound escaped his mouth and she jumped.

"do we have a medic?" she roared hopefully, a buffalord came to the front and nodded to her.

"thank you so much, I owe you one!" she breathed.

"I'll be back, just need to see a flare strike for a second," she flew off following the red flare strike.

it landed looked around and stopped to drink, she glided down and landed next to it.

"I knew it would draw you out," the dragon hissed red scales turning black.

How could I be so stupid?! I fell right into their hands.

Panic seized her mind she charged grabbing the dragon by the throat while she could. she knocked them to the ground and grabbed their windpipe pulling it cleanout the dragon lay dead on the ground and she found herself holding its detached throat in her mouth wondering what she had just done. for the second time that day she panicked looking around she quickly shoved the body under a low growing tower fungus and pushed a rock in front of it, she ran over to the stream and washed off her face and paws then hopped to the opposite bank and grabbed a juicy red pomegranate off of the small tree-like shrub she carried it across and sank her claws into its thick red skin, she pried it open tossing the piece of skin aside she sniffed the fruit and ate a bit of it (she couldn't help herself) she licked her chops and began tearing the fruit apart scattering the ruby red seeds everywhere she mauled the fruit but left some of it intact the juice masked the blood on the ground. it was the best she could do, for now, she flew off to find Scar.

It shouldn't be hard, she's probably surveying the damage and laughing at burned bodies or something. I'll never understand her. Elka thought looking at the blackened ground below. she finally spotted the small red and white grim gnasher she landed next to Scar who jumped tow feet in the air hissing.

"Whoa, someone's jumpy today," Elka muttered.

"You'd be 'jumpy too if there was a reward on your hide," Scar retorted.

"How do you know there isn't?" Elka replied.

Scar thought for a second then shook her head.

" what do you want?" she growled.

" I...killed someone," Elka muttered looking around.

" Pfft yeah right, you'd never-" Scar said looking at Elka.

Elka nodded.

"oh Thor you did," Scar muttered.

" what do I do?" Elka asked.

" fake identity, a human ship is coming bye soon if we catch it-"

"n-no like how do I cover it up?" Elka asked.

"oh... less fun but we can make it work," Scar muttered unhappily.

Elka told Scar where she hid the body and Scar flew off to go take care of it Elka flew back to the north wing to check on copper. when she got there her other friends were controlling the crowd she landed next to Nightshade who was whipping her tail at someone who got too close. 

"he's alive," Sunstone muttered 'looking' at Elka.

"Thank Thor," Elka responded.

"Was that what you were talking about?" Sunstone asked.

"what?" Elka responded.

"back in the cavern, you know, 'they're gonna kill him'," Sunstone prompted.

Elka said nothing but looked down at her paws.  "Elka, what aren't you telling me?"Sunstone asked.

more silence.

"Elka!" Sunstone growled.

"fine, I'll tell you all later, but you might not want to hear it," Elka retorted.

"Nightshade, can we go?" Elka asked.

Nightshade picked up Copper and they all flew off to the throne room, the only room in the hidden world that remained unburned. Nightshade let Copper down gently in his cave, then flew to the huge yellow crystals and landed.

"What did you mean back in the caves, what weren't you telling us?" Sunstone asked. Elka explained everything when she finished talking the room went silent and her friend stared at her wide-eyed even Scar came back and understood most of it. 

"I can' ask you guys to help me with this," Elka muttered.

"Are you crazy!? we're your crew and as your crew, we are entitled to help you," Nightshade responded.

"tell us who's after you," Thunder growled sparking up.

"I can't," Elka responded.

"why not?" Thunder asked.

"I can't say the name, or it would appear," Elka muttered.

"I'll write it out, as long as you do not say it," Elka began drawing in the dust her friends peering over her shoulder, they all paused for a second and then stared directly at Elka's leg band.

"from now on, you are telling us stuff like this!" Nightshade growled. "How was I to know you'd understand, that you wouldn't think I was insane, think about it the stuff I just told you sounds crazy!" Elka pleaded.

They all looked at the ground and shuffled uncomfortably the only sounds in the room where the crystals and the trickle of water.

a high-pitched whining noise droned on from outside and caught the attention of everyone in the room. Toothless flew in and her friends straightened all except for Scar, who fled the scene diving behind the green glass shell looking things. 

"hi Toothless, um what are you doing here?" Elka asked.

"damage check," he muttered.

"I heard there was an incident," Toothless prompted.

Elka's heart started racing.

"what do you mean?" Elka asked.

"I think you know what I mean, is Copper okay?" he asked.

Elka let out a breath of relief.

"he's fine now, still don't know who did it," she lied.

"glad to hear he's okay," Toothless muttered.

"collateral damage?" she asked.

"none...so far, I sent out a patrol of tracker class dragons to find bodies," he responded.

"do you know anything about how the fire started?" he asked.

"no," she lied again.

"a-and thanks for getting those dragons out of the west wing, how did you do that?" he asked.

"had some help from the scouldrons," she muttered.

"Okay, I better go," he muttered flying off.

her friends calmed down a bit and Scar slunk back to where they were standing.

"so what are we going to do about this?" Sunstone asked.

"the only thing we ever do, "Elka responded.

"crash the fish stocks?" Scar asked.

"no," Elka scoffed.

"almost get you killed?" Vera asked.

"no!" Elka replied.

"blow stuff up?!" Thunder asked hopefully.

"ugh...no, no more interrupting, "Elka sighed.

"we're going to do what we always do, something stupid," Elka replied.

"I'm down," Scar laughed.

"It's getting dark guys, go get some sleep and I'll meet you here at midday," she muttered watching her friends nod and fly off, except Vera.

"Vera? aren't you gonna leave," Elka inquired.

"I have nowhere to go," Vera muttered.

"you can crash at my place," Elka said Vera's face brightened.

"it's the one with the blue crystals around it," Vera flew off and went inside it.

Elka sighed, she flew to Copper's cave, she touched her nose to his, she regretfully left and flew to her own cave. she settled down on the dark floor. she fell asleep for a bit, but then was woken up by Copper, he looked panicked.

" yeah?" Elka asked groggily.

Copper said nothing and Vera was nowhere to be seen.

she looked at the far wall and her eyes snapped open with a start, blood covered the wall it had another message in it...

one of the five keys are in place, the time has come secrets are unwinding...she doesn't want you to escape.

Elka was so confused, then something clicked in her mind, Vera's vision, she had five bands on. she looked down her one band was glowing faintly green.

" E--Elka, there was someone in my room..." Copper muttered barely audible.

BANG! BANG! BANG!!! the noise came from Copper's side of the wall.

Elka jumped fur spiking, in the darkness she couldn't see much.

" Copper, what did you say was in your room," she whispered back heart racing she stared at the wall. 

BANG!!! BANG!!!! BANG!!!!!

" i-it...I couldn't see anything just green," he whispered.

"green what?" Elka asked dreading the answer.

"green e-eyes," Copper whispered. 

the banging stopped, everything was quiet.

a soft scratching noise came from the wall behind them, words began to form as the wall was being cut open and blood seemed to ooze from it. 

you might want to look behind you...

Elka turned around, behind her was a misty black mass with bright green eyes. 

Copper yelped and stepped back, Elka launched herself at Neberu who dodged out of the way and she crashed into the wall before she could react Neberu had its finger on her forehead. and once again she collapsed.

Secrets and keys (pt one...secrets)[]

Elka woke up slumped against the wall, another band had been fitted around her foreleg, she groaned and lifted it up, it wasn't too heavy but she felt really sick, her head was spinning and everything hurt her body seemed to be made of lead the blood on the wall was gone she stumbled around the cave and crashed into a wall that collapsed into another chamber room, small plants glowed softly she was so tired she dizzily walked down into the chamber and fell asleep on the ground up against the wall. 

when she woke up she had slipped away from the wall her face was right next to one of the glowing plants it was a blurry bright green lump. she felt better, not dizzy not weighed down, she noticed two cold stones were touching her stomach, she got up and shook herself, she assumed the stones came from the cave in and she walked out of the darkroom, now she could clearly see all of the blood on the wall was gone. even the scratches on the wall had disappeared. She shuttered, remembering what it had said... one of the five keys are in place, secrets are unwinding...she does not want you to escape. who is..she? what do the keys do? what secrets? she flew out of her cave to clear her head...she needed a break.

she spotted Scar and Thunder and flew over to them, a large mass of dragons was surrounding Toothless...more than usual her other friends were sitting tail lengths away from Thunder and Scar. she noticed Vera and Copper were there too, luckily they were no worse for wear (except for Copper's healing cuts and large burn from yesterday). she landed near them and her friends acknowledged her existence by staring at her other foreleg and going quiet all exchanging worried glances whilst Copper sat there confused at what they were looking at.

"so what's going on here?" Elka asked to break the tension.

Scar glared over at Toothless, her lips pulled over her gums in an angry grimace, "Light laid eggs today, and T wants everyone to know..." she spat.

"what's so bad about that?" Elka asked.

"because T is taking all the credit for it," Nightshade hissed.

"look at them, all groveling at his feet...congratulating him on something he didn't do," Thunder growled.



Toothless looked around for a second and spotted Elka and her friends and ran over to them the crowd of dragons following him they squashed Elka and her friends she was having a hard time breathing in the frenzied crowd of dragons, she roared at them and they backed off wide-eyed some even bowed. 

"hey, Elka!" Toothless roared running to her.

"Hey T," she replied.

"so have you heard the news?" he asked excitedly​​​​​​.

"yeah!" she replied.

"oh, Thor I'm just so happy for Light! at first, I thought she was sick-"

a thought triggered in the back of her mind...something was up.

"sick?" Elka asked.

"yeah, she was dizzy, really tired and she kept complaining everything hurt she could barely walk! I couldn't stand to see her like this so I went to find a healer...when I finally came back she was laying on the floor with three eggs," Toothless explained.

"I'm so happy for you," Elka replied.

"all these bozos just keep giving me all the credit...' good job Toothless... congratulations Toothless'...' blah blah blah Toothless'..." he hissed pointing his tail at the crowd of dragons. 

 Elka shot a smug look at her friends who began hitting her lightly on the head with their talons. 

"soooo," Toothless continued.

"Is there anything new with you and Copper, you guys became mates around the same time as us." Toothless asked.

Elka laughed nervously...she didn't really know how to respond to that..luckily Copper answered for her.

"no nothing new," Copper butted in.

"Okay," Toothless replied.

"anyways, I've got to go...Light has been through a lot and I'd like to check on her, bye!" he roared flying off.

Elka and the crowd sat silently. then the dragons began to swarm her. she backed up but noticed something weird in the background a baby woolly howl sat there her had deep blue eyes with pale frost blue fur with silver tips, his under scaled were white with minty green stripes, surrounding his eyes were black splotches. he also like Elka had horns, even though he was still a hatchling. she pushed her way through the crowd towards the dragon. as soon as she got near it its eyes flashed green and a long toothy smile spread across its muzzle, she stepped back quickly and with a pop, the dragon left. the world was quiet and she looked around and groaned...she was seriously tired of Nyra doing this.

"Nyra cut it out," she yelled out.

no response.

"Nyra?!" She asked again he voice growing more shrill.

"not Nyra," a dragon said from behind her his voice echoed off the walls.

Elka jumped turning around fast enough to give herself whiplash, her fur spiked. behind her were two dragons they were both woolly howls just like her the bigger one had dark grey fur with pale grey tips, his under scales were black with white stripes he had white splotches around his eyes and his horns were pronged unlike Elka's, the second one was a mirror image of the baby woolly howl she saw...just older...both their eyes were blue and they looked to be five years older than her. she noticed something weird they were kind of trasparent...wierd.

"then who?" she asked calming down.

" I'm Flint that's Saber," the dark grey one said nodding to Saber the frost blue one.

"It's so nice to finally see you, Elka," Flint said.

"how do you know my name?" she asked skeptically.

Saber hit Flint on his head Flint turned and shot a glare at Saber.

"oww!" he complained.

Saber still said nothing until Flint hit him back.

"Heyy!" Saber growled.

the two began to fight wrestling around on the ground... whilst Elka sat there. another popping sound and a third dragon appeared, she was a Silver bellied green scale the splotches on her body were pale bluish-grey like mist or fog, her eyes were stormcloud grey and her details were dark blue she immediately ran to the fight and like the others she was oddly transparent.

" Hey guys stop it!" she roared the two dragons let go of each other fur still spiking.

"sorry Tie," Flint muttered rubbing his head affectionately against Tie.



"..who are you guys?" Elka asked,

"you wouldn't know...we never got the chance to meet." Saber muttered sadly.

"Elka...we're your brothers," Flint said more seriously.

Elka sat in wide-eyed silence.

" how? you've left me alone for my whole life, how come you never cared enough to see me?" she whined.

" We can't leave like this," Saber muttered sadly.

" what do you mean?" Elka asked.

"Elka we're dead..." Saber said quietly.

Elka was so confused, what did this mean for her? is she dead? why are her brothers dead? were her mother and father dead too?  she wasn't sure how to respond. her brothers explained why they couldn't leave, they said that they could leave just not like they are they couldn't be heard or seen when they were away from their home. they also seemed very interested in Elka's life (even though they knew a little bit of it already,) when she told them about Copper Flint scowled.

"Are you still with him, I think that you shouldn't be, he's kinda sketchy," Flint muttered.

"no one cares what you think dumb ass," saber said swatting his brother's head.

Tie shot Saber a look but she remained quiet.

"I'm not the one who has a sketchy girlfriend," Flint retorted stubbornly.

"Russet is not sketchy, and do you have any other word to describe dragon's personalities or are they all 'sketchy'," Saber snapped.

" yeah and Flint, about copper, he's my mate..." she trailed off...

Flint looked shocked like he'd been hit full force by a skrill's lightning bolt. Saber got up and walked over to Elka answered ushered her away from Flint... Elka didn't know why but she assumed she had done something wrong she saw Tie get up and talk to Flint quietly once Saber and she were out of eyesight and earshot. there was a pop then Elka looked over and yet another dragon appeared, she seemed to be a hybrid between sand wraith and light fury Elka assumed this was Russet. 



"so...this is your sister?" Russet asked.

"yeah," Saber replied rubbing up against her.

"so...do you remember how you guys died?" Elka asked.

Saber shook his head sadly.

"I was crushed in a rockslide," Russet responded looking at Saber.

"Flint and I never knew what happened...in fact, we can't remember anything except being dead," he replied sadly.

"but at least you can't miss something you never had," he muttered.

there was a shrill cry that broke the silence Flint and Tie ran to Elka Saber ad Russet.

"the screamers found us..." Tie trailed off breathing heavily.

"The WHAT?!" Elka whined.

"didn't Nyra tell you about them?" Flint asked.

Saber hit him on the heads yet again.

"how do you know Nyra?" Elka asked.

"you told us..." Flint desperately replied. 

Elka didn't remember but she took thier word for it anyway.

another cry that sounded closer by the dragons cringed away from it. A weird figure rounded a corner, it had pink flesh and looked strangely like Neberu...the only difference, these things only had a mouth on their fleshy head.

"what are those things?" Elka asked voice growing shrill.

"they were humans...at one point...then the shadow found them," Flint responded.

"who?" Elka asked.

"you should know, you've had a few run-ins with it your self," Flint responded looking at her bands and Elka understood what he was talking about.



"what do they do?" Elka asked.

"not much to living dragons...however for echoes it's a different story, those who get caught by them dissipate...we don't know where they go," Saber muttered. 

another scream. the creature rounded the corner it had a strange marking on its chest, it looked like a burning heart Elka didn't have enough time to wonder about it she ran to it and used her wing to knock it down. it was surprised it looked to its friends and let out a soft hissing screech the others looked around and backed away hissing as if gas was escaping their sharp-toothed mouth. 

"see the symbol on their chest...all things that have been touched by the shadow have that mark on the chest...a permanent reminder of their stolen freedom," Flint muttered pointing to the screamers who were running away panicked.

"Elka...we called you here to talk to you about something important, a war is coming here... and darkness will rise, something foul and fierce is coming that will shape the rest of the future for this place and the dragons that dwell in it, and you may be the only one who might be able to stop it," Flint muttered.

"look I never asked for any of this...I just want to be left alone," she snapped.

"you can't leave Elka, "Saber retorted.

"watch me," she replied.

"no, I mean you actually can't leave now those bands on you...they stop you from leaving the hidden world boundary," Saber laughed.

Elka knew Saber was right, she had no choice she hissed her fur standing on end...she hated not having a choice.

"look this isn't about what you want to do, it's about the future of the hidden world...the entire dragon species is in trouble every one you love will die no one's asking you to be a hero, but we need you even if you don't want to accept it, there are hundreds of outcomes and only one of the good...it's up to you, you owe it to everyone to be the queen you could be please...don't let this happen don't let dragons die," Flint pleaded.

"so what flint meant to say was don't be a * * * * * about this," Saber said smugly.

"I'll do it," she muttered.

"I knew we can count on you!" Russet replied.

"look we have to send you back, but we will talk to you soon," Flint muttered looking around nervously.

there was a pop and things started moving again the world got brighter but Elka could still see the echoes walking around and some stared at her and whispered to each other, when she looked at them they stiffened and looked scared then disappeared...she got the feeling that she wasn't supposed to see them. she walked back to her throne room with Copper it was a very strange day so far...she was barely aware that Copper was talking non-stop the entire time.

"hey you okay ?" he asked when Elka didn't respond to his other question.

Elka looked at him and her thoughts popped out of her mind.

"Yeah, I'm fine, " she muttered.

