Incoherent Perspectives
Chapter 9 - The Replacement

"So you're the one who somehow managed to replace us," Queen Vipress said with a hiss. She looked a lot more intimidating than Queen Galaxia. She was bigger than her too. Queen Vipress not only sounded like a dragon you didn't want to mess with but looked like one too. Bright yellow scales, but piercing blood-red eyes. "What is it you request of me?" Queen Vipress asked after Embera left. "Could you possibly deploy one of your dragons... for the prophecy?" I asked, wincing at my own question. "Deploy one of my dragons? Who do you request?" I breathed a sigh of relief, just happy she didn't lose her mind and also because she hadn't said no... yet. "One that looks like Dawn. Clockwork's daughter," I responded.

"Why can't you get Dawn herself?" Queen Vipress asked, skeptically.

"Because one of the other Embers is a Shadow Flare."

"Fair enough. Any specific age?"

"Any age below 20 but no lower than 13." Queen Vipress nodded in approval. It made me so happy she didn't want to tear me apart. I guess because it was for the prophecy. "I am honoured you chose one of us to be the replacement. Radiance! Could you please come here, darling," Queen Vipress shouted toward an opening. A bit later a fifteen-year-old Ember came through the doorway. Her scales were more golden than Vipress but they matched her eyes perfectly. "You called me," Radiance said in quite possibly the most innocent voice to date. "I indeed did, darling. Would you like to help the human fulfill the prophecy?" Queen Vipress asked. Radiance's eyes lit up. "I'd be honoured!"

"Excellent! You two can't leave now though as it is almost midnight. How about you spend the night here," Queen Vipress said with the warmest smile. "Are you sure?" I asked.

"I insist. You are saving Pyrix after all."

"Alright... Thanks." Queen Vipress nodded with a small grin. A lot like my last interaction with Mr. Morales. These dragons kept bringing back so many memories of people I've interacted with back on Earth. I do sorta miss home but... Here is as close as it'll get. Queen Vipress turned toward Radiance with a question. "Is it okay if the human stays with you in your room? I'll get Embera to place something on the floor for him to rest."

"I'm fine with that," Radiance said. Queen Vipress had an enthusiastic expression on her face before she flew off to the mess hall. The castle was a decent size, especially for being underground. the tunnel came out and onto a balcony overlooking the main hall. For dragons with such a small population, their entire region is made up of an underground castle even bigger than Queen Galaxia's. That would explain how they managed to stay hidden for so long. The thrones were on the upper floor in a room above the mess hall which was downstairs, to the right next to a door labelled Meeting. On a wall in the throne room were paintings of the current council. Queen Vipress, Princess Radiance, Embera, Inferno and a dragon named Abyss. The barracks were a lot smaller due to the very few guards but the castle was somehow greater than the Stella Alis one.

Radiance led me down the hall toward her room. "Do you have a name for yourselves?" I ask her.

"Yeah! My mother calls us the Abyssals. Named after Abyss, her brother and my uncle. Only one of her siblings left alive," Radiance responded.

"What about the region? Do you have a name for your region?"

"Nah. It's unnamed but I like to call it the Ignotus Cove because it sounds better than calling it the unnamed region. What about you? How did you replace us?" I knew that question would come. It was already asked once, by Vortex. "One of the Abyssalis, as your mother calls it. Followed me around Tageo in broad daylight and I just followed them," I responded.

"Typical." I kept following Radiance throughout the halls, which were decorated with paintings of every single current king and queen in Pyrix. I didn't know why they needed it but there were at least fourteen portraits throughout the halls. Radiance led me to her room at the end of the hall, where Embera had placed what looked like an old bed from the barracks. When I laid on it, it was surprisingly comfortable. "Thanks, Embera," I said to her. She nodded respectfully before exiting the room. Radiance's room was bathed in golden light from a lantern Embera had set up in the corner. Radiance was lying on her actual bed - which still was impressive to me - reading an old scroll with the title Hidden Kingdoms. "What are you reading there?" I asked Radiance. Her ears perked up before she looked down at me because for some reason the barracks' beds were smaller. "Hidden Kingdoms. This is like my fifteenth time reading it," she responded with a broad smile.

"What's it about?"

"The dragon who wrote it believes we aren't the only ones. That Pyrix isn't a world, it's a continent. I always replace his proof outrageous and kind of hilarious. But I do agree with him though. There is a vast ocean out there and believe me I've ventured out there, it doesn't just loop."

"Do you know who wrote it?"

"Yeah, Prince Cassius as they call him. Shizen's heir. He's written a few scrolls I like to read." Cassius? I echoed in my head. Cassius was a part of the prophecy but I would've never guessed he wrote scrolls. Seventeen and he's already written a few... The Embers surprise me more and more. The fact that Aurora is actually a decent fighter when she's trying, Helia being assassin enemy number 1, All that Lumina and Aurora argue over and Asteria's scars. Each Ember had something about them that made them chosen for the prophecy. Dawn's disappearance was just wild and still no one has found her, not even Kind Clockwork. It makes me wonder what Radiance would do if we did end up replaceing Dawn. Would she just come along for the adventure? For the fun? Or would she just head back here?

The next day came around and Mirage led us out of the castle and back out into the woods once again. Queen Vipress was wishing us luck on our journey, a lot like Queen Galaxia did. Speaking of Queen Galaxia, we were supposed to see her after we found all of the Embers for the prophecy. But where were the other five? I just kinda stormed off into the woods and forgot about all that happened. Radiance and I walked through the woods for a little while until I heard a familiar voice shouting in the fog, "Guys! I found him, I found Louis, he is over here and he found Dawn!"

"I'm no-" Radiance said before stopping abruptly. "You did! Where is he, where do you see him?!" Another familiar voice shouted in the fog. In the fog, I could see familiar, glowing purple eyes. It was Aurora and the others. They all came running towards us through the fog.