The Darkest of Hearts

<poll>
Which do you want first?
Chapter Three
Prologue of the next book.
</poll>
<poll>
What should the next book be called?
The Deepest Fathoms
The Deepest Depths
The Sentinel of Stone
The Wings of Stone
The Soul of Power
The Souls of Power
</poll>
Huge credit to Delta for their amazing assistance in creating and developing this fanfic!
WIP Fanfic by Tideweaver.
== Prologue ==
Scratch. Scrape. Scrratch. Scrrrrape.
The noise of the chalk was harsh and loud, yet strangely rhythmic. It didn’t help to soothe Sharpsight’s headache though.
Squeeeak.
“If I had seven oranges, and I gave one to each scavenger, how many would I have left?”
As usual, Silence’s claw was the first to shoot up, but none followed.
“Yes, Silence?”
“Well, that depends on how many the scavengers ate, how long it takes oranges to decompose and whether or not you took any back afterwards. Theoretically-“
“All right, that’s quite enough of that. Any sensible answers?”
“My answer was perfectly sensible!” Silence protested, yet their tutor wasn’t listening. She had her eyes on another student.
“Heartseeker, PAY ATTENTION!”
The teacher threw her board rubber at the offending student, but Heartseeker ducked and subsequently it hit Dreamwalker square in the snout. Sharpsight muffled a snigger.
“Right then, any more claws up? Duskbringer, what do you… FOCUS!” She hollered, but still Duskbringer paid her no heed. Uh oh. Sharpsight thought, and leaned over to give his friend a gentle nudge. His eyes were wide and glassy, like pools filled with the glow of a thousand stars. I’ve only seen that happen when-
“Herald of midnight, bringer of storms,
Danger can come in numerous forms.
Seek knowledge before the last light departs,
Power lies deep in the darkest of hearts.
Mask of compassion, illusion of love,
Claws of an eagle, wings of a dove,
From deep in the past is cruelty drawn,
Borne of spite unto two kingdoms’ spawn.”
Sharpsight’s jaw hung open. 
“Woah.”
“Was that a prophecy?”
“Most certainly not.” Their teacher’s voice severed the murmurs, but it was surprisingly quiet. “Duskbringer, take your things and leave my classroom. Now.” The dragonet looked around him, confused, but silently gathered his belongings and walked out the door.
“It was a prophecy! It had to be! You saw it as well as we did- his eyes were cloudy and vacant. He could have easily been born under a full moon and he doesn’t have a silver scale by his eyes so-“ Silence explained, looking hurt.
“Now let me be clear- I will not tolerate any silly rumours that Duskbringer has just given us a prophecy. It was just a product of his imagination and nothing else.” The panic in her eyes said otherwise.
“Dusk!” Sharpsight cried, and hurried to catch up with his friend. He caught sight of him just along the corridor and just about managed to brush his shoulder. “C’mon, Dusk! Don’t listen to her, she’s just jealo-“
“Sharp, she’s not jealous. She’s scared. I don’t know what or who this prophecy is about, but I do know one thing- something dangerous is coming, something bad. Real