"you should get something to eat...it's getting late," he replied licking her briefly before flying off.

she jumped into the air herself and flew aimlessly in search for her dinner...she noticed a pomegranate bush she loved pomegranate she glided down to the bush and roughly ripped off a fruit, she flew back to her home the fruit in her mouth she settled on the floor and begun prying the tough red skin off. she reviewed the ruby red fruits underneath she devoured the fruit quickly the juice getting everywhere...it's a tricky fruit to eat she looked liken she had just murdered someone, she went outside and cleaned herself in the water. she went back in and settled herself on the ground, her eyes caught the secret room she had found this morning and she felt like she needed to go inside like something was in there for her. she got up and slowly walked in... the rocks were gone but the two objects that were touching her stomach were still there...she walked in further and discovered that those objects were eggs...she sniffed around trying to find the mother she could smell nothing. she looked around growing more panicked for footprints or anything...there was nothing, she had a scary thought what if...what if these eggs belong to...me.

she sniffed them yet again her fears were confirmed... they were in fact hers. a swell of emotion crashed over her mind love, worry, sadness, but mostly fear. she couldn't understand why this? why now? in a matter of months, her world came crashing down and every time she tried to fit the broken pieces together it just came apart all over again leaving her alone in the dark she covered the eggs with her wing and cried into her fur. she wanted for everything to go back to normal...she wanted her life to be normal..most of all...she wanted to go home.






Secrets and keys (pt 2 keys)[]

  Neberu sat in the shadow of its kingdom, its long black withered fingers tapped the dark rock it was sitting on a dark blood-stained rock...the glow worms above it were beginning to turn red...the crossover wouldn't be long now it would finally be able to return to its former glory being able to control an army for its use it would reap revenge on all who had made it this way, its world would burn and this one will be the match, everything was coming together. Elka had been a minor annoyance killing that one dragon and escaping its first plan but it got back on track. a faint green light came out of the tip of Neberu's fingers its claw was bleeding. It taped the claw with its other finger and the claw moved, regrettably shoving its other finger underneath the claw more blood spewed out as Neberu wrenched upward bloody green strings of flesh came up attached to the claw and Neberu pulled the claw off its hand  'and not a moment too soon...I'm adding," it thought bitterly.

the sound of dragon feet entering the cavern woke it from its thoughts it relit the blue fires with a flick of a finger (not the bloody one) and awaited their arrival. two skrill guards walked in the room they dragged a dark blue and green rot ripper behind them she was trying to tug against their grip but they weren't budging. Neberu slithered down from the rocks and walked up to the rot ripper he knew as Kea.

"what do you want?" she asked.

"I think you know what I want, "It replied.

"why would I help you when I loathe you," she growled.

"well if you don't," Neberu hissed his palm glowed green and then turned blue a small blue spark flickered into existence the scar over her chest glowed blue as the spark danced towards her.

she backed up in a panic, "okay okay, I'll help you," she cried.

Neberu smiled wickedly and reached out grabbed the spark and put it out. 

"great," it muttered.

"what do I have to do?" she asked.

"on second thought..."Neberu muttered rounding on her,"it's not what you need to do for me, but its what I need to do to you," it hissed another blue spark flying out of its hand.

she backed up scar across her chest began glowing blue as well, the guards held her in place as the spark flew into the scar. for a second nothing happened then she opened her mouth in a scream as blue flames came out of it they burned her eyes and started coming out of her flesh.  she keeled over and lay there burning. even echoes could die because of this fire. red energy poured out of her Neberu touched it and it absorbed into it the claw on its hand regeneration it snapped its fingers together and a red aura sparked to life around it. it looked down at itself wondering if it had worked. instead of fingers it now had long black claws and its skin was now dark blue and green it had worked. it sparked its red aura to life and it was back to normal smiling it dismissed the guards.

"it won't be long now Elka, and you can't run from me this time," it muttered.

Dark whispers[]

Elka woke up with a start, she was curled around her eggs the soft green light of the plants were the only light source in the room she got up and walked to her main cave where she usually slept and stretched shaking out her fur, the pale blue light of the crystals outside silhouetted her she yawned sharp white teeth glinting in the light. she felt like something was calling her to somewhere she walked to the entrance of her cave and stood out over the stepping stones. she jumped out spreading her wings she gracefully glided over to the far side of her chamber she landed on the sandy coral shelf and looked around the green glass shell looking things glistened as always the sand crunched beneath her feet as she walked around carefully making sure not to step on the sharp coral she made her way to the geothermal pools they gently bubbled even in the dead of night. she stepped on a slippery rock while climbing up the red ground and fell making a loud clattering noise then landing on the sand. she shook herself out looking around to see if anyone had seen her. the answer was no. no one had seen her. she walked around a little before leaping onto the smooth glass shells and flying up to the big yellow crystals and the green plants turned blue a constant reminder of her mistake.

Everything went dark, she was pushing her vision to its outer limits to see anything in the darkness. that's weird...I didn't know crystals can go dark like that. she shifted her weight and gave the formerly yellow crystal a tentative sniff. she looked around she couldn't see anything a faint light came through the cavern roof. she sat on her hind legs and looked up at it her forelegs in the air. she wanted to get a closer look, she jumped into the air and spread her wings she flapped vigorously hovering below the light she clawed at the roof and bits of rock fell out revealing a whole other room in this chamber she eagerly flew into it and explored her new room. when she pulled herself up she felt soft green grass beneath her feet, the roof had reddish-yellow glow worms lined the roof and in the center of the room was a huge tree, its dark brown gnarled bark was withered and had deep lines etched into it. it had golden leaves with pale blue fruit hanging off its branches. there were crystals wrapped in the roots of the tree. Elka looked around in awe at this place.

"Elka," a voice muttered from behind her.

she spun around a huge pale form of a dragon stood behind she had crystals all over her and she had huge horns on her head she had pale blue and green splotches outlined by violet.

"How do you know my name?" she growled.

"because I called you here," she replied.

"by now you may know there is something coming to this place, and I'm here to help you," she said sitting down staring at Elka.

help how?" Elka asked suspiciously.

"I can help you control and use the powers you have been given," another Rot ripper walks up beside her this one was dark blue and green.

"this, is my daughter Kea, she will help you as well," the original dragon spoke walking towards Elka.

"and you are?" she questioned backing away from the strange dragon.

"I go by many names, but you may call me Costa," the dragon said sitting up.

kea spoke for the first time since Elka had seen her she sat up walked to sit beside her mother a "shall we begin?" she asked reaching a paw out to Elka, Elka faltered for a second but then accepted a bright light passed between the two and then the training began.

"first thing first let's see what you can do already," Costa muttered.

Elka sat there not quite sure what to do, she shifted uncomfortably for a moment then Kea pulled aside Costa and they talked in hushed voices Elka heard snippets of their conversation. They turned and walked back over to Elka.

"let's start at the beginning," Kea suggested."Try something simple like this," she closed her eyes and a red aura flared around her.

"how?" Elka asked.

Kea thought for a second and then responded"just pull on your gut, force your body to do what you want it to do,"

Elka closed her eyes and tried what the Rot ripper had said, she felt something spark in her body and then cautiously opened her eyes to find that she was glowing and covered in frost blue flames, she yelped and fell back rolling around on the ground to put them out.

"if you keep doing that you'll never get anywhere," she sighed, shaking her head watching Elka get back up and dust herself off

"was on FIRE! what did you expect me to do," Elka growled back.

"but it didn't hurt you did it?" Kea responded.

"well...no," Elka mumbled her confidence diminishing.

"again," Kea said sharply as Elka closed her eyes again.

Elka closed her eyes an felt the spark again, this time when she opened her eyes she didn't freak out she was on fire, icy blue flames came off of her body a fiery aura emanating from around her body, kea smiled but is wasn't exactly a pleasant sight. Elka's flaming body began freezing the things around it she panicked again freaked out and rolled around on the ground and sat back up once her back was put out.

"I need sleep, "Elka muttered,

Costa nodded then Elka turned around to see Copper climbing into the room Costa and Kea disappeared with a pop.

"Elks there you are!" he exclaimed running to her.

"have you been looking for me?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

"why she asked rubbing against him.

"because there was a loud noise and, when I came to see if you were alright you weren't there," he responded.

"you don't have to ever worry about me," she responded.

"I'll always worry about you Elks," he said sounding hurt.

"well you shouldn't," she laughed.

he stood up and ran over to a pool of water and jumped in.

"come on Elks!" he said treading water.

"Copper you know I'm not a good swimmer," she responded pacing the length of the pool.

"I'll help you, besides you're too full of hot air to drown," he joked jumping out and dragging her in.

she thrashed around for a second then remembered how to swim properly and promptly splashed Copper they laughed splashing each other.  she dragged herself out of the water and shook herself water sprayed everywhere. 

"Copper I'm gonna go to sleep ok," she said walking off.

Copper followed her out he went to his own room and she went to hers she walked into the dark chamber and checked on her eggs, they were fine luckily. she curled up on the ground and fell asleep.

she woke up the light of the crystals cut through her eyelids and the sharp bright color woke her up. she shook out her fur and walked out, she noticed her foreleg really hurt she looked down a black pulsing vein was coming out of her band she lifted her leg up and tried to bite it off but it wouldn't give. she hissed but left it alone, what damage could it possibly do. Elka flew out of her chamber and found her friends, she started ignoring the constant shrieks from the screamers and the echoes all over the place.

"Hey, guys!" Elka greeted them they didn't respond.

"guys?" she repeated still nothing.

" Why are you ignoring me?" she asked.

" Why do you think Elks you ditched us!" Thunder growled.

"wait, I did?" she asked shocked.

" yeah you took Copper and walked off," Vera snapped.

"You two walked all the way back to your room," Scar replied.

"s-sorry guys I had w-work to do," Elka stuttered realizing she had totally ditched them.

"does that work involve bringing Copper to your room  to have some private time?" Scar teased.

"oh gods Scar no to far!" Elka droned. 

"Well, I hope it was at least worth it!" Scar said the teasing intensified.

"stop just stop, " Elka muttered shaking her head.

Elka was barely aware of Flint and Saber walking up behind her.

"Elka there's like...a mutant leach thing on your leg," Thunder noted.

all the others started crowding around her.

"Are you being attacked?" vera asked.

"No guys this was just here I don't know what it is but I can't seem to destroy it so I'm stuck with it now besides what could it possibly do?" she said shrugging and looking down at the black vein coming out of her leg.

"famous last words Elka, famous last words," Sunstone replied warily.

" well, whatever it is it can * * * * off," Vera growled.

"oh yeah like cussing at it will make things any better," Scar replied rolling her eyes.

"I don't see you doing anything better!" Vera snapped.

"Elka if you can't get rid of the vein then lose the leg," Nightshade replied.

Everyone turned and glared at Nightshade.

" what?" she responded surprised.

" Are you insane?! NO!" Scar yelled.

" and that's coming from her!" Thunder replied.

"hey just because my idea was better than yours doesn't mean that you get to tell me off" Nightshade hissed.

"GUYS!" Elka yelled getting their attention.

"We should figure out what it does or if it does anything before we start killing others in an argument about what to do," Elka roared. 

Copper walked by Elka ran up to him and pulled him over to where her friends were.

"hey do you see anything weird on my leg?' she asked holding out her foreleg with the black vein on it.

"no there's nothing wrong with your leg," he replied 

"okay thanks!" Eka said rubbing up against him her licked her and then flew off.

"so he can't see it," she mumbled.

"or you're just really hot!" Scar butted in.

"SCAR! what did I just tell you to do?!?" Elka yelled.

" dunno, I never listen to you," Scar replied coyly.

Elka grumbled something about how her friends were all psychos.

"oh * * * * she just threw down our sis," Saber exclaimed.

"shut up Saber," Elka laughed.

Saber and Flint recoiled as well as Elka's friends, this was awkward for everyone.

"oops," she muttered sheepishly.

"y-you can see us?" Flint naked.

"Elka who are you talking to?" Vera asked.

Elka didn't know how to respond.

"great now I have to explain * * * *," Elka muttered.

she explained to her friends who Flint and Saber were, and then Flint and Saber talked to Elka's friend's they had a brief discussion about how Elka needed to tell them these things. Elka's friends lectured her on the importance of telling her stuff.

"hey, you guys don't tell me everything! like Scar most likely runs an undercover dragon nip black market and uses some to get herself high, and Vera..we all know you're in a relationship with Lucifer," Elka growled back as she yelled at hem some more she heard whispered in her head, they grew into raging screams.

"kill them," the voices hissed. 

"they don't understand you they have no idea what you can do," they yelled.

"make them feel the pain you feel KILL THEM!"

she felt her breathing quicken her pupils dilated and filled up her entire eye she didn't remember anything after that but a second later she was snarling at her friends the vein on her leg pulsating. her fur fell flat and her friends looked at her skeptically.

"E-Elks, are you okay," Sunstone asked feeling the tension in the room.  

"uuuh...yes?" Elka said stumbling from side to side.

"do you know what happened?" Vera asked.

"yessss?" Elka replied again.

"Okay then, tell me what happened," Vera said sitting up.

"uhhhhh..." she started then trailed off.

"you don't know do you?" Vera sighed.

"No," Eka replied.

"you got mad your eyes turned black and you were trying to kill us," Thunder replied.

"how long?" Elka asked.

"half of a minute, "Vera growled.

"Elks does the shadow know where you live?" Flint asked.

she thought back to two nights ago when Copper woke her up.

"oh * * * *!" she hissed.

"who?" Scar asked.

"the one who did this to me," Elka spat hitting her bands on the ground. a look of understanding crossed her friend's faces. 

"What do you remember?" Nightshade asked.

" there, there were these voices in my head, and they were telling me to kill you guys, and they just got louder and louder and then my pupils dilated and I don't remember anything when I came to the vein on my leg was pulsing and I  don't know anything else," she said trying to remember anything helpful whatsoever.

"won't be a problem huh Elks?" Scar teased.

Elka glared at her and so did everyone else. 

"This is insane! Elka, you can't go on like this, we have to make our move," Thunder growled.

"not yet, we don't have any idea of what to do, "Saber replied.

"but-" Thunder started.

"ENOUGH! guys we can't do anything now, the shadow legion out-number us and are more powerful than we could ever hope to be and the shadow is unstoppable, I have no idea what to do and we can't keep arguing like this!  so, for now, we do NOTHING got it?" Elka roared.

"so you're fine with this thing running rampant and not doing anything about it? are you cool with that Elka?" Sunstone asked walking forward.

"for now there's nothing we can do guys," Elka replied.

"fine have it your way, but mark my words things are only going to get worse!" Sunstone growled.

Elka walked off and looked back at her friends"I would split up if I were you guys, it makes you less of a target," she hissed walking off.

her friends listened to her and walked away from each other.

she walked off and flew away she couldn't put them in danger, but she didn't know how much time she had left she must find out what to do and beat neberu before the shadow legion rose. she looked down the crowds of dragons writhed beneath her she spotted screamers amongst the dragons she didn't understand why they were there, they had seemingly no importance. she thought that of the stupid vein thing on her foreleg and h look where that got her she continued flying until she landed on a mushroom shelf on the mushroom forest. she licked her paw and then licked her pelt she tried to take out all the knots and burrs in her fur. she watched the other dragons fly bye she checked her wing and fur they were all fine she took off again.  as she was flying through the hidden world. the glowing things flickered for a second she stopped and hovered panic spreading through the dragons then it all went dark dragons screamed and blew by her she couldn't see anything. it was all dark.  green eyes opened all around her and dragons came crawling from the shadows, whispers came through her mind again she ignored them and flew off barely able to see she weaved through the forest something was chasing her she tried to outrun it, it could see her though and she couldn't see it.

 she ducked behind a mushroom tower a loud purring growling noise came she realized it couldn't see her in the darkness she glided onto the ground it was silent and dark but the everything she couldn't see was dangerous there was a quiet clicking noise behind her. she continued walking through darkness her fur prickled a loud noise came through the silence a shriek was the only noise she heard after that, a deep rumbling came from the direction of the shriek, it sounded like someone was waving a metal sheet and then the shrieking began again, it was a quiet and ominous noise she headed towards it. she looked behind her slowly she saw nothing the shrieking started up again, there was a huddled over figure she carefully waled up to it. its head raised to reveal bright green eyes and blood dripped from its mouth it shrieked and chased her she ran from it and disappeared into the darkness she heard the shrieking grow louder a garbled hiss met her as she ran into a different part of the hidden world. she turned, the soft hissing noise got louder she slowly walked down the mushroom corridor, she stepped quietly the soft hissing noise still following her. blood stained the ground beneath her dead dragons littered the hall she grimaced stepping on a cold body, she continued walkings part of the wall seemed to be less stable and something was pushing against it she blasted it and the wall crumbled, she looked in the floor was still covered in blood  SHREIKK! a Screamer trapped in the room lunged for her she yelped and killed it by cutting its neck. she stood up panting whispers invaded her mind again she turned around and neberu stood behind her.

She backed up hissing and drawing her lips over her sharp teeth. 

"I would like to thank you, Elka, for letting me get this far the crossover won't come soon enough, and you will be ready," it hissed.

"you think I'll help you?" she growled.

"it's funny you think you have a choice," it mused.

she growled at it the fire on her back flared up she clapped her wings together and a blue-silver shock ring came off of them in all directions fear shown in Neberu's green eyes it was scared of HER, it disappeared and the shock ring took out a mushroom and it creaked falling over it fell to the ground with a crash and the lights of the bioluminescent life returned.

Elka flew away and went to the main throne room she assumed Toothless would hold and emergency assembly. she was correct Toothless stood on the big yellow crystal she landed next to him to see the terrified expressions on the faces of all the dragons below. when she arrived all conversation died as the dragons looked up expectantly.

" This is a dark time for the hidden world," Toothless started.

"who knows what has caused these extremely unfortunate events what we do know is that they happened and we must remain strong in the face of this, anyone with information on the killer or killers my speak to me or Elka at any point in time, you may also leave anonymous notes outside our caves," he said his voice booming and echoing off the walls.

Elka stepped forward" you all need to keep alert this threat is far from over, you must stay safe! we have dragons working on collecting the bodies and if you have any hatchlings with you I'd stay in here to prevent trauma, this will be a temporary safe spot we will provide food, water, and emergency support here as well as trained guards to protect those affected by the blackout," she said the dragons looked from each other to her she saw the echoes of lost dragons weeping family members frightened hatchlings this was chaos, Neberu had taken it too far and she was going to kill it because of that.




Regret  []

as the days passed on Elka trained more and more. as her power grew so did Neberu's, the blackouts continued and murders grew more common, along with the blackouts her anger grew, and the lengths where she tried to kill everyone grew longer and more common. both sides were in trouble as the crossover approached creeping ever closer.

