how to get there, and that was why Emily wouldn't survive the journey to the dragon realm. Each council member stood on a pillar with a color representing the Element their kingdom represented. The water pillar was blue, the Fire pillar was red, The Crystal pillar was purple, the Shadow pillar was black, the Nature pillar was green, the Air pillar was grey, and the Lightning pillar was yellow. Amethyst growled, smoke rising from her nostrils. She didn't like to be kept waiting like this. Amethyst was a Crystal dragon. And not just any crystal dragon. She was the Crystal representative, of course, but also Queen of the dragon realm. She wore a Crystal crown atop her head. She was also one of the only dragons remaining that knew the ancient art of magic. She inherited the throne after Galena, Amethyst's descendant and former queen of the dragon realm mysteriously disappeared.

Her tail flicked back and forth, back and forth, Her wings twitched, her eyes scanned the other dragons. Opal, the SkyWreaker representative was seated on her rock, her thin features providing her with somewhat of deadly grace. Amethyst knew how she was in battle, but the young council member still could not face the might of Amethyst. Magma, of the FireBreakers, was sitting on his pillar as well. His thick scales provided him with a tough hide. He was quite skilled in battle, but yet again, no match for Amethyst. Smoke hovered above his rocky scales. Discharge, the LightStriker council member was in the air, swooping around the dragons with her whip-thin tail behind her, and her veiny wings outstretched. Her lightning-summoning talons weaved invisible patterns in the air. Aqua was growling and pacing on her blue pillar. A large waterfall fell from the blue pillar. It never flooded the ground below. Her tail, equipped with a large fin on the end for swimming, was lashing back and forth. Her webbed tal

curled and her ruff was flared. Amethyst knew that the turquoise dragon did not like to wait. Pine, the nature representative was sleeping in a ray of sunlight. Small tan flowers peppered her dark green scales. Green smoke rose from her nostrils. Her scales were round and curved, and her fire healed plants, like all nature dragons. And the certain somebody that wasn't there was Ruthless, the Shadow Dragon. He was normally very punctual; his being late was an oddity. Suddenly, a black dragon swooped in from above. This wasn't Ruthless. His aura seemed much more malevolent, and his scales were a different black. And his eyes-- Amethyst froze.

His eyes were pure black. Black like a bottomless pit. Black like the realm of shadows. Black like the shadow king, Amethyst thought before she could stop. His eyes blended in perfectly with his scales; at first glance, it looked like he had no eyes. He landed on Ruthless's pillar. "Shall we begin?" the strange dragon asked. His voice was cold. There were bones tied to his body- all over him. Dragon bones. Who but a demon would wear the bones of his own species as trophies? "Who are you?" Amethyst snarled, snapping out of the trance. She stood up menacingly, her back arched and her eyes set aflame. "You have no business at the council meeting!" "Oh! Forgive me. I almost forgot to introduce myself!" He said with mock forgetfulness. "My name…" he said, his gaze passing around the council until they rested on Amethyst. "My name is Living Shadow."

Amethyst's eyes widened. Her eyes rolled back into her head, turning black as pitch. Discharge cried out when she saw Amethyst's eyes. Amethyst's head spun. Bright lights flashed. She saw another pillar in the council area. She saw a clearing. She saw a tall tree in the forest. She saw an arch made of light. Then she saw darkness. Such absolute darkness, that she knew exactly where she was without needing to see it. Amethyst shook her head. "Are you alright?" Opal asked, concern shining in her eyes. The dragons had circled around her on her pillar. Those that didn't fit on the pillar hovered in the air above it. Pine's wing was across Amethyst's back in a comforting way. "I-I'm alright," Amethyst growled. She glared at Living Shadow, who was on his pillar instead of seeing what happened, with as much fierceness as she could muster. "I had a vision," she whispered to the dragons gathered around her. She didn't need Shadow hearing her.

The black dragon flicked one of his ears. She knew that he had somehow heard her. She hissed softly, and the black dragon's head shifted slightly. Great. He had super-hearing. Amethyst shifted, realizing everybody was watching her exchange with Living Shadow. She shifted her wings. "Let the meeting resume," she said, shifting her wings and wrapping her tail around her talons. She quickly entered the council members' minds and relayed a message saying to meet her in her cavern below the pillars after the council meeting. She didn't message Living Shadow. "Well," Opal said, settling on her rock. Her face tightened as she got Amethyst's message. Discharge, Magma, and Aqua didn't move as they got her message. But Pine's tail swished and her talons twitched. She angled her ears as if listening to something.

Living Shadow watched Pine curiously. Amethyst messaged Pine to stop fidgeting. She did so. As a blue jay flapped into view, she watched it and angled her ears towards it as if she had been listening to the bird instead of a secret message. Smart, Amethyst thought. "Well," Opal said, shifting her wings uneasily. "Shall I start my report?" Amethyst had almost forgotten that this was a meeting. "Of course," Amethyst nodded. Opal dipped her head and took a step forward on her pillar. "The wind vale is prospering. We have more than enough food, and our numbers have grown exponentially. Quicksilver's wing has healed, and he will be back in the skies soon. I am sad to say that my mother, Aither, has gone to live with the wind spirits." Opal dipped her head and stepped back. Murmurs of comfort reached Opal's words. Opal braved a small smile. They all knew how close Opal had been to her mother. "May she live forever in our hearts," Amethyst said. * * *

After a few boring reports, it was finally Living Shadow's turn. He turned his unblinking eyes on Amethyst. He smiled. There was no warmth in his eyes. "You are all probably wondering what happened to my dear, beloved father Ruthless," he said with mock sadness. The council members were curious. "Well, he left one day, out to patrol the shaded stones, when a shadow attacked him. I know first-hand the power of shadows. He stood no chance," he said with disdain. "He died slowly." Shadow paused, then smiled. Amethyst shivered, black shadows wreathing around her mind as she peered into Living Shadow's past. Darkness. A flash of dragon blood. Wolves, eating into the body. Ruthless. Blood-stained claws. Whose? Eyes, full of terror and recognition. Again, Ruthless. Ruthless. Who killed him? Amethyst's eyes blinked open. They were full of unanswered questions. Living Shadow had finished his report-- she had missed it. She sighed. "Meeting Adjourned," she mumbled, gliding down to her cavern below the council pi

pillars. Aqua followed her. Amethyst landed among the purple crystals, then turned to face Aqua with her tail lashing and her eyes alight with confusion. "So," she growled. "How do you know Living Shadow."