Elka walked through the hidden world the little bits of her memory that were still intact were vague and fuzzy she walked with her friends who would shove her out of the way of other dragons when she went agro on them. she sighed and sat down Neberu was winning she could barely function like this. she was tired and mad she flew to her home and was going to fall asleep, in the middle of the day training was at night she checked on her eggs they were fine, she curled up around them and fell asleep.

she woke up later the night had started,  she flew into the new room Kea greeted her.

"Tonight we will see what you know, come at me," she said standing taller.

Elka nodded she lit up her back turned to icy blue fire she jumped into the air and clapped her wings together, a blue-silver shockwave came from it and knocked Kea back. she curled her wings around her body and spun horizontally in the air firing blue spikes, kea dodged Elka landed and lunged she slashed at Kea cutting deep into she ghostly flesh she lept into the air and landing behind her before kea could turn Elka yanked at her leg and pinned her firing up her blast glowing silver she shot and the room was filled with white. when Elka could see again she put out the fire on her back a silver-frost blue flame flickered on the ground and Kea stood behind her. 

"again!" kea responded.

"again?" Elka croaked she was tired beyond belief.

"Kea that's enough," Costa walked out from the tree Kea nodded and rann back into the shadows.

"you should get some sleep, you've been training hard and you deserve it," Costa said Elka thanked her and flew off, she was sort of lopsided as she barely managed to make it to her home, she fell asleep as soon as she curled up on the ground.

Elka woke up in the middle of the day she felt a lot better, she got up and tracked the bodies that she saw, more than last time. their attacks were getting more viscous and more brutal she had to take care of all of theses dragons, she couldn't do that if they kept dieing! she tried to calm herself down, if she got too angry she would hear the whispers again. 

"hey, Elks!" Copper said gliding next to her.

"hi copper," she breathed, whenever he was around he always seemed to lighten the mood.

"so you had a full day of lying to dragons?" he asked. 

"heh, yeah sorta," she laughed absentmindedly.

he glanced worriedly at her she started hearing the whispers again but steadied her breathing and they went away.

"E-Elka," He started.

"I'm FINE," she growled and he was quiet after that, she felt bad but she couldn't deal with him right now, now was a bad time.

"you know what could you do m a huge favor please leave," she tried to say as calmly as possible as the whispers took over again she last saw Copper flying away from her looking hurt. she opened her eyes presumably five minutes later Vera stood over her and she slowly tried to get back up. Elka sat up and blinked.

"Elka you're becoming more unstable we can't keep doing this," Sunstone said quietly. 

"no, I'm good just let me up!" Elka responded scrambling to get up.

Elka got up after Vera let her, she ran off as soon as she could to find Copper she wanted to make sure he was okay. she found him in his room.

"hey Copper are you okay?" she asked.

Copper turned away from her.

"Hey, it wasn't you, I was just not in a good mindset today and I didn't want to hurt you," Elka sympathized.

"I-I'm fine I just want you to be happy," He said licking her.

"well that's gonna be hard right now," she murmured getting up and flying off.

she met up with her friends again and tried to clean up all the bodies. there were so many, she heard Toothless land behind her.

"Hi," she said turning around to look at him.

"hey Elks we need you to collect food for the dragons living in the throne room," he replied.

"oh okay thanks I'm on it!" she told some dragons around her to help with getting food.

they flew up to the waterfall, sometimes fish got sucked in and they could easily pick them off from there. she saw a flash of silver she flew to catch it. she caught It and swallowed it whole so she could regurgitate it later, she continued catching the fish until she was almost vomiting. she quickly flew to the throne room with the other dragons she landed and regurgitated the fish she had caught and added them to the pile. she flew back with the other dragons, she looped around scooping up the fish they slid into her mouth making a pleasing sound when she caught them. she watched the other dragons collect fish as well she flew back and delivered the last payload of fish. she got hungry herself and she went to catch fish to keep herself fed. the cold fish landed in her mouth with a smack I was a huge sailfish she dragged it into a part of a mushroom shelf then she began stripping skin from bone, she ate it an swallowed a huge chunk of meat tilting her head back she lapped at her meal pulling off more meat from the bone she began to feel better. 

she finished the sailfish quickly and tossed it onto the beach for the worms to eat. she flew back into the hidden world, she landed carefully on the ground she sta in a bunch of glowing plants she licked fur making sure it was to her liking. she began sharpening her horns on the crystals around her. 

"When will this torture end?" Elka mumbled looking out over the hidden world.

"hey Elka, you up to anything?" Saber asked.

"you mean other than being possessed at times? nothing really," she said sitting up and looking at him.

"Cool cool fun fun, you want to do something stupid?" he asked.

"is that a question?! yeah!" she replied.

"Okay, follow me!" he said taking off she followed.

they flew through many corridors, hse looked around at all the dead dragons, she was surprised a blackout hadn't happened yet today, anxiety crept through her, maybe they weren't attacking for a reason, and if so...what was the reason. something hit her head she looked up and she saw Sbaer 's tail and he was looking back at her.

"Hey!" she yelled

"you were stuck in your own head, do you prefer me to leave you in there?" he replied.

"Thanks, I guess," she grumbled.

"So where exactly are we going?" Elka asked.

"you'll see," he replied.

"Where have I heard that before," she mumbled.

he flew into the throne room and then slipped through a hole in the wall, the hole that Elka had created during the fire.

Elka looked down at the grey and black cavern, the fires had done more damage there then it had anywhere else, below were hoards of screamers Elka shuttered looking at their featureless faces.

"so what you're gonna do is knock them all over," he said.

"That sounds like a bad idea," she replied.

" I asked if you wanted to do something dumb, and you agreed," he defended himself.

“I hate you,” she grumbled.

“Aww I hate you too!” he replied sweetly grinning watching her fly to knock over all the screamers.

Elka flew fast, hitting them on their heads. They shreiked and fell over in waves like dominos. some of them reached up at her scraping her underbelly she then had a better idea, she landed in the middle of the crowd they all tried to close in on her she lit up her back stood on her hind legs and clapped her wings together a blue shock wave knocked them all over like dominos this was kind of fun. She flew back to Saber.

"Did you see that!?” Elka exclaimed.

“Yeah that was awesome sis!” he replied.

They flew together discussing what just happened happilyElka landed on a mushroom shelf, she continued chatting with Saber, she then spotted a golden dot off in the distance. She looked over and hastily shovedSaber into the corner and her flew off as Copper landed.

"Hi Copper,” she murmured, rubbing up against him.

He said nothing but purred rubbing up against her.

“How are you?” he asked concerned.

“You haven’t been yourself lately,” he replied.

“Yeah I know, it’s just hard to please terrified dragons, especially when I can’t promise their safety,” she breathed.

“Yeah, I still don’t know how you manage to do it,” he replied kindly.

She smiled at him, she was lucky to have him as her mate. She heard a high pitched screeching, she had come to associate that noise with the blackouts.

“We have to go,” she hissed her pupils slitting.

“What...Elka?” Copper replied watching her fly off quickly than following.

She flew to the main throne room to warn the guards that she had heard ‘whispers’ of another blackout in the corridors she had no idea how much time she had left when the words slipped out of her mouth, some guards sat up alert others ran out and bring as many dragons as they could find to safety, or as safe as they could ever be. Copper caught up to her confused looking around panicked at all the dragons flying in.

“Copper you need to hide,” she said deadly serious.

“But..wh-,” the flickering lights cut him off.</p

“GO!” she roared leaving him in the dark she flew away from the dragons and into the darkness.

Elka kept going, as long as she was around no one was safe, she continued flying in the direction of her throne room, she had pretty much memorized the route she closed her eyes and shot down the corridor and opened them and dipped down, she felt the water beneath her wings. She slowed down and felt around, she felt the coral shelf and slowly flew up she hit the roof, then she moved right a little and flew up, the tree was the only light source still existing in the hidden world, she flew towards it, she landed on the rough gnarled bark. She hid among the golden leaves and waited for the light to return 'She watched shadow creatures crawl into the room and look for her, their bright green eyes glaring up at her and illuminating the darkness. She hunkered down amongst the rustling leaves and the rough bark.  She listened to the shrieks of the screamers and the choking of their victims wondering when this hell will end. A strange machine-like noise rang out and the light slowly returned.

She watched the shadow legion melt away and she flew out of the tree and looked around, considerably fewer deaths and none in the king’s throne room, why was that

“Elka!” she turned around and saw Copper flying at her.

She hovered in place and Copper hovered next to her.

<“What is going on with you?!” he growled, anger and fear built up inside of him.

Elka stayed silent in shock of his reaction, she watched him continue eyes wide.

“You are always upset and I don’t know how to help, it’s stressing me out and I know you’re not telling me everything,” anger turned to sorrow as he continued yelling at her.

“L-look I know you want me to be happy but how can I be happy like this,” she replied voice growing shrill, she waved her tail at all the destruction around her and the masses of frightened dragons below her.

“Well then tell me what’s going on, give me some idea of what’s happening,” he cried.

She looked down, she didn’t want to put him in danger as well. She crumbled under his gaze she couldn’t tell him, for his safety he can’t know.

“It’s me isn’t it?!” he growled.

“What?” she replied caught off guard.

“I am the cause of this, I knew it,” he said sadly.

“N-no, stop!” Elka cried the whispers were coming back.

>Copper hovered in silence, her lip curled over her teeth as she tried to fight off the whispers.

“It is me,” he growled looking at Elka.

No, no Copper it’s not you, it was never you. She thought desperately as the whispers took over her mind.

Elka came back to reality she was standing on the ground back arched fur spiked and growling at Copper, she immediately calmed down as fear overtook her, Copper looked sad and scared.

“C-Copper,” she started, he turned stiffly and walked away she didn’t bother following, she sat there in absolute horror. 

What had she become, who had she become, she was a defective weapon that was only good at hurting everyone who was close to her. She heard footsteps behind her she looked back at her friends, they approached her slowly.

“Are you okay Elks?” Sunstone asked.

“Yeah I’m fine,” Elka mumbled barely audible.

“We saw what happened,” Sunstone said walking up to Elka and putting her tail on Elka’s shoulder.

Elka shrugged her off and moved away from them.

“Elka you can’t solve your problems from hiding from them,” Sunstone said staying where she was.

“Well I’m not Thunder, I don’t run at things with no regard for logic,” Elka growled back glaring at Thunder.

“You can’t throw shade at others because you’re mad,” Sunstone hissed.

“Watch me,” she snarled.

As Sunstone chewed her out something else was on her mind, she looked around pupils slitting and dilating again, she raised her head and looked around, something was tugging at the back of her mind.she looked around getting to her feet, she felt like she had to go somewhere, she had no idea where. She closed her eyes and focused on that for a second, fear shot through her body like electricity she ran off and her friends followed, she had no time to tell them off though. She jumped into the air and flew over the stream of water in her throne room smoke billowed through the hole in the roof confirming her fears. 

She burst into the room her friends right behind her, she looked at the tree, blue flames licked the roof and burned the tree the shadow legion surrounded the tree. She roared at them spreading her wings and making herself a target, they all followed her, she jumped into the air spinning as jets of blue fire flew past her head. She banked right and turned to face them she shot her own blast. The dragons panicked flying in opposite directions, the ones she hit seemed to disappear.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure standing there, anxiety prickled through her, someone was watching and they weren’t her friends. She continued shooting watching her friends fight off the shadow legion as well. She looked at the stranger, at second glance it was Kea the shadow legion was closing in on her, Elka landed and shot at them.

“Thank you, when the shadow legion set the tree on fire I had to call to you,” kea said.

Kea’s gaze drifted from Elka to something else. Elka followed her gaze to Sunstone being surrounded by the Shadow Legion.

“You know what to do,” Kea muttered looking at Elka.

Elka fired up her shot, she began to glow silver she released the shadow legion looked at her and then disappeared.

“NO!” she cried watching her blast hit Sunstone.

Sunstone fell out of the air plummeting to the ground she ran to her in absolute shock and horror. All of the shadow legion disappeared as well as Kea, it was just Elka her friends and the fire. She stood over Sunstone’s body eyes wide she heard her ragged breathing stop. Elka’s friends gathered around her, she was silent for a long time.

“S-she made me do it,” Elka muttered under her breath.

“SHE MADE ME DO IT!” Elka screamed her fur spiking tail lashing.

“KEA I WILL KILL YOU!” she roared ripping at the grass.

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU!” she screeched running around wildly.

“E-Elka,” Thunder started.

“WHAT!?!” Elka growled.

Thunder stepped back shocked she had never seen Elka like this, the tree was already burnt to the ground and only the grass was left.

“COWARD! I’LL * * * * * * * KILL YOU GET YOUR WORTHLESS ASS OVER HERE!” she cried hitting the wall anger fear and sadness ran through her like adrenaline. 

“Elka?” a new voice said coming through the smoke.

“C-copper?” she asked looking over her shoulder to see Copper standing there.

“I just came to say bye,” he replied flying off.

“Wait...bye WHAT NO COPPER!” she roared flying after him.

He looked back at hern sadly and sped off towards the waterfall.

“Copper come back!” she yelled.

He didn’t respond, she sped up her wings beating rapidly. she tackled him and brought him down on the beach she let him back up.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“I’m leaving,” he said sadly.

“What NO you can’t leave, not now!” she cried

“As long as I’m here you’ll never be happy,” he replied.

“Bye Elka, I love you,” he licked her one last time and flew off.

“NO!” she screamed.

“DON’T LEAVE ME!” she cried.

“Why Elka, what could be so important that I would stay,” he asked.

She looked down silently thinking about her eggs..should she tell him? She looked back up and he was already flying off.

“NO COPPER!” she cried flying after him.

BANG she hit an invisible wall green electricity flowed through her she plummeted watching Copper disappear in the distance. She hit the surface of the water and sunk through the waves she cast one last glance at where Copper was,” I love you,” she whispered bubbles escaping her mouth instead of words as she fell through the water and faded to black.




The truth[]

 Elka woke up on the beach sand caked her fur, she coughed up water and looked at the horizon, her hope fell when she didn’t see Copper coming back. 

“I’m such an idiot,” she cried laying back into the sand.

She thought about her eggs when they hatch they will never know their father, and Sunstone was dead, all because of her. She looked down at ner paws the bands around them glowed she noticed a third one on her hind leg, she hissed closing her eyes she realized something'. All of this, it was never me...It was always Neberu, it was Neberu that robbed my hatchlings of their father’s love, it WAS NEBERU WHO HAD SENT THE SHADOW LEGION AND CAUSED SUNSTONE’S DEATH, and it is me who is going to do something about it! For all of those affected by the blackouts and those who have suffered at its hands she was going to make things right, you better bring an army because I’m ready to take on two. She hissed getting to her feet she jumped off the cliff and glided into the hidden world. Elka looked for her friends, Saber glided next to her.

“Have you seen Flint?” he asked.

“No, why?” she replied.

“He went missing yesterday,” he explained.

“Anyway thanks for your time,” he said drifting off.

Elka continued flying, she looked for her friends. To her absolute surprise, she couldn’t find them.

“Elka?” Elka stiffened stopped and turned around to see Toothless and Light behind her.

“Hi guys,” she replied feeling a pang of sadness seeing them happy together reminded her of copper.

“What’s up?” T asked.

“I’m fine,” Elka lied.

“Hey, where’s Copper? you two are usually like conjoined twins,” Toothless noticed.

“Uh...he is asleep,” Elka lied again. 

“Oh okay, by the way, no one has said anything about the blackouts, have you heard anything?” he asked, Light and Elka locked eyes, she knew she had to tell him the truth.

“I heard something, just I can’t talk here,” Elka replied flying off to her throne room.

Elka landed and looked back and Toothless and Light followed her and landed behind her.

“So, I’m going to sound insane but this is caused by one thing,” Elka started.

“What do you mean, this can’t be caused by one dragon,” Toothless said.

“Not a dragon, I have no idea what it is,” Elka replied.

“Well, how is it killing everyone?” he asked skeptically.

“It has an army,” she replied.

“An army of what?” he asked.

“Mind-controlled shadow dragons,” she said.

“Okay Elka, no more dragon nip,” he said rolling his eyes.

“NO, I’m serious!” she replied.

“Yeah seriously HIGH,” Toothless replied flying off.

“I knew he wouldn’t believe me…”Elka muttered under her breath.

She flew out and looked for her friends. She couldn’t find them anywhere'.She spotted something she wished she hadn’t.  A white rosebush sat alone between some corals, Elka fought back acid rising in her throat as she choked back her emotions.

She dipped her wing to the side and flew over to the white rosebush. She sat there memories rushing back to her, she couldn’t stop them she closed her eyes and remembered when she first met Copper as her mind faded into the memories. Elka landed on the soft grass of the forest, the dappled light provided her shade as she went exploring this was a new island full of hidden possibilities, and dangers. She found a pond with a small island in the middle, she jumped up and fluttered onto the island. She lapped at the cold water and dipped her paw in and rubbed it along her face.she then straightened her fur and a sifting sound came from the beach. She looked up pupils slitting.

“H-hello?” she said out into the emptiness.

“hi,” a male voice responded.

She looked around a male sand wraith was sitting in the sand his kind green eyes staring at her. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze she shifted a little bit, something seemed off about him.

“What is your name?” he asked stepping on a stone path and walking towards her. She let him take five steps before she hissed at him and he stopped.

“My name’s Elka, what about you,” she replied calming down a little.

“Wow, your name is amazing I’m Copper nice to meet you,” he replied.

“So are you from around here?” he asked taking a few more steps forward she noticed but let him approach her at one point she shot him a glare for coming too close and he backed up.

“No actually,” she replied.

“well this is my home,” he said gesturing to the entire clearing.

“Oh, sorry for intruding I’ll be on my way,” she replied spreading her wings.

“Please don’t leave, I haven’t seen another dragon in a while it’s nice to have someone to talk to,” he said walking up to her. 

This time she let him.

“So are you going to stay the night?” he asked hopefully.

She slit her pupils again.

“No,” she responded shortly.

“Oh, okay” he responded downtrodden.

The shadows got longer and the light grew sparse” hey I’ve got to go, bye friend,” she emphasized friend to make sure he didn’t get any ‘ideas’.

“Will you come back?” he asked watching her fly off.

“Maybe,” she replied flying away.



 The memories quickly changed slipping into one another. 

She sat in front of the dead rosebush, the white roses had gone brown and the leaves were all withered she flicked her tail up and down sadly her face resting on her paws, she was barely aware of a shape int he corner of her eye, she was too sad to care.’ maybe it just needed some water...yeah that’s it!’ she thought desperately trying to save the rose bush and the memories of her dead friend. She ran to the lake and lapped up some water. The only issue was she kept swallowing all the water on accident. She eventually got enough water and ran back to the rose bush to find a new one in its place. Her jaw dropped and all the water fell out. Copper sat next to it holding a red rose in his mouth.

“Y-you?” she asked looking from the rose bush to Copper.

“Yeah, if you don’t like it I can just,” he replied looking down.

“N-no it’s amazing!” she replied.

She ran up to him and threw her wings around him, at first she had her doubts but he turned out to be really nice.

“Thank you,” she whispered stepping back.

He approached her and put the red rose right next to her antlers he smiled kindly and she returned his smile he walked up to her.

“I love you, Elka, always have, always will” he murmured.

“I-I love you too,” she responded softly licking his head.

she opened her eyes and looked away, it was too painful to look at the bush she flew away. She couldn’t find her friends witch made her more worried every time she checked a different cavern.

She was searching franticly looking around wildly her pupils slitt into sharp black daggers.

“Where could they be,” she whispered to herself.

She had checked every room, except one, the one she had been dreading, the nightmarish hell that lived beneath the ground. She hovered over the pit she looked down with foreboding and horror. A dread that filled her completely every single instinct she had was screaming at her to leave despite all of this she dove in anyways into the darkness full of hidden horrors and imagined terrors. She landed on the cold ground, she walked back to the crumbling skeleton of the silver bellied green scale. 'She felt around in the dark until her foot fell through the floor'. Thor forbid, they’re down here, aren’t they?' Elka thoughtShe jumped down spreading her wings and gliding quietly to the ground. 

 She slowly walked down a hall the smell of rotting flesh filled the corridor. She wrinkled her nose and ducked down walking slowly and quietly she walked slowly up to the main room, no one seems to be here. she thought looking around. she explored the room, in the center was a blood-soaked rock that she had seen Neberu sitting on when she first came here she continued to look around a pile of ash lay on the floor, she didn’t want to know what that was from. She walked to the far end of the cavern.

she found them, they were all in chains tied to the wall they were alive but showed signs of a struggle with cuts and bruises all over them.

“Guys, I’m here to get you out,” she whispered, there was no one here yet it was hard to not whisper.

Thunder opened her eyes and shook her head weakly she didn’t want to be let out? Elka cocked her head at Thunder who was acting weird, Thunder’s gaze was transfixed on something behind her. Elka’s fur spiked as she slowly turned, to her relief Neberu was not standing there but on the far wall was writeing.

There is no escape’ Elka repeated the writing in her head she looked for a way to get them out but knowing Neberu there was always a catch, this one was they can’t get out. Elka was filled with rage how long had she been in the water.

“How long have you been here?” she whispered to them again looking around anxiety spreading through her.

Thunder paused and lifted up her talon and spread out her five claws.

“Five days?” Elka asked.

Thunder shook her head.

“Five minutes?”Elka tried.

Thunder shook her head.

The one option left was five hours, it made the most sense.

“Five hours?” Elka asked again.

Thunder nodded.

Elka looked at her she needed to do something but she didn’t want to leave them here.

“I need to go, I’ll be back I promise!” she said looking at Thunder who nodded in response.

Elka ran off quickly and flew up through the opening. The one time she actually wanted to find them they were nowhere to be seen. she cursed under her breath and flew into the main throne room. she flew through the hole in the wall and found what she was looking for.

 The room was filled with screamers, she smirked looking around she landed on a rock they didn’t react. They seemed to be despondent. She fluttered to the ground and weaved through the crowd, she needed a screamer for what she wanted to do, which one though. she came to the back of the room where two stood away from the others. One stood despondent and the other kept hitting himself onto the wall. She approached them. The one standing despondent suddenly looked up it’s featureless face and looked at her. It opened its mouth and slowly approached her. She backed up. She was worried it was going to scream and wake the others up. It stopped inches from her face. A clicking stuttering noise escaped its mouth. It rasped out something that sounded like words.

“P-purple, pet purple,” it reached a long-clawed hand towards her.

“No!” Elka hissed backing up.

“P-pur-purple upset,” it stuttered and clicked, rasping out its words.

“Y-you can understand me?” Elka asked, shocked.

“Understand,” it replied nodding.

“H-how?” she asked.

“...d-don’t know, DON’T KNOW, STUPID, STUPID,  STUPID!!!” it screeched hitting its head against the wall.

“N-no stop!” Elka yelled. 

It stopped and turned twitching it slowly walked back up to Elka.

“Purple u-upset,” it said every time it stuttered it made a clicking noise.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Elka replied.

“H-hurt?” it asked.

“Can you feel pain?” Elka asked again.

“Don’t think so,” it replied.

“D-do you have a name?” Elka asked.

“N-name?” it asked.

“You know like what others call you,” Elka responded.

“M-master calls m-me useless, calls me sandworm, calls bad names. I hate master, master make do bad things. No want do bad things,” it rasped.

“Oh, those aren’t names. Names are like Bob or Joe, or Larry,” she replied.

“L-Larry,” it replied.

“You like larry?” she asked.

“Larry!” it replied.

“So Larry,I need your help,” Elka stated.

“W-what in it for Larry?” Larry asked.

Elka sighed,”I’ll let you pet me,” she replied.

“Deal!” Larry exclaimed.

 He reached out a hand and stroked Elka’s head, it pet her a few more times before it agreed to come with her. She picked it up by it’s shoulders and carried it into the room where the tree should have been. 

She put Larry in a bush,”stay here till I need you,” she muttered, Larry nodded.

She walked out and roared out into the open. There was a pop and Kea appeared.

“So you’re back,” Kea hissed approvingly.

“STAY AWAY FROM PURPLE!” Larry skreached.

“Larry stop!” Elka roared.

Larry stopped next to Elka.

“What is...this,” Kea growled.

“Larry is someone I brought to find out the truth,” Elka growled.

Kea laughed, it was not a pleasant sound ” you are far from the truth, the dark truth that runs through all of us, you know nothing about the truth,” Kea hissed.

“Master bad!” Larry growled at Kea.

“Shut up sandworm!” Kea growled.

“So I was right, you are no dragon,” Elka growled.

“You belong to me, you waste air, come here,” Kea growled eyes glowing green. Elka knew the schrade was up.

“Larry belongs to no one LARRY WANTS BE FREE!” Larry hissed launching himself at Neberu.

Neberu dodged it and went for Elka instead. He pinned Elka against the ground, she tried to kick it off but it wasn’t in a solid state.

“NO HURT PURPLE!” Larry screeched tackling Neberu.

Neberu hissed, scratching open Larry’s chest it was about to deal the killing blow when it looked up and disappeared.

“LARRY!” Elka cried running over to it.

"P-purple okay, Larry free now o-one day purple be free too,” it drew one last ragged breath before dying.

Elka couldn’t speak for a second, in pure shock of what had just happened. A line was crossed when Sunstone died and now Larry, screw knowing what to do she was going to kill Neberu. She dug a hole in the ground and she carefully pulled Larry into it. She covered it up with dirt and cleaned her talons in the pool of water in the room. She flew out and landed on the bright yellow crystal.

A figure she hadn’t seen in awhile appeared in front of her.

“Nyra?” she asked.

The dragon nodded in response.

“What are you-?” Elka started.

Yo'u can’t do this,” Nyra said, cutting her off.

Elka’s eyes narrowed ”watch me,” she growled.

“No, I mean you actually can’t! Don’t do this, it has allways ended the same,” Nyra called out again.

“What has ended the same?” Elka asked.

“You die in the end! The queen always dies, don't do this,” Nyra cried.

“W-what?” she replied, voice growing shrill.

“History always repeats itself, all of the other Alpha’s died at its hand except me, you will die as well if you do this,” Nyra explained.

“Why do you care, why would anyone CARE, why should I care! I’ve already lost it all. I have nothing left to live for. If I die then I die no one will care,” Elka roared anger, fear and depression flowed through her.

“I care!” Nyra growled back.

“WHY!” Elka snarled.

“Because I’m your mother!” Nyra roared back, shocked silence followed.

Elka stared at her eyes wide for a moment she didn’t move Nyra stood stalk still like she couldn’t believe she had just said that.

“W-what?” Elka said confused.

“ Elka I-I’m your mother,” Nyra responded.

“W-WHAT! You can’t just spring that on me, TRUTH NOW!” Elka hissed.

“I was mates with a blight fury, his name was Keil and you are a hybrid, all woolly howls are. They began as hybrids and always had horns as more of them came to be; they began pure breeding and lost the antlers, that’s also why you have the alpha glow. But the real truth is you were never supposed to live. I tried to kill you myself but I couldn’t do it, I was too weak, I instead threw you into the ocean and killed my mate and myself,” Nyra sighed looking at the ground.

The world came crashing down on Elka’s head.

“Why did you try to KILL ME!?” Elka hissed.

“I knew it would use you, if I let you live the world would be in trouble,” Nyra cried.

“You were here all this time, you let me think my parents were somewhere out there, my life is a LIE everything I ever thought I knew is all LIES,” she snarled.

“I thought you were dead!” Nyra replied.

“I wish I was!” Elka growled flying off.

Nyra didn’t dare follow. All this time I thought I was normal, that when Light pushed me my life was screwed up from then on, but I could never have been normal I’m going to get more answers.she thought angerly she was most likely going to regret what she was about to do.

She flew over to the dark abyss, she willingly dove into it and landed on the cold ground, she started to glow faint silver. She spread her wings and took a deep breath. 

She slitt her pupils readying herself for what she was about to do,”Neberu,” she announced into the open.

For and instant nothing happened then a dark figure with bright green eyes appeared infront of her.

“What is it?” Neberu asked.

“I need the truth!” she growled.

Neberu smirked, “you’ve finally come to me willingly,” it said smugly.

“If you make a deal out of it, I’ll leave,” she hissed, spreading her wings.​​​​​​

“We both know you would never leave as long as I have the thing you have been wondering your entire life, I know who you are Elka,” Neberu said, the smile melting from it’s face.

Elka froze the ability to move suddenly leached from her body “w-who am I?” she asked.​​​​​​

Neberu’s palm glowed green; it slammed it’s hand against the ground; green light spread out against the ground; it rippled out and formed a dome.

“You are a dragon as powerful as the sea, and as fast as lightning, you are everything and anything you are life and death you are power,” Neberu hissed.

She inched her head away from Neberu giving it a skeptical look.

“I know all about you, I have been waiting for you for a millennium and I will be here eons after, empires rose and fell at my feet to get to where we are now, I have pulled more strings then Thor himself to get to here,” as it spoke the green ripples formed into images.

“Way before you opened your eyes for the first time I knew you were the one I was waiting for, I pulled so many strings to get you here, I killed your brothers and gave you their energy, I sent that hoard of dragons to force Nyra to make her move, your pathetic mother couldn’t kill you herself instead she decided to throw you into the ocean in the vain hope you would die,” more images in green played out before Elka’s eyes, she was so busy looking at them that she didn’t notice Neberu encroaching on her.

“It hurts doesn’t it, to know that no one loved you, to know that all they thought you were was a weapon, to know the hatred in the eyes of all who once liked you once they knew what you were really like,” Neberu hissed in fake sympathy it’s words snapped Elka away from the images.

“Yeah, it does,” Elka replied.

'Neberu smirked out of the corner of her eye. She could see its eyes light up with victory.

You know what hurts more?” she growled turning on Neberu.

“When someone killed your family to ‘save’ you, when your mate leaves you, when you KILL your BEST FRIEND, when you realize that every bad thing that ever happened to you was caused by a monster to know that if you had been in control of your actions everyone you loved would still be alive!” she spat.

“ I Was always loved, you were the one who stole that from me,” she snarled.

She slashed Neberu across the face, green blood trickled out of the wound it howled in agony; it staggered back and glared at her. The pictures around her disappeared turning into electricity that seared through her veins she fell to her knees and collapsed.

Coming back around[]

Elka opened her eyes into the darkness, she felt lost, both mentally and physically she looked down to her paws and saw the bands on them instantly remembering her whereabouts. She had realized that a fourth band had been affixed around her hind leg, she spat curses under her breath her eyes adjusted to the dark and she could see her way out. She jumped to fly out of the darkness she couldn’t see any walls around her and that freaked her out, she jumped up and stretched her wings, the iron bands got heavier the higher she climbed. She was almost at the top when her wings gave out and she fell back to the ground.

She lashed her tail back and forth in frustration and she jumped again trying to get out. This time she got a paw on the overhang, she tried to claw her way up the soft rock. SNAP! The ground that she was trying to pull herself up on broke off and crumbled being too soft and corroded to hold her weight. She gracefully glided down.

Elka turned to see Nyra behind her, Elka glared at her and ignored her entirely jumping up to try to get out again she caught the edge again but lost her grip and fell back along with a shower of stones.

Nyra sat patiently behind her.

Elka turned back to Nyra,” I don’t need your help,” Elka growled.

Nyra shrugged and popped out of existence.

Screw flying I’m gonna try to climb out. She thought. She ran to the wall and jettisoned herself up, she caught the edge with the hooks on the wing and pulled herself up. 

"I was wondering when you’d figure out how to fly,"someone said snarkily.'She looked around for a second and saw a weird-looking storm caller hybrid with a bad temper.

Excuse me?!” she hissed.

“Right I forgot my manners I’m Vanitas, no need to introduce your self I know who you are,” he said smirking 

( disclaimer: this character is used per request of War4rme, and belongs to them I DO NOT own him or the species storm caller) 

“Oh, by your tone I thought you had no idea who I am but you’re just a bastard,” Elka teased.

He growled lashing his tail” oh you think you’re so great don’t you, the high and mighty ‘alpha’ queen of the dragons is that right, you always ask others to do what you could do yourself, you disgust me,” he spat.

Elka was about to retort but something else caught her eye, a member of the shadow legion was right behind Vanitas and she blasted it over his shoulder and it collapsed almost silently. 

“How dare you shoot at me!” Vanitas roared.

“I didn’t shoot at you, you ungrateful lizard. I just took out that member of the frickin shadow cult legion thing trying to kill you, you’re welcome,” she declared stiffly turning and walking away.

She saw him turn around and look at the dead member of the shadow legion and back to Elka.

“You hate them too?” he called after her.

“I hate them more than anyone else. They stole my life from me, and I’ve had to deal with them since I got here,” she growled, not wanting to talk to this dragon.

“You might not be as lame as I thought,” Vanitas said to no one in particular.

“I was wondering when you’d figure that out,” she teased flying off.

Vanitas started towards her, then shook his head and walked into the shadows growling. 

I hate that dragon, next time I see him he better have learned a little respect. She thought annoyed. She landed in her cave and began cleaning herself and slicking down her prickling fur. She needed to get the one up on Neberu, at this point, it was a mile ahead of her she needed something to set it back in its plan. She flipped onto her back, water slowly dripping down onto her head, it landed between her eyes and soaked into her fur. Every time the water hit her head she’d blink and move her head a little. She began getting very twitchy, she eventually got up and shook herself and flew off the need to clear her head ebbing through her body. She flapped her strong wings; the effect of the bands seemed to only work in the abyss. She flew out of the entrance and landed on the beach. She closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh clean sea air. She opened her eyes again and looked out over the ocean.

“How am I going to beat the shadow?” she muttered to herself looking down.

She began making marks in the sand with her claw for no reason other than she wanted to. She shook her head and swept her tail over it and looked to see if it had disappeared. It hadn’t gone but it looked different, she squinted at it. It looked kind of like a crystal, then something Nyra said rang through her head ‘it took part of my energy away and stored it in a crystal, along with the power of many others eventually when it gathers enough it'll use you to channel that power whilst adding your energy to its collection.’ if she found that crystal she could finally be a step ahead of Neberu for once. But she needed a way to get in, her friends were all locked up, and she couldn’t ask just anyone to do this, her mind went to only one dragon. She was not happy about this; she lashed her tail and flew back into the hidden world. She landed just outside of the abyss looking for the new dragon she had met less than an hour ago. 

“Vanitas?” she called out looking around.

The black, yellow, and blue dragon slithered out of the shadows smirking,” yes,” he replied.

“I hate to admit this but I need your help,” she replied.

“I’m listening,” he said, interested.

Elka explained her plan to Vanitas who nodded when she finished.

“I can provide a distraction, I usually wouldn’t do this for you but I hate the shadow and I know someone who so richly deserves a beating,” he explained getting up.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he muttered.

Elka jumped and glided into the abyss closely followed by Vanitas. They landed silently on the ground, she couldn’t see him anymore but she had no doubt he was still there. She walked to the green scale skeleton and gingerly swept her tail over the ground, the tip disappeared through the ground, she lifted it out, looked behind her to where she hoped Vanitas was and jumped in spreading her wings and landed on the left of the corridor, Vanitas on the right. 

“I’ll go in first,” he whispered, his tone had changed to more serious, he pushed past Elka and walked into the room.

Elka stayed put waiting for him to create a distraction.

“Vaniras!” he yelled out into the darkness hundreds of green eyes opened and writhed around him, another storm caller hybrid came out of the dark.

“What do you want!?” she growled.

“You are the worst dragon I’ve ever met, you make me sick and I’m so much better than you!” he said snarkily.

Elka had no idea what he was planning, she crept behind the stalagmites and watched the action.

The dragon he addressed as Vaniras growled,” care to prove that?” she asked growling.

“Gladly, meet me outside, this isn’t nearly enough space” he replied, turning to go out.

“Fine, as long as I get to beat you,” she hissed following him the rest of the shadow legion following her ready to see a good fight.

They all blew past Elka, not seeing her behind the stalagmites. As soon as they were gone she ran into the room. She didn’t have much time. She looked around for any glimmer of light, she couldn’t see anything. She hopped up onto Neberu’s rock and sniffed around, nothing. She flew down casting a sorrowful glance at her friends, she couldn’t help them, she couldn’t even help herself. She snarled in frustration kicking a sharp rock into the wall. It made a strange glass-like sound Elka walked over to it confused. She turned it over, a slight blue glint spread through the dirty coating, Elka brushed off the rest of the rock, it was a crystal her breath caught in her throat she picked it up in her mouth and ran off with it. She flew up through the exit to see Vanitas bloody scratches and burn marks all over his body. He was standing over Vaniras who looked even worse than he was.

“I won’t regret doing this,” he breathed, clawing at her chest.

She roared in pain, kicking him off of her. She stood up and lashed her tail over his head like a whip, he fell back and was pinned against the wall by Vaniras who was grinning wickedly.

“You were never as good as me you little * * * *,” she slammed his head against the wall.

He hissed in anguish “if this is your meaning of good I don’t want to be as ‘good’ as you” he growled headbutting her.

She landed on the ground and he lunged for her closing his jaws around her throat a sickening crack spread through the cavern and Vaniras lay still. He backed up, panting, catching Elka’s gaze he then cloaked himself and disappeared.

Elka was now stuck, in a room, with the shadow legion, this was not good. As soon as he left the piercing green gaze of all the dragons turned to her, the bright blue crystal in her mouth didn’t help anything.

Oh * * * *.she thought freezing up as the shadow legion advanced slowly.

She dropped the crystal and growled firing up her blast, markings glowing silver. She shot hitting two dozen of them but there were still quite a few left. She picked up the crystal and RAN, as fast as her legs could carry her she jumped up and tried to fly away the bands weighing her down.

“No, no, no! Bad time!” she muttered around the crystal panicking desperately trying to fly away.

She fell back to the ground cornered by the shadow legion and out of fire, she backed up growling and refusing to drop the crystal. Elka backed up as they closed in, there was a flash of light and the ground exploded in front of her dirt and sand flying everywhere.  There was a gold flash and the last few dragons fell, she walked forward in confusion. She stepped on where the ground exploded and it was extremely hot. She lifted up her paw and licked it vigorously. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement.

“H-hello?” she asked out looking around.

A pair of soft green eyes appeared in the darkness and she jumped back a little.

“E-Elka?” the dragon asked, its voice seemed extremely familiar.

“How do you know my name?” she growled, dropping the crystal to look more menacing.

The dragon inched towards her coming partially into the light. His golden-brown scales glimmered in the half-light, she could only see his foot at the moment. She looked curiously at him, the figure becoming more and more familiar. He finally stepped into the light and her heart skipped a beat all anger melting from her, her breath caught in the throat. Her jaw dropped a little and her eyes widened.

“...C-Copper?” she muttered in disbelief. 

She ran up to him and threw her wings around him he tensed up at first but she gradually felt his muscles relax “you came back!” she whispered.

“Of course I did, Elka, I love you,” he replied, licking her.

“And also some woolly howl kept annoying me about it, I think his name was Flint,” he joked.

Elka pulled away from him laughing, “I love you too Copper,” she said licking him.

“I’m so sorry I left you, I-I was being selfish, and a jerk, and I was scared, scared for you, I didn’t want to see you suffer so I came up with an excuse and left. I am so sorry and you don’t have to forgive me,” he murmured looking down in shame.

 Elka nudged his head up and rubbed her head along his jawline,”you’re here now, that’s what matters,” Elka replied sweetly.

This time he put his wings around her and she leaned into him, the warmth from his scales seeping into her fur. She sat with him for a moment and all other thought from her mind ebbed away and was replaced with happiness. He was here now, and that was all that mattered.  

She stepped back,” hey sorry I didn’t tell you everything, you deserved to know, I just thought that if you didn’t know you wouldn’t be hurt,” Elka muttered ashamed.

“It’s okay we both screwed up, are you gonna tell me what’s going on now?” Copper asked sympathetically.

Elka smirked “no,” she replied jokingly.

“No?  Oh, you sick sick bastard come here you,” he growled playfully.

He cuffed Elka behind the horns and roughly tussled her fur with his paw, she reacted by playfully hitting him on the head, he knocked her over and they roughhoused a bit more before Copper started vigorously licking her.

“Oh no, my weakness saliva,” Elka laughed.

“Tell me what you know!” Copper returned playfully.

“fine, fine but get off of me you doofus,” Elka laughed sitting up and fixing her fur.

“So I’ll start with a question, it might be kind of awkward” Elka said shifting uncomfortably.

“O-okay,” Copper said unsure how to reply.

“Um, Copper have you ever thought of being a father?” Elka asked a wave of uncomfortable heat filling her face if she was a human she had a feeling her face would be flushed.

“T-that’d be great but I’m fine with just you,” he replied also shifting uncomfortably.

“Why do you ask?” Copper asked.

“Because if you stay with me you’re going to be one,” Elka said forcing the words out of her mouth.

Copper was silent for a second.

“W-wait, really?!?” Copper asked shocked.

Elka nodded this entire conversation was so cringy Elka just wanted to get out of it.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Copper exclaimed.

“You’re the best dragon EVER!” he said licking her.

Elka was about to reply but a growling wheezing noise came from the darkness.

“We need to go, it isn’t safe here,” Elka growled.

Copper nodded confused but Elka was visibly upset. Elka picked up the crystal in her mouth and climbed up the wall, Copper flew out of the pit and Elka climbed to the top.

“Why didn’t you fly?” he asked.

“I can’t fly down there,” she replied around the crystal nodding to the abyss.

“What why not?” Copper replied considerably more confused.

“It’s hard to explain, so I’ll just show you,” she responded touching one of her bands to his leg.

He looked dazed for a second and then realized that Elka had iron bands on all of her legs.

“WHAT! How much have I missed?!?” he exclaimed alarmed sniffing the bands.

“You haven’t missed anything, I just didn’t tell you some things,” Elka stated.

“Okay, but now you’re gonna tell me these things right?” he asked worriedly.

“Well I’m kind of in too deep to back out now,” Elka said bluntly flying off.

Copper followed in bewilderment, he was just so confused by all things, the dragon he thought he knew seemed to have been hiding a whole other life from him. One that he was scared of, he was scared for her. Elka glided into her throne room and jumped on one of the many blue crystals that lined the wall, she bounded off and got her front feet on the overhang of her cave, using her foothold he jettisoned herself into her home skidding to a halt. She turned to watch Copper clumsily land on the blue crystal. Good Thor Copper, don’t do what I did, you’re going to fall. She thought cringing at the inevitable failure. Copper slid on the crystal and didn’t quite get enough momentum to jump. Dammit Copper, what did I just say...I mean think. Elka thought almost laughing at him and getting ready to grab him and haul him up.  Instead of trying to reach her cave, he dove down into the water below. Elka peered over the edge of her home, what is he doing? She thought to herself. She never thought of the water as being deep but apparently it was deeper than she had once imagined. Copper resurfaced flying up and spraying water everywhere. 

“You did that just to get me wet, didn’t you,” she growled playfully.

“Your words not mine,” he responded smirking.

“Now are you going to tell me what was going on?” he nagged.

“Yeah, but just know I’m going to sound crazy,” she warned.

“The difference is?” he joked.

That earned him a light hit on his head by Elka. She explained everything and by the end Copper had either been stunned silent, or he didn’t exactly know how to respond.

“So you’ve been dealing with all that, and not once bothered to tell me?” he asked in shock.

“What was I supposed to do, if they knew you knew you’d be locked up like my friends!” Elka snapped.

Copper drew back, Elka wasn’t in a very good mood at the moment so he decided to talk about a better subject.

“So your eggs, can I see them?” he asked gently worried he’d upset her.

Her expression softened “ yeah over here,” she said getting up.

He followed closely. 

She led him into the dark room softly illuminated by pale green light from the small plants around the area, in the center her two eggs sat safe and secure in a small nest of the green plants. He walked up to the eggs and stopped, he sat next to them in pure silence, not knowing what to say or how to react. Elka walked over and sat next to him.

“How long have they been here?” he asked.

“Since before you left,” Elka replied.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I left you here to take care of the eggs while being hunted by the cult of the damned or whatever, and you were going to tell me, but I was an idiot and left, I’m so sorry!” he whined getting up and pacing.

“Hey calm down, you’re fine at least they didn’t hatch,” Elka soothed.

“Yeah I guess,” he replied calming down a little.

Elka walked out of the room and came back with the crystal in her mouth, she spit it on the ground and looked back to Copper.

“What are you going to do with that?” Copper asked.

“Destroy it,” Elka replied casually.

“I’d like to see you figure out how to do that,” Copper scoffed.

Elka blew frost at Copper, she picked up the crystal and threw it on the wall it didn’t break, she picked it up and took it away from her eggs, she powered up her blast and continued charging it until she glowed silver. She blasted it full force and it remained intact. 

“What is it gonna take to destroy you!” Elka roared unintentionally flaring up her aura her back and paws lit on fire. Her silver glowing paw was brought down on the crystal and it shattered.

Elka stepped back as a mist of all colors flew into the air, she stepped back in shock. She had no idea what it’d do if she broke it. Some of the colors whisked away but most of them stayed in the billowing mist. She gasped and backed up, it swirled around her. She tried to get away from it but it followed her. She slammed into many walls trying to get away from it, she was out of breath panting heavily, Copper had come out to see what all the commotion was about and he stopped watching Elka try to get away from the colorful mist. Elka stopped letting the mist swirl around her; she was terrified of what it’ll do, but she wanted to find out. She stood still as it wound around her legs, her silver markings slowly lighting up. Then it started to wind around her neck, she was starting to get more uncomfortable with the mist she hissed softly, that was the wrong thing to do, as soon as she had opened her mouth the mist flew down her throat. Elka coughed gasping, not quite comprehending what had just happened.

“Are you okay!?” Copper asked running over to her.  

“Yeah, I’m fine?” she said disbelieving her words she looked over herself she was fine, but she was glowing very bright silver. 

“What the hell?” Elka asked looking at her markings they were never that bright. 

Copper reached out and touched her markings gingerly. A gold stripe illuminated going all the way down his back. He immediately freaked out and yanked his paw away from her.

“What’s going on?” he whispered in awe.

“No idea,” she replied.

Copper opened his mouth like he was going to say something but a flicker in the light cut him off.

“Uh oh,” he muttered fearfully looking up.

“A blackout is about to begin,” he muttered.

Elka gave a confused look at the light witch was flickering.

“No, I didn’t hear the noise, something’s different,” she stated right before the light went out.

“Uh, it sure seems like a blackout to me Elks,” Copper responded.

“Well yeah it’s a blackout but, there’s something different this time,” she responded running out of her home, she was still glowing silver she could kind of see faint outlines of objects her silver glow was kind of helping.

She landed on a crystal she couldn’t see Copper but felt his presence behind her. She stepped out into the darkness and sniffed the air, unlike the other blackouts this time it was quiet, no screams, no growls, no blood. It was quiet. She sniffed the air assessing the situation. 

“Well,” he pressed moving closer to Elka.

“Nothing,” Elka responded moving forward on the crystal outcropping.

Copper followed.

“I wonder what would happen if I shot out into the open, you know for science,” Copper muttered.

“Go ahead,” Elka responded.

“SCIENCE!” Copper yelled out firing into the open.

Illuminating dragons hiding in the shadows for a split second before they melted back into the dark.

“Oh no,” Elka muttered backing up desperately wanting to turn off her stupid silver glow.

Copper stepped back “well, I’ve made a scientific discovery, that was a very bad idea,” Copper started watching the green eyes illuminate the area.

“We need to go,” Elka said, starting to turn around.

“I’m not trying to hurt you this time, I’d like to make a deal,” a voice said, Elka, turned to see a black razorwhip with the shadow legion scar across its chest walk up to her, of course, it wasn’t the dragon talking it was Neberu.

“What is it?” she growled fur prickling, what has Neberu got up its sleeve this time? She wondered paranoid.

The razorwhip opened its mouth and a blue flame poured out, it landed on the crystal and flared up showing Neberu in the flames the razorwhip backed away and looked on from the shadows.

“ what is it?” she spat although she already knew what it wanted.

“Don’t look so happy to see me,” Neberu said, smirking.

”That’s not an answer!” Elka hissed, lashing her tail.

Neberu found his gaze darkening “give me back the crystal,” it growled bluntly.

Elka smirked “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” she puffed up her fur making her look more menacing.

Neberu stepped back revealing three black and white eggs behind him ”are you more persuaded now?” Neberu asked.

“You stole the alpha’s eggs!?! You have no idea what you got yourself into!” Copper growled.

Neberu’s gaze focused on Copper “oh, if I were you I’d be more worried about what you just got yourself into! Unless you want to join my army, you’d better bide your tongue lizard,” Neberu hissed Copper backed up fear glazing his eyes.

“Leave him be!” Elka snapped.

“We’re getting off track, give me the crystal or the alpha’s offspring will join my army!” it stated.

“Do you want me to find all the shards for you or is just three enough?” Elka asked.

“You- you broke the crystal, you IDIOT YOU BROKE THE CRYSTAL!” Neberu howled with rage and it paced back and forth fuming it disappeared in the flame light for a second muffled yelling was heard and then Neberu returned.

“Sorry about that, where were we?” Neberu asked sweetly which scared the crap out of Elka.

“You were about to give the alpha’s eggs back,” Elka said her voice came out unsteady, which annoyed her if there’s one thing she has learned if you show any emotion you’ve lost.

Neberu laughed, Elka stood her ground trying to make up for her emotional slip-up before.

“What’s so funny?” she asked sternly, pleased with her steady voice.

“Tell you what, I’ll give you the alpha’s eggs if you get me something in return,” Neberu hissed.

“Like what?” Elka growled.

At this neberu smirked and its expression broadened into a smile filled with menace.

“I have two things in mind,” Neberu said flicking its long clawed fingers at the mention.

“You can’t be serious,” Elka growled shocked.

“I’m not known for my jokes,” Neberu responded.

Elka hissed pacing around, yes she was showing emotion but it was hard not to.

“I’m not giving them to you,” she spat angrily.

“Not even to save the Night Furies eggs?” Neberu asked innocently.

Elka growled turning around to talk to Copper who she assumed wasn’t quite following the conversation.

“what ‘s happening?” he asked.

“Neberu’s asking for our eggs in exchange for Toothless’s eggs,” Elka hissed quietly.

“What!? No, Elks you can’t let that monster get ahold of our eggs!” Copper whispered.

Elka nodded but she was unsure how to proceed. She turned around and faced Neberu standing tall and trying to give an intimidating posture, she wasn’t sure if it worked.

“I’m calling your bluff, and not giving you our eggs,” she growled.

“That’s cute you think I’m bluffing,” Neberu said picking up one of the eggs and a light emitted from its palm, it held its hand close to the egg, and electricity began to crackle between them.

“Stop!” Elka roared her calm exterior fell to pieces in an instant.

“Give me what I want and no one gets hurt!” Neberu roared obviously annoyed it peeled its hand away from the egg.

Elka opened her mouth and was about to say something when she was interrupted by the roar of a Night Fury. she cursed under her breath she didn’t want to see Toothless right now because she’d have some explaining to do.

 Copper groaned at the sight of Toothlesses green eyes, Elka whacked him lightly on the head with her tail to keep him quiet on the presence of the alpha. She didn’t like to think of Toothless as an authority figure but now she felt even less of a dragon then before she had become the ‘queen’.

“Hey Elka have you seen…” Toothless cut off “what the Thor did I just fly in on?!” he roared landing in front of the blue flame.

Elka cringed lowering her gaze temporarily forgetting she was also an alpha.

“Elka, what?” he started looking around at the dragons watching him from the shadows, his eyes then landed on the blue flame where his eggs were displayed he turned his gaze onto her it was full of cold and hatred Elka felt Copper straighten up behind her flaring his wings slightly she felt his eyes on Toothless.

“I-I didn’t do anything I swear!” Elka stuttered hastily.

“Why are my eggs in that fire?” he hissed.

Elka stood ridged.

“ANSWER ME!” he roared voice shaking with fear and rage his blue markings flaring up, Elka’s markings had long since faded.

“I told you what was happening a long time ago but YOU brushed it off, telling me I’m insane, look around, who’s insane now? Tell me please I’d really like to know,” she muttered stalking up to him.

Toothless calmed down a little looking around at the shadowy figures of dragons, and Neberu who Toothless had just noticed.

“Y-you were telling the truth?” he asked looking around.

“Why would I lie about this?” Elka replied.

Toothless’s cold gaze set on Neberu and his lip curled over his exposed teeth.

“Give me back my children,” he growled menacingly “you have no IDEA who you’re dealing with!” he hissed pacing.

Neberu laughed again looking Toothless dead in the eye “oh I do, the so-called alpha dragon, the last Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death its self is that correct? I know very well who you are and I can name your entire family tree, dead all of them but I can still name them,” Neberu said smirking.

“What do you want from me?” he growled standing in front of Elka.

This earned another laugh from Neberu “I want nothing from you Night Fury, you’re just a pawn in my plan I have no need for you, you overproud salamander, all I care about is her,” Neberu motioned towards Elka who backed away she hated the spotlight and would very much prefer Toothless be in her position.

“Now step aside pretty boy unless you want your worthless eggs to join my army!” Neberu snarled.

Toothless seemed at a loss for words, Elka knew he wouldn’t last long against Neberu, Toothless was a good strong dragon but Neberu’s words were like none he had heard before. She imagined that as being a Night Fury he didn’t experience being threatened by someone who was not afraid of him at all very often if at all she rolled her eyes and shoved him aside he wasn’t helping things.

“Is there anything else I can give you in exchange for the eggs,” Elka growled exploring her options.

“My way or no way queenie,” Neberu said entertained by her question.

“Don’t call me that,” Elka snapped.

Toothless pulled Elka aside leaving Copper to stare uncomfortably at Neberu “what are you doing Copper shouldn’t be left alone with that….thing,” Elka hissed quietly.

“What is the creature asking for?” Toothless whispered Elka could see the desperation in his eyes.

Elka inhaled sharply “my eggs in return for yours,” Elka said not wanting to tell him but she didn’t really see any other options available.

“Wait you-” Toothless started.

“Yeah, I don’t tell everyone everything that goes on in my life surprising huh,” Elka whispered cutting Toothless off.

“Well, eggs are a big deal and you’re the alpha I’d expect that you’d tell someone these things,” Toothless whispered back.

“I am not an alpha don’t you EVER call me that,” she whispered sharply she didn’t like being called the ‘alpha’ aside from being in the bloodline she did nothing special to earn it, she wasn’t their queen, that wasn’t her problem.

“Wow, you really hate titles don’t you,” Toothless commented.

“All I ‘really hate’ is the fact that I’m always being compared to others, and every time I’m not as good, I have too many flaws or I’m just a ‘Woolly howl’,” Elka snapped.

“Look, I just thought if you had eggs you’d tell someone,” Toothless replied.

Elka looked away from him, she was angry. Angry at him, at Neberu, at the whole world why couldn’t she just be a normal dragon.

“Tick tock Elka, I don’t have all day,” Neberu called.

Toothless gave a pleading look at Elka ‘please’ he mouthed she could almost touch the desperation behind his eyes as he looked up at her, she felt Copper sit next to her to offer what little support he could. She looked at Toothless again if he was in my position and I was in his would he do it? No, he wouldn’t. He’d most likely try to get my eggs back by force and in doing so get them killed. She thought bitterly looking up at Neberu again.

“FINE!” she roared stepping up at this Neberu grinned Toothless looked up at her solemnly like he knew what she was thinking about when she made her choice. Copper looked distraught he sat still looking at the ground. Elka turned and flew to get her eggs.

Elka turned and flew to get her eggs. She grabbed one in her mouth carefully and took the other up in her paws. She flew back nudged one over to Copper and gently dropped the other one.

“See how easy things can be when you listen,” Neberu chimed.

Elka growled in response.

“Give them to my emissary and I’ll have them give you the eggs,” Neberu said the razorwhip advanced.

“No,” Elka snapped watching the razorwhip stop and look to its master.

“You do this my way or no way!” Elka growled.

“Fine” Neberu hissed, “but the emissary comes with, for...safety reasons,” Neberu replied flicking its fingers at the words.

Elka nodded flying through the dark with the razorwhip Copper gliding beside her.

They spiraled down into the abyss and landed in front of Neberu.

Neberu pushed forward Toothless’s eggs and Elka and Copper handed over theirs, they picked up Toothless’s eggs and flew off without a fight leaving Elka to wonder what they had just done.

Now or never[]

   

Elka opened her eyes next to Copper in her home, she shook herself not used to having Copper around again. She got up and went to check on her eggs forgetting what had happened last night. When she had brought the eggs back Toothless thanked her vigorously. A small part of her never wanted to help Toothless, but he was the alpha so if she refused she’d never hear the end of it.

“Elks stop pacing, you woke me up,” Copper grumbled groggily.

“Sorry I’ll stop,” she replied sitting down.

“Well I’m already up so just do whatever,” he responded yawning and stretching she rubbed up against him.

He gave her a brisk lick and sat next to her.

“What were you thinking about?” he asked locking eyes with her, she flinched away he knew that if he looked her in the eyes she’d tell him the truth.

“Yesterday,” she replied sadly.

“Oh,” he responded staring off.

“You did the right thing,” Copper said reassuringly.

“Did I though?” Elka muttered getting up and pacing.

Copper looked after her confused.

“I mean like, the shadow has our friends, and now it has our eggs, what’s next?!? And why, what is it planning?” Elka said hyperventilating.

“Whoa, whoa Elks calm down,” Copper soothed walking up to her.

“We need to get them back!” Elka hissed.

“How do you plan to do this exactly?” he asked.

“That’s the part I don’t know,” Elka growled.

“Okay we can figure this out just calm down you’re throwing a * * * * fit right now and are getting nothing done,” Copper replied.

Elka took a deep breath she only wanted to show emotion in front of those she knew.

“How did you get the crystal? Just do what you did to get that,” Copper suggested.

Elka knew she was going to need another favor from Vanitas, she hated the thought of needing help ESPECIALLY from him! He may have helped her once but she liked him no more than when they’d first met. He was an absolute asshole, and she didn’t want to need anything from him. Elka felt her vein pulsing and the whispers came back into her mind she gritted her teeth and shut her eyes trying to resist. Trying to resist the whispers was like trying to sing with your mouth shut, in other words, fricking HARD!

Her eyes turned black as well as her mind. 

‘Elka, ELKA! Wake up, come on! Fight it!’ Elka opened her eyes to Copper nudging her awake. She started to get up but then realized he had her pinned. 

“Let me up please?” she asked hopefully.

“How do I know it’s really you?” he asked.

“Really. Fine,  I’ll prove it! Your nose twitches when you lie and it’s adorable,” Elka stated.

“It is NOT!” Copper said indignantly letting Elka get up.

“Is too! You look like a bunny when that happens,” she teased sitting up.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said his nose twitching.

At that Elka laughed. 

“You need to figure out how to control that,” Copper muttered nodding to the black vein.

“I don’t think I can,” she replied.

“Anyway we shouldn’t focus on that right now we need to try to save our friends,” Elka replied.

“Yes but how?” Copper asked.

Elka sighed, she knew she needed to talk to Vanitas.

“We need to talk someone,” Elka said spreading her wings and flying off.

Copper followed closely. They soared through the hidden world watching the dragons fly peacefully, if they knew what she knew would they continue normally with their lives? She continued flying wondering where Vanitas would hideout, she didn’t want to see him but she didn’t have much of a choice. 

“Who are we talking too?” Copper asked catching up with Elka.

“This Storm Caller hybrid named Vanitas,” Elka growled.

“Sounds like you get along great with them,” Copper remarked sarcastically.

“Yep, we’re practically BFFs,” Elka said continuing the joke.

“Great,” Copper replied flatly.

She looked around she decided to go back to where she first saw him by the abyss, she landed gracefully and looked around Copper landing next to her looking around and sniffing the air. 

“Vanitas,” Elka called out, no response it was just her own voice echoing off of the walls.

Elka cussed under her breath Copper brushed her wing with his and she calmed down.

“Vanitas?” she called out again walking around. 

“What do you want?” he rumbled sliding out of the shadows.

“I need your help,” Elka stated.

“Well look who came crawling back, poor fluffy the guard dog can’t do things by herself,” Vanitas said in fake pity.

“Hey, she’s better at handling things than you are!” Copper snapped.

“We both know I don’t want to be here any more than you want me to be here so just hear me out,” Elka growled.

“Fine,” Vanitas snapped.

“I need you to create another distraction for me while I save my friends,” Elka stated.

“I can’t do that,” Vanitas said backing up.

“Why not?” Elka asked.

“Look, the dragon I was fighting was my sister and I-I let her live,” he responded solemnly.

“This is an issue how?” Elka asked.

“Because now it’s her or me and I don’t want to kill her, I can’t help you,” he growled starting to turn around.

“You son of a * * * *!” Elka roared watching him cloak and disappear.

She growled muttering insults under her breath

” you can’ blame him, Elks, he didn’t want to hurt his sister, I know you’re mad but you can’t take it out on everyone,” Copper said quietly.

Elka calmed down, he was right, she was mad and acting like a child “sorry I need to think please don’t follow me,” she replied looking back at Copper and flying off he stayed where he was and walked towards their home.

Elka flew out of the hidden world she needed fresh air, she sat down and breathed in the briny air. Neberu has me so turned around I’m fighting my mate and being a general ass. She sighed laying down in the sand. She watched the fish swim around not a care in the world. She dipped her claw into the water and brought it out she froze the water droplets on her claw and then smashed them against the sand.She sat up and shook the sand off her chest and paws. She came out here to think of a plan but ended up drawing a blank. she wrote her friend’s names in the sand and sighed she drew the bars of a cage around them and lay back down flicking sand around with her claw. The heat of the sun and the sand made her sleepy, she had a hard time keeping her eyes open and pretty soo'''''n' 's​​​​he was asleep. 'Her dreams soon became nightmares, blood-spewing from the faces of unknown dragons. Her view switched to looking in Neberu’s lair the details were fuzzy and she couldn’t see much the only things in her line of sight were Vera and Thunder, their eyes were bright red and blood was dripping from their mouths. No, I’m too late! She thought desperately her throat stung and she woke up in a panic her eyes streaming. She breathed heavily it was just a dream, a bad, horrible, awful dream. She thought thankfully. But she couldn’t help the feeling that she was running out of time.Elka jumped back into the hidden world it was all dark, she sighed. another blackout. She looked around keeping her eyes open and looked around, she saw almost nothing it was very dark.

She used her instincts to find her way to her home she landed on the cold hard rock. “Copper?” she called out.

“Yeah?” he responded.

He walked towards her not quite sure of where she was, he accidentally bumped into her and backed up swiftly.

“Sorry,” he said quickly after bumping into her.

“You’re fine Copper,” she purred amused.

Copper sat next to her in the darkness, she leaned against him, she felt the rise and fall of his flanks and she could tell her was scared, she entwined her tail with his and he seemed to calm down a bit. 

“Did you find a way to save them?” Copper asked, breaking the silence.

Elka was about to tell him ‘no’ but then looked around and got an Idea.

“Yeah, I think I did,” she muttered looking out into the darkness.

Elka got up watching the light return and with it safety, she had come up with an idea to save her friends.

“We can save them if we go out in the blackouts,” Elka said absently.

“How?” Copper asked.

“Because the shadow legion would be out of the abyss when that happens we can go in without being seen,” she replied.

“Can we do it alone?” he asked walking up next to her.

“Probably not,” she sighed.

“Well do you have anyone else in mind who could help,” Copper asked.

Elka thought for a moment,” yeah actually,” she said getting up and flying off.

“I’ll be right back,” she said looking back at Copper.

She flew into the main throne room and looked around, she spotted Flint and Saber as well as Tie and Russet. She glided down and greeted them.

“Hi guys,” she said nodding her head in a greeting.

“Hi Elks,” Flint responded.

“Wassup?” Saber replied.

“Hi!” Tie exclaimed.

“Greetings,” Russet said bowing her head.

“I need your help,” Elka said and explained what she was going to do.

“We’re in!” Flint said grinning.

She asked them to follow her and took off heading back to her home. She landed in the entrance of the cave with the others, Copper ran up to her.

“Did you get the backup?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said walking into her home the others behind her.

He frowned looking around” really? I don’t see anyone,” he said confused.

“Oh, right, I forgot about that,” Elka replied.

There was a loud pop, and it became clear that Copper could see her brothers.

“Wait, where did you guys come from?” Copper asked bewildered.

“They were always here,” Elka replied.

“How come I couldn’t see them?” Copper asked.

“Because they’re echoes,” Elka replied shrugging.

“I thought you were gonna bring someone more alive,” Copper muttered.

“Look, they’re what we have right now,” Elka said rubbing up against him.

Copper starred at Flint, “I know you,” he muttered under his breath.

“How long do we have to wait?” Flint asked changing the subject.

“Until another blackout happens,” Elka replied looking up.

Not even five minutes later and Flint had hit saber on the head, Saber smacked him with his tail and Flint tackled him growling playfully. The two rolled around on the ground wrestling with each other'Tie rolled her eyes and wandered off while Russet grinned and walked over to Elka who was sitting there silently judging her brothers.

“Hey Elka, I bet you two mackerel that Flint’s gonna win!” she muttered smirking.

“Oh, leave the poor kid alone Russet,” Tie said gently bumping her head against Russet’s shoulder.

Elka laughed a little, they seemed nice she hadn’t really talked to them before but they were nice enough.

“Come on Tie, I was just having a little fun,” Russet explained innocently.

“So uh, if you don’t mind me asking how did you guys die?” Elka asked.

“I told you this before, I was crushed in a rockslide,” Russet explained shrugging.

“Do you know what caused the rockslide?” Elka asked.

“My ex-girlfriend,” she replied whipping her tail around.

Elka was confused for a moment then understood.

“She was a jerk anyway,” Russet said blowing a little fire mixed in with sand.

“What about you Tie?” Elka asked.

“I got into a fight with an octopus, I won but then the ink smothered me,” Tie said annoyed.

“Don’t get her started about octopi,” Russet whispered to Elka.

Tie was about to yell at Russet when there was a loud crashing noise “You win, You win, You always win!” Saber yelled.

 Elka looked over to see Flint pinning Saber and Copper to the ground. Figures Copper decided to join in. Elka snorted in amusement as Flint let the two get up again.

“Want to try again?” Flint asked fuzzy tail wagging hopefully.

“YES!” Copper said.

“NO!” Saber exclaimed.

Elka raised her head, she heard the high pitched noise again signaling another blackout, she was thankful that they were happening again, well sort of. She had noticed their frequency going down and that kind of scared her. 

“Quiet I hear something,” Elka ordered.

“Is it more of a some, or a thing?” Copper asked.

“Both?” she replied not quite sure the others snickered at their joke and she even laughed herself.

The lights flickered and went out bathing them in darkness “ let’s go,” Elka said eagerly jumping out.

“You guys know the plan?” Elka asked.

“ no!” Copper exclaimed.

“Oh right, I never told anyone the plan,” Elka said sheepishly.

“ find our friends and try to free them and destroy anyone in our way,” Elka stated.

“Question, what if the said dragons in the way are your friends?” Saber asked.

“Then Saber we’re colossally screwed,” Elka replied not wanting to think about that.

“Well, that’s comforting,” Russet said sarcastically.

“Come one!” Elka said flying off listening to the wing flaps of the others right behind her, she soared high trying to avoid the shadow legion she dove into the dark abyss and memory gilded her down the other hole in the floor, she landed followed by the other five.

“Ready,” she whispered walking in, the others nodded their faces lit by the blue flames near Nbeberu’s ‘throne’.

Elka looked around, she couldn’t see them, where could they be? The others spread out sniffing around.

Elka hopped up onto Neberu’s rock, luckily it wasn’t there. She thought she saw something above the wall she put her paw on the wall to try to climb up but the wall moved out of the way and she almost fell into the room that had opened up.

“What the hell,” she muttered walking in.

There was a pool of acid in the middle Vera and Thunder stood on either side of it and Nightshade and Scar were chained up still. 

“Vera!” Elka exclaimed running to her friend that was the closest to her.

Vera growled Elka slowed down to a trot confused at Vera’s aggression. Vera opened her eyes to reveal that they were bright green Thunder did the same. No! I’m too late! She thought horrified. 

Vera roared charging Elka, Elka yelped dodging Vera’s blows.  Vera smashed into the wall, and Thunder tried to blast her, she jumped onto Thunder, that was the wrong answer. Thunder shocked her Elka fell back her fur raised with electricity and fear, Thunder got back up and smacked Elka with her tail. Her spikes dragged across Elka’s flank a long gash started bleeding. Elka gritted her teeth and smacked Thunder with her tail, Thunder fell back. Elka Bolted to Nightshade and Scar hoping they weren’t the same way. Elka set herself alight with silvery-blue fire and used her claws to cut through the chains as if they were yak butter. Nightshade and Scare fell to the ground.

 “Please be alright, please be alright,” Elka muttered hurriedly shaking them.

Thunder’s jaws clamped around Elka’s tail Elka yelped being dragged away from Nightshade and Scar, Elka struggled against her but received a shock. Thunder screeched and let go of Elka Copper had shot her but then Vera came after him. But a blur of purple and green took Vera out of the room and landed her on the ground before Neberu’s throne. Elka turned around and ran to Scar. Scar was beginning to get up and Elka gave her a nudge to get up. 

“Elka what are you doing?” Scar asked getting up.

“Saving, your sorry ass what does it look like I’m doing?” Elka asked.

The lights began to flicker again, the blackout was ending.

“We need to go, NOW!” Elka roared running out of the room and diving for the ground Copper and Scar right behind her. 

Scar right behind her. Nightshade had managed to subdue Vera and was waiting for Elka. Elka jumped down and assumed Nightshade was following. She saw Flint, Saber, Tie, and Russet follow her in the corner of her eye. She flew up the entrance and out into the abyss. This is gonna be close! Elka thought she spiraled up and into the hidden world and flew as far away from the abyss as she could before the light returned. She slowed down once they were safe and looked back to check if everyone was there. one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. I have everyone, well everyone who I could’ve brought back.She thought sadly.She brought them back to her home.

“How are you guys did the shadow do anything to you?” Elka asked Scar and Nightshade.

“We’re fine, but as you saw, it took Thunder and Vera,” Nightshade replied.

“It kept talking about the crossover, Vera told it to shut up, that was the wrong answer,” Scar replied.

“That would make sense, I remember something about the crossover being the time when the shadow will attempt to take and use my strength,” Elka muttered.

“Why did it take Thunder?” She asked Scar.

“Because Thunder almost broke free,” Nightshade replied even though Elka was asking Scar.

“What Nightshade said,”  Scar responded.

Elka sighed “you guys have been through a lot just rest now,” Elka replied turning to leave again.

“What are you doing?” Copper asked skeptically.

“There’s something I still need to take care of,” Elka replied taking off and hovering in front of the entrance to her home.

Copper looked like he wanted to follow “don’t follow me, I need to do this by myself. I got myself into a mess and I need to get myself out,” she stated flying off.

Elka landed on a blueish tinged crystal, it turned royal blue when she landed on it. She curled her tail around it and wondered exactly how she was gonna go about getting herself out of the egg mess from yesterday, it felt like an eternity ago but it was just yesterday. She was tired of waiting and making good ideas, she was just gonna wing it. She jumped up and flew off towards the abyss. She was reluctant her common sense was kicking in. she shook her head and ignored it diving down into the darkness.

 She landed carefully looking around, she was fully aware that if her colors were normal she’d be extremely stealthy. She was on high alert if anything moved she’d attack it.  It was weirdly quiet, the statues around her were staring down eerily. She came to the skeleton of the Green Scale she memorized where the floor gave out and jumped down. 

She landed with a barely audible thud. 

She crept down the corridor and saw the shadow legion gathered in the main room. She looked around to try to find a way around it. The only thing she could see was the ceiling; stalag tights hung from it and she could hypothetically climb onto them. She scaled the wall and clung onto the nearest stalag tight she was upside down and this was definitely a bad idea, but it worked. 

She weaved from rock to rock while upside down in the presence of hundreds of enemies. Not her proudest moment, she came to the center of the room, it was weirdly quiet, she wondered if Neberu was in the strange room she found earlier the shadow legion seemed to be despondent for now.  She looked around trying to find where her eggs were. She spotted something she hadn’t noticed before, it could’ve been the blood rushing to her head but she thought she saw a dark splotch in the rock where another room sat. she slithered her way over there, sure enough, the black splotch was an opening. She looked into the room and gently dropped down. Elka walked into the dark room, she saw a null in the middle, two piercing yellow eyes greeted her, she continued forward she could barely make out a dark brown figure on the null and backed up terrified, she recognized this dragon. Reed.she thought this was the only dragon she was truly scared of, he knew how to hurt her without leaving a mark. 

"Hello, long time no see," he mused walking towards her. 

she backed up"w- what are you doing," she whimpered trying to keep her voice steady.

" you thought I'd stay away from you," he said laughing brushing his tail under her chin, she pulled away.

 "stay away from me," Elka growled.

“Awww kitten, I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said as if talking to a bunny or a puppy.

“Don’t EVER call me that!” she growled, she had always hated that nickname he’d given her.

He said nothing and rubbed his head along hers she growled and bit him.

“What was that for?” he asked shocked.

“You didn’t listen to me,” she growled if her eggs weren’t on the line she would’ve been a lot more scared.

His pupils narrowed, “watch it, or else I might accidentally,” he trailed off grabbing one of Elka’s eggs and tossing it around.

Elka said nothing she wasn’t sure how to proceed, “you wouldn’t” she finally managed to growl.

He put her egg down and jumped over to her “oh, but I would. In fact if it were up to me they’d both be dead as soon as I got my talons on them, the shadow wants them alive,” he replied cooly.

“You are the most soulless ass I have ever met, you only care about your self” Elka snapped.

“That is not true at all kitten, I care about you,” he soothed.

“Told you to stop calling me that!” Elka roared.

He brushed his wing against hers she raised her paw to scratch him “I wouldn’t if I were you,” he warned.

She stopped ” I missed you kitten, why did you run off?” he asked.

“Because you’re delusional!” Elka snapped.

“Maybe, but you’re here now and Copper isn’t here to stop me,” he replied grinning wickedly.

She inched towards her and put his wing around her she growled barring her teeth didn’t seem to care at all.

She was just about done with his BS,  she got up and walked away from him when he lept up to follow her she turned on him pinning him down.

“What’s this about kitten?” he asked.

“You are so senseless, how can someone like you be so manipulative?!” she asked slashing him over the eye. The thwack of claws on scales and the pour of blood made her feel like she was doing the right thing.

“Kitten please I love you,” Reed said hurriedly.

Elka pressed her teeth to his throat “you think your feelings will change anything? I’m not Copper and I won’t let you live,” she growled.

Like a snake, she recoiled and struck his throat air hissed out of it blowing bubbles of blood as the light faded from his eyes. Elka licked her lips and walked over to her eggs, she had them back.

She picked up one in her paws and gently took the other in her mouth, she then realized it was going to be harder to get out again, she hoped to Thor that the shadow legion was still in stasis or whatever. When she came to the entrance she heard Neberu speaking, she backed up forcing herself to not tighten her jaw. 

“Tomorrow the crossover begins, when the moon peaks we will rise from the shadows and reign power upon the dragons, if they get in your way kill them, we need submission prepare for battle,” Neberu announced with vigor and the shadow legion replied with exited roars with a sad pang she spotted Thunder and Vera among the crowd, cheering along with the others.

I can’t help them now. She thought sadly as she watched Neberu disappear into its quarters.

The dragons went back into stasis and stood still. Elka braved the flight out crying both of her eggs she quickly flew out of Neberu’s lair, she bolted out of the abyss and flew to her home where the others waited. 

“You got them back!?!” Copper exclaimed.

Elka nodded and everyone else was super confused.

“Ummmm, what? Why are you?” Nightshade started but Copper broke her off.

“We’ll explain later,” he said as Elka passed an egg to him she then flew into the separate chamber in her room and gently put down the other one.

“What happened?” Tie asked Tie seemed to have caught the look of fear Elka had tried to hide.

Elka sighed she was going to tell them sooner or later “the crossover is tomorrow, I don’t know what to do, we’re probably all gonna die,” she muttered looking down.

Nightshade nudged her roughly “hey what was that for?” Elka asked annoyed.

“I know I taught you better than that! Stop sobbing about that and start using your brain I know you have one!” Nightshade growled irritated.

Elka grinned sometimes she was thankful her friends were such psychos. Elka stood up addressing what was left of her friends and family.

“Scar, Nightshade I want you guys to round up anyone who’s ready and willing to fight and bring them to the main throne room,” she ordered they nodded and flew off.

 she turned to the others, “Flint, Saber  I want you guys to get those who don’t want to fight or aren’t able to mothers, hatchlings eggs, and elders take them to the hollow in the roof,” Elka stated nodding to the hole in the roof they took off after Nightshade and Scar, they could make themselves seen and she wasn’t worried about dragons not seeing them.

“Tie, Russet you will round up the echoes, this is as much your fight as it is ours,” she said and they flew off.

“Copper you’re with me,” she said Copper smiled and jumped up to follow her. 

“Allways,” he said flying after her.

Elka darted to the main throne room and found Toothless and Light they were asleep and she suddenly realized it was night, she had less time than she thought.

“Toothless,” she announced coming in for a landing Copper at her side.

He sat up and yawned “do you know what time it is Elks, what in Thor’s name could be so important that you’d wake me up?” he asked as Light stretched and shook herself, Elka knew Light could sense something was off but Toothless was oblivious.

“The Crossover is tomorrow,” Elka stated Light gasped but Toothless just sat there confused.

“Let me restate that, the shadow legion is going to attack at midnight, I’ve sent out my friends to-,” Elka started before Toothless broke her off.

“Elka, how do you know this?” Toothless asked.

“Does it matter?” Elka asked she couldn’t believe Toothless was still skeptical.

“Listen to her,” Light mumbled.

“What?” Toothless asked.

“Listen to her,” Light said louder.

“If you don’t we risk losing the hidden world!” Light added.

Toothless looked as if he was recalling the night when Elka lost her eggs.

“Why would I lie T, why would I lie about this?” Elka asked.

“Okay, don’t make me regret this,” Toothless stated.

Elka smiled and Light looked hopeful.

“We need you to help round up an army, I already put out scouts but you have more power than me and can get it done more efficiently,” she stated.

“I hope you’re right about this, for both of our sakes,” he said before flying off Light in pursuit he roared and guard dragons took off and followed him for a bit before dispersing. She inhaled and tried to calm down. All hell was about to break loose.

The mighty fall[]

Elka jumped off of the mushroom ledge and glided over the hidden world a tension seemed to be building as dragons gathered in the throne room prepared to fight Elka exited the throne room and flew into the hollow that once held the tree, Flint and Saber had done their jobs well as a crowd of nervous dragons stood protected by the crown guard. Elka nodded greeting and dove out Copper followed.

They flew back to the main throne room and sat with everyone else she watched Light and Toothless fly back into the throne room and land next to Elka.

“That’s everyone, the hatcheries are emptied and everyone who doesn’t want to fight has been brought to the hollow,” Toothless said “I hope you’re right about this,” Toothless added.

Four other dragons flew in, Elka recognized them as Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, Barf and Belch Cloudjumper, and Skullcrusher Elka was happy to see them though none of them were ever good friends with her it felt good to see them.

Nightshade and Scar came to Elka and sat next to her and Copper, she looked around seeing echoes and dragons sitting with each other chatting and saying hi to family and friends. They were all friendly enough but there was a static tension that hung in the air.

“Well guys, this could be it, we might not see tomorrow,” Elka said looking to her friends.

“Yeah, it’s crazy to believe that this could be the last time we ever see each other alive,” Nightshade muttered.

Scar stayed quiet, Elka could tell she was upset that her friends might die or else she’d be waiting in gleeful apprehension. 

Copper opened his mouth like he was about to say something but a sudden tremor cut him off, the dragons fell silent looking around wild-eyed. Elka tensed as a second tremor passed through the ground small rocks fell from the ceiling and the dragons whispered to each other may be saying goodbye’s or wondering what was going to happen. Elka had given orders for Nightshade and Scar to take a small squad to defend the hollow, and the echoes would take out the screamers, everyone else was to fight with Toothles's.A third tremor shook the ground larger than the others, the lights blinked and went out and they sat there in dark silence. Something weird was happening with the glow worms, Elka realized looking up, they were bright blood red and they started strobing they turned green than yellow, orange then red. They did this six times before landing on red and staying red.The lights came back on and the ground started to vibrate and Elka stood up Copper and her friends stood with her Toothless perked up looking around tentatively. Light was really jittery looking around nervously.A shrill screaming echoed through the cavern, the echoes tensed. The screaming got louder as the faceless creatures poured into the cavern, the echoes ran to attack them some disappearing as their long outstretched claws slashed through them and others managed to attack.

“Scar, Nightshade, go,” Elka ordered the two dragons obeyed flying off with their small squadron of dragons behind them.

Elka looked around waiting for the shadow legion to show, she wasn’t disappointed. They came pouring out of all the entrances and some of the crowd turned dark as well. Even some of the echoes were part of the shadow legion their pale scales turning dark grey. Toothless roared to attack and the room erupted into chaos and fire. 

Elka stood her ground shooting at any members of the shadow legion who stood still, occasionally knocking them off of other dragons. A monstrous nightmare jumped her she fell to the ground wrestling with the beast. She raked her claws along its underbelly and it screeched in agony rearing up, she threw it off of her and darted to a different place in the chaos. she hoped Nightshade and Scar were okay, they had much fewer dragons to help them.

 

 

 

 

 

Nightshade

 

Nightshade took off with Scar heading to the entrance to Elka’s throne room,  she looked behind her to see the shadow legion following her. 

“We got company,” she growled to Scar and their squad.

“Then take them out!” Scar replied.

Nightshade turned around and shot her mist it spread out and froze some of the shadows legion the others flew right through it. 'Nightshade growled and flew at them whipping some of them with her tail and wrestling with others, she saw two familiar faces in the crowd, Vera and Thunder. Nightshade didn’t want to hurt them, she couldn’t hurt them. Vera roared slashing at Nightshade with her pincers. Nightshade took two hard blows and Vera went in to stab her with her stinger. Something whistled by her head, Vera screeched in surprise and backed up as more objects were launched. Nightshade looked back to see Scar the tin red and white dragon had saved her life.

“Come on!” Scar roared providing cover fire as Nightshade retreated.

Nightshade mad as she liked to call it ‘a tactical withdrawal’ she and Scar returned to their squadron. 

“Hold the ling guys, nothing gets past us!” Nightshade roared bleeding from multiple cut wounds.

The shadow legion advanced Nightshade hissed spewing mist. Nightshade’s group attacked and the room erupted into turmoil, she wrestled around with a Light fury she easily overpowered the wimpy dragon and killed it, the black faded from its iridescent scales and its lifeless eyes returned to their normal colors. Thunder tackled Nightshade and electrocuted her, it felt like hef blood had turned to lava she screeched in agony blowing mist in Thunder’s face. Thunder froze and Nightshade there Thunder off of her.They were holding them off for now. 

 

 

 

 

Elka

 

Elka fought as hard as she could, she was barely aware of the wounds covering her entire body. Her muscles screamed in protest but she ignored them and kept fighting. She watched as the shadow legion killed dragon after dragon. The cries of the dying filled the cavern, a plasma blast flew over her shoulder as Toothless took down a dragon that was about to jump her. Elka noticed Copper fighting Russet, she vaguely remembered seeing the scar across Russet’s chest, Elka knocked the echo off of Copper and helped him up. He then shot over her shoulder and she united to see a deathsong backing up growling.

“Elka behind you!” Stormfly squawked blasting fire at another Nadder behind Elka.

“You okay Elks? you’re kind of distracted,” Copper muttered.

“Huh, yeah I’m...fine, considering the circumstances,” she replied.

Copper gave her a skeptical look but left her alone. Elka growled launching herself at a SIlver Bellied Green-Scale. She jumped out of the way of its tail as it whipped its many stingers at her.When it recoiled to lash out again she jumped on its back and snapped its spine before it could kill her with its stingers. It crumpled to the ground and just as she thought she was fine something hit her hard in the back of her head. Her vision blurred and she felt herself being dragged across the battlefield. Copper noticed and ran after her she felt herself being lifted off of the ground and carried off by some unknown dragon. Elka looked around trying to figure out her surroundings all she saw was a blurry Crimson Goregutter, carrying her to...somewhere, she couldn’t tell where everything was still fuzzy. She saw Copper flying after her, or a golden blob. She was getting really tired of not seeing very well her head pounded from where she had gotten hit with the clubbed tail of the Goregutter.

She shook her head opening it’d fix things, it didn’t. she wondered how long that was gonna last when her vision came back into focus, although she may have preferred it blurry. She was at the waterfall Copper had caught up to the Goregutter and was gliding along beside her. Behind her there was a swarm of the shadow legion, it was really creepy they were just sitting there, like as of in asleep but they were totally awake. She was then promptly dropped into the crowd of dragons, Elka got ready to fight for her life but all they did was move out of her way. Somehow even more creepy.

“What’s happening?” Copper whispered to her, you’d have to know him to see the panic behind his eyes but it was there.

“I have no idea,” she said in a low voice watching the Goregutter land with the others.

It let out an earth splitting call and the shadow legion cleared a direct path for her and Copper, they sat on opposite sides facing each other with perfect symmetry they looked like extremely creepy statues. Their eyes glowing green as if in a ‘stand by’ position. 

“We’re about to find out,” Elka said walking forward.

Elka and Copper walked to the waterfall, the powerful water rhythmically churning the water below it. The mist and wind whipped Elka’s fur around Copper shivered and Elka took off. Copper followed, she twirled as she ascended spreading her wings and then folding them in and outstretched her legs and did a nose dive onto the beach. She landed on her forepaws and quickly spread her weight across all four of her legs. Copper glided down next to her.

 The sky was grey with storm clouds showing the coming dawn, Elka hadn’t realized that it had been that long since midnight. Standing in the middle of the beach was Neberu, some of the shadow legion standing around it. 

“Welcome Elka, and… other useless lizard,” it said eyes pupils narrowing staring at Copper.

Copper growled the muscles under his scales rippled as he tensed.

“You’re witnessing history, now bend to my will and this will be less painful for everyone,” Neberu hissed grinning its palm glowing green a fifth band began to form around Elka’s neck.

Elka thrashed against it trying to get it off before it became corporeal there seemed to be no way to stop it.

“This ends here!” Elka roared igniting her back into silvery-blue ‘flames’.

“Yes it does,” Neberu said grinning.

 Elka lunged for it then a strange thought struck her while she was attacking. If Neberu was Kea all along, then why would it teach me how to beat it? Why would it do that if it wanted to win? It has a plan it doesn’t do things for no reason it has a plan I just hope it’s a bad one. Elka thought desperately.

Neberu didn’t even really fight back, it just dodged her attacks witch was annoying. Elka hissed in annoyance firing up her blast. Neberu was waiting for this, it held up its palm witch glowed green.

Elka stopped dead pain had taken over her body, it felt like her insides were getting ripped out of her mouth by lava. It was the kind of burning pain you feel behind your eyes and at the base of your neck. She cried out in pain, trying to back away she didn’t quite know what was going on. The fire on her back flickered and she realized it was taking her energy. She pulled away gasping for air. As Neberu advanced

 

 

Nightshade

 

Nightshade tackled a Grapple grounder and rolled around scratching it. She pummeled its underbelly with her hind legs; it, however, was in its element. It wrapped around her and squeezed. Scar jumped onto it and whacked it on the back of the head, it let go and collapsed. Nightshade got up nodding in thanks, she then jumped over Scar’s shoulder and whipped her tail at a Changewing. it growled and sprayed its lime green acid, it burned into Nightshade’s flesh and Nightshade let out a howl of pain. Enraged by the pain she lunged for the Changewing grabbing it by the neck and shaking it like a ragdoll. She tossed the dragon aside realizing how small her squadron had become less than ten dragons were left. She heard a loud growl and she looked around, Vera, had Scar pinned to the ground.

“Hey!” Nightshade yelled trying to grab Vera’s attention.

It didn’t work Vera plunged her stinger into the little dragon’s body. 

“no! “ Nightshade whispered trying to claw her way through the crowd to stop Veriform killing Scar. 

Thunder jumped into her way, Nightshade fought to get Thunder out of her way but she was too late. Vera stabbed Scar a second time and the light faded from the little dragon’s eyes.

“Scarlette!” Nightshade roared in horror.

The shadow legion advanced more dragons pouring in, Nightshade backed up wanting to spray more mist but she was all out of fire. She backed up barring her translucent blue teeth menacingly, she didn’t know how much longer she could keep it up.

 

 

Elka

 

Elka backed up growling and she flared up her back again (despite what had happened before). 

“Where are you going? You can’t run from your own destiny,” Neberu hissed.

“Destiney doesn’t exist, nothing is written in stone!” Elka snapped back slashing at Neberu.

“Even if what you say is true, you belong to me, your power belongs to me!” Neberu announced eyes wild.

“This is all a game to you, isn’t it?  You think dragons are toys for you to control and play with until they die. Then you replace them, I am not a weapon or a machine! I am not something for you to use for whatever it is that you wanted!” Elka spat knocking it back with her horns.

“I forgot to tell you what this was all about. I used to be human, I come from a world far more advanced than your own. My lab partners did experiments on me as a joke! It went way too far and turned me into this, a monster! Because of you today I will return to being a human and bring my army to seek revenge on those who made me this way!” Neberu explained.

“Well I see why they did it, you’re a real jackass!” Elka roared, swiping at it with her icy paws. 

Neberu said nothing but caught her paw and began draining her energy. 

She panicked trying to pull out of it but Neberu’s grip was too strong and pain numbed her mind. she struggled to keep her focus above the mind-numbing pain. She growled, her eyes were squeezed shut, she gritted her teeth and tried to pull away. But she couldn’t move it was like she was being locked in place. She was losing, no, this isn’t how it ends! I won’t lose! NO! She thought. She willed herself to open her eyes, she used all of her focus to blast at Neberu. The explosion blasted both Elka and Neberu back. Elka fell back and rolled over the ground sand flying everywhere.  Copper ran over to her and grabbed her before she fell over the waterfall. He dropped her onto the sand. 

“Elks you okay?” he asked, nudging her.

She struggled to get to her feet, blood trickled from the edge of her mouth and her body felt like it was on fire.

“Yeah,” she replied.

His eyes widened and he backed away from her.

“What? What is it?” she asked, confused.

“Your eyes,” he muttered.

Elka was so confused she looked in a puddle of rainwater and her eyes were glowing silver, no pupils, no iris, just silver. She backed up and blinked. She went back to the puddle and checked again. The silver faded from her eyes. She was scared of what she had become but there was something more important: the dirt and sand kicked up during the blast had begun to settle. Standing there was a creature like none she had ever seen before. It was a mass of flesh, some human some like it had before. Black greasy veins ran through its skin, so much so that it looked like vines entangled around its body. Green blood and slime coated its skin and it held its face in one hand with long claws on the end of it. It peeled its hand away revealing a tangle of black veins and scars that seemed to make up its face. It had one bright reddish-yellow eye peeking through the tangle of veins.

“What the * * * *,” Elka said, backing away from it.

Copper sat there in freaked out silence.

“What-” Neberu paused looking at itself.

“What did you do to me!” it snarled through no visible mouth.

“You did this to yourself!” Elka spat jumping forward.

“SHUT UP, you belong to me!” Neberu yelled.

Elka motioned for Copper to back up, he reluctantly stepped away casting one last glance towards her before backing away.

“You’re mine!” Neberu hissed putting up its paw.

“You keep telling yourself that and maybe you’ll convince yourself of it,” she replied smirking.

It closed its fist and whispers plagued Elka’s mind she tried to fight it but it was too strong, she tried her silver eyes trick but it wasn’t working, her eyes strobed from silver to black as she tried to fight it. The silver faded away as her pupils filled up her entire eyes. Elka started moving towards Neberu against her will.

She tried to stop herself but it was no use, she could see and feel but she wasn’t in control of what she was doing. She hated this feeling, she hated not being in control of herself. She felt something slam into her side as she neared Neberu, she was shocked of a second and then found her barrings, Copper had pinned her down. He had stopped her from getting killed for the time being but neberu wasn’t dead yet.

“Come on Elks, you can fight it!” he whispered as Neberu got closer.

Elka made a growling, gurgling sound as a response, she had a hard time talking when Neberu takes over her mind.

“Come ON fight it!” Copper said shaking her a little more hastily,

Elka shook her head her eyes flickering for a moment before returning to black.

“Elka fight it! You fight everything else! Like hunters, putting on a saddle, and anyone who’s rude to you,  come on, you can’t stop fighting now!” Copper said nudging her more, Neberu was practically on top of them.

Elka blinked again she was in control again, she barred her teeth and shot at Neberu and knocked it back.

“YES!” Copper yelled.

Elka grinned standing up, Copper at her side. Copper blasted at Neberu as well, Neberu held out its palm and deflected it.

“This is between her and me, this does not concern you,” Neberu hissed.

“Too bad!” Copper snapped back. 

Neberu glared at Copper and hit him with electricity, Copper doubled over backing up and trying to shake off the green lightning.

“Stop!” Elka roared.

Neberu closed its fist before it eventually let him go. Copper backed up gasping for air.

Elka threw up her wings and a dome of silver began to form around her and Neberu.

Copper looked up “E-Elka, what are you doing?” he asked running up to her and then hitting the silver barrier.

Elka turned to look at him “this is my problem I don’t want anyone else to die because of me,” she replied looking solemnly at him. 

“I’m not leaving you, not ever again,” Copper said banging on the barrier.

“Fine, then I’m leaving you,” she replied waving her wings again and the silver barrier became opaque she looked back regretfully but shook her head.

“That was about the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen,” Neberu said its eye grinning at her.

“How so?” Elka replied they circled each other like sharks in the water.

“You just blocked yourself off from anyone who could provide help,” it said gesturing at the outside.

“You aren’t any better off, how good are you without your little minions,” Elka snarked. 

They circled each other for a few more minutes before Neberu charged. Elka jumped out of the way then turning on the dime and tackling Neberu pinning it to the ground. She charged up a blast but Neberu shocked her and kicked her off. Elka went flying into the barrier she had set up; she staggered to her feet, smirking and shaking her head as if to say ‘what was that supposed to be?’ she did notice something was wrong, her breathing wasn’t right it took a lot more effort to breathe than before but she thought nothing of it. 

Neberu charged again catching Elka across the face she snarled and managed to dodge its next attack and its clawed hand hit the barrier. Elka used her horns to knock it over she then lunged forward and bit its leg with the goal to trip it. The oily black veins burst in her mouth and the sticky bitter substance clung to her teeth. She gaged backing up trying to get the black goo out of her mouth. Neberu got to its feet while she was trying to get the icky black stuff out of her mouth. It limped towards her, she growled barring her now black teeth. She lit up the battlefield with an icy blue glow hoping to ‘burn’ away the goo with her blast. Neberu jumped grabbing her by the throat and pinning her to the barrier. He continued to draw power from her.

“Sorry it had to end this way,” it said in a mocking tone.

“No, you’re not,” Elka gurgled clawing at its hand in an attempt to get free.

“You’re right, I’m not,” it said drawing more power.

“It’s funny, every other queen died by my hand, your pathetic mother was the only one who managed not to die because of me, this is how it ends, this is how it will always be. And you thought that you’d be any different a complete pipe dream if I’ve ever heard one,” it said smirking. Elka growled her eyes turning silver as did the rest of her markings “you’re wrong,” she choked.

“What?” it asked loosening its grip a little.

Elka took this opportunity to flare up her aura the silver fire spread down her markings when it touched Neberu it howled in pain letting her go. She dropped to the ground aiming swipe after swipe at it. She caught it across the chest once or twice and it stumbled backward.

“I said you’re wrong! I’m going to be a better alpha than my ancestors ever were, I’ve succeeded where they failed!  you think you know me, all you know is what’s inside me, you have no idea of who I am, no one does and that’s not a bad thing!” she spat stalking forward.

She charged up a blast but this one was different than the others, it was silvery colored and the icy flames on her back and down her sides all got drawn to it as if feeding into it. She charged it up until all the flames on her back were out Neberu stepped back, it seemed scared of her. She had never seen fear in its eye but there’s a first time for everything. She fired and the first thing that happened was a blinding flash of white. Elka shielded her eyes with her wing, then came the noise, a rumbling BOOM echoed out so loud it could startle a Thunderdrum in New Berk. the sound seemed so loud that the sky shook when it passed. A shockwave rang out throwing Elka against the barrier wall. Elka fell to the sand she was so tired and breathing felt funny but she got up the barrier fell falling apart from top to bottom.

Where Neberu once stood was an icy crater, the only remnants of its body was a sticky black ooze that covered the entire crater.

“ELKA! YOU DID IT!” Copper exclaimed running up to her.

Reality hit her like a hunter’s arrow, she did it. It was over, she won.

“I-I did it! I won!” Elka muttered shocked.

She had done it, but something felt weird. As the battle faded away pain ebbed into her chest. She coughed after she accidentally inhaled sand but when she opened her eyes blood covered the sand.

“E-Elka?” Copper asked as Elka continued coughing.

Dread gripped her as she remembered something that Nyra said ‘you die in the end, the queen always dies,’ could she be right? Elka felt fear flow through her, she was so tired. Elka’s legs gave out and she fell to the ground.

“Elka! Are you okay?” Copper asked laying beside her.

Elka lay her head on his paws “I-I don’t think so,” she croaked.

Her wheezing grew louder as she fought to breathe.

“Elka you’re gonna be okay, you have to be okay!” Copper whined.

“That’s not how life works,” she mused.

“No, no, no! That’s not how these things are supposed to go! Don’t leave me!” he cried desperation in his voice.

The former members of the shadow legion gathered around hanging their heads sadly.

“I’ll always be there,” Elka croaked.

“NO!” Copper whined stubbornly.

Elka pressed her nose to Copper’s “it’s okay, I’m ready,” she murmured.

Copper looked like he wanted to say something but the only noise he made was a whimper Elka lay her head down and drew in a ragged breath, after a long pause she let it out and darkness enveloped her mind.

 

Copper

 

Copper stared at Elka’s body, it was strange seeing her so still. He whimpered and nudged her hoping that she’d open her eyes and say something stupid. That maybe he’d turn around and she’d be there and that this was someone else.

“Elka,” he cried nudging her.

“Please,” he sobbed.

He pressed his nose into her fur, she wasn’t breathing. He couldn’t believe it, this wasn’t how these things are supposed to end. It was supposed to end like all the stories his mom had told him, with a happily ever after. Apparently, that doesn’t exist. 

“Hey, Elka you did i-” Toothless paused looking around.

 Copper turned around to look at Toothless and light, they looked so happy together, why did he have to lose Elka.

“Copper where’s,” Toothless started, moving towards Copper.

“Oh,” Toothless said looking at Elka’s body on the ground.

Light gasped and backed up shaking her head in disbelief. Like she didn’t want to accept it. Copper knew she wasn’t dead, no it was just a weird coma, she is okay. She has to be. 

“Please help her,” he said weakly.

“What?” Toothless replied.

“Please!” Copper repeated.

“Copper, she’s gone, there’s nothing anyone can do,” Toothless replied.

“NO! DON’T SAY THAT!” Copper snapped jumping up “there’s a way! There has to be,” he said hurriedly.

Toothless was annoyed his alpha colors started to show, “she’s DEAD Copper,” Toothless snapped.

Copper was crushed, he glanced back at Elka’s body and sat back down next to her. It was true, he just didn’t want to accept it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Toothless open his mouth as if to apologize, Light than brushed her wing against his and walked over to Copper. 

“You must’ve really loved her huh?” Light asked looking at Copper.

Copper said nothing but nodded, he didn’t trust himself to speak.

“She shouldn’t have died, she was young and in good health, she had her entire life ahead of her. Sure she wasn’t the best alpha but she managed to do something no one else could,” Light continued.

“It’s not fair! Why did she have to die?! It should have been anyone else!” Copper whined.

“She was the only one who could’ve pulled it off,” Light replied.

“Yeah, but still,” Copper muttered trailing off.

More dragons exited the hidden world Light got up and walked back to Toothless and they sat around Elka’s body along with the shadow legion and Copper. Copper looked back to see Thunder and Vera looking dejected.

“Hey Copper, we have bad news,” Vera said looking to Thunder.

Copper looked down “yeah so do I,” Copper said.

“What do you mean?” Thunder asked.

Copper got up and moved from his spot. 

Thunder and Vera sat there is stunned silence.

“NO!” Vera hissed running over to Elka.

“This is what you * * * * * * *get for helping people * * * *!” Vera cried.

 if Copper didn’t know her as well as he did he’d of thought she was angry.

“How? We won, didn’t we? How is she dead, this isn’t right!” Thunder yelped.

“Yeah, we won,” Copper replied.

“This isn’t winning!” Thunder snapped.

“What isn’t winning? Did we lose?” Nightshade asked.

“We lost something, just not the battle,” Thunder replied as Vera threw a temper tantrum.

“What?” Nightshade replied.

Thunder got out of her way so she was able to see Elka’s body, Copper knew this was hard for everyone. Elka was an amazing dragon. Nightshade didn’t even say anything, she was in shock. Eventually, the others joined the semi-circle around Elka’s body. So did many other dragons, sad because the queen that they didn’t really care about died.

Then a strange dragon emerged from the crowd, she was black and red her eyes were black with white pupils and her wings were transparent. She had huge horns and spikes down her back. She had a powerful build and long sharp claws, Copper had never seen a dragon like her before.

“Who are you?” he asked as she approached Elka’s body.

“You should know me, my name is Nyra,” she replied.

A look of understanding dawned on Elka’s friend’s face.

Nyra bent over and pressed her nose into Elka’s fur, a green glow shone through the fuzz.

“What are you doing to her?!!” Copper growled.

“If this works you’ll be thanking me now be quiet and let me focus,” Nyra hissed.

Copper was silent as Nyra continued to do whatever it was she was doing, the green grew brighter and it seemed to be flowing from Nyra into Elka but what was it that she was doing? Copper watched as the light shown through Elka’s bones outlining them in darkness. Then the light stopped Nyra stepped back breathing heavily. Suddenly Elka’s flanks began to rise and fall, with a start Copper realized she was breathing. 

“E-Elka?” he asked tentatively.

Elka stirred her face contorting a little bit then her eyes opened.

“ELKA!” Copper exclaimed.

 

 

Elka

 

 

Elka opened her eyes what had happened? 

“ELKA!” she heard Copper exclaim as he showered her with licks.

“H-hi,” she replied smiling.

She looked around it seemed like everyone had gathered around her, she spotted a dragon she knew very well, Nyra. she knew that her mother had been the one that saved her Elka smiled “thank you,” she whispered as Nyra began fading away.

“No, thank you,” Nyra replied fading out of existence.

Elka stood up and was crowded with dragons they clustered around her and Copper. She had done it. Against all odds, she had won. She sat with Copper and savored the moment, she had done something no one else had ever accomplished.

“So, it’s over huh,” she said as the crowd passed.

“Yeah,” Toothless replied.

Light nodded.

“What now?” Elka asked.

“Party?” Copper asked hopefully, giving his tail a tentative wag.

“Copper that is one-hundred percent all I want to do right now!” Elka replied Copper began running off to go start a party Elka followed. 

“Come on!” she said to the others before jumping into the hidden world, they shrugged and followed gliding right behind her.

 

Epilogue[]

 

Elka and her family flew through the hidden world, her two hatchlings squeaking with joy. She looked back at them, Nya and Nyx. Nya was the female with purple fur she had one black patch around her eye and horns, her underside was like a Sand Wraith as were her wings. She was named after Nyra Elka’s mother who had saved her a while back. And Nyx was the little dragon with the Sand Wraith scales on his back, he had no spikes but he did have horns. His underside was like Elka’s as were his wings he was named Nyx because Copper thought it ‘rhymed’ it in fact did not rhyme but she thought it was a nice name. 

She soared above the other dragons Nya gliding next to her squeaking excitedly. Nyx came in from the right and tried to knock Nya out of the air. Nya growled playfully and they roughhoused in the middle of flight.

“Knock it off you two,” Elka said nudging them apart.

They flew up into the main throne room as thousands of dragons gathered around. Toothless sat with Light and their offspring the Nightlights played around their feet. Elka landed on the crystal and she heard three pairs of feet land behind her Nya and Nyx squeaked playfully attacking each other. Copper picked Nya up by the scruff of her neck and swept Nyx to him with his tail he let Nya go and they calmed down. 

Elka stepped up onto the middle of the crystal she looked to Toothless to see if she was able to do this. He nodded and she stepped to the edge, the masses of dragons bowed below their wings shivering. Even the skeptical Light Furies bowed, she spotted her friends and her brothers staring up at her proudly. She smiled at them and spread her wings she still had her silver markings but her strange powers were gone, she roared and a thunderous uproar of dragons followed. 

“All hail the queen” they chorused,” all hail queen Elka!”

Authors note[]

thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed Hearts of Shadow, this is the first 'book' I ever finished so feel free to give me critiques on how it was. I hope the ending was sadisfying I'm not good at endings XD, if you want more from Elka Copper and the others I am working a on a prequel called 'Before the Riders' stay tuned and keep reading! ;)

Terms[]

okay, so if you're not confused so far good! but if you're completely lost I don't blame you...hopefully these terms I'm putting in will make things much more clear.



  • Shadow legion- an army of dragons under the control of Neberu, they can switch from normal to controlled at any point in time, the only ID for theses types of dragons is a scar in the shape of a burning heart across their chest.


  • The shadow- another name for Neberu...because when you say its name you summon it but you can say this instead


  • Echoes- basically they're dragon ghosts for lack of a better term... dragons have heard of them before that's why I do not put an explanation in the story...the best explanation would be they're like themselves but not really there like you're speaking words but you're not really saying anything we're just voices lost on the wind Echoes of our former selves.


  • Shade-  a shade is a dragon that is not living, but also cannot die,  stuck in the veil between life and death they can see on both sides of the veil but only show themselves to certain dragons, unlike echoes they are not fully dead, just missing a body an example of a shade would be Nyra she can not die until the crystal is broken...refer to chapter one...


  • The Veil- a 'curtain' that separates life and death, dragons on the living side cannot see over to the dead side but dragons who are dead can see onto the other side and sometimes 'call' (see calling) dragons over by appearing to them and only them once called over dragons can usually hop from side to side without having to be called, in some rare cases dragons end up getting stuck after being called over and exist in a part of both sides see ing and hearing what happens on either side without being alive or dead...however if a living dragon who is stuck dies they move to the correct side.' 


  • calling- dragons on the dead side of the veil can appear to the dragons on the living side to call a dragon onto their side so they can chat, for details check veil.


  • screamers- humans that have been touched by Neberu, they are stuck on the dead side of the veil and only attack echoes and when they get one it dissipates and they continue what they were doing.


  • Rift-  the rift only appears when every planet comes into alignment, it's a 'gate-way' between worlds and it was through this that Neberu got to Earth.


  • Crossover- the crossover is another word for an eclipse, it is the deadline for the rise of the shadows, a war that is yet to start.


  • Energy-the life essence of all living things, its name differs throughout the world but it is the same thing if you run low or out of energy you die...refer again to chapter one 




if this story had a theme song it would be these (will be one * if bad words...two if 'suggestive' language three if both...)

Panic Room-Au/Ra

Legends Never Die- League Of Legends

the Kids Aren't Alright- Fall Out Boy

the Good, the Bad, and the Dirty- Panic! at the Disco * * 

the Mighty Fall-  Fall Out Boy+Big Sean * * * 

Bleeding Out- Imagine Dragons 

My Name Is...-Once Monsters 



Demons-Imagine Dragons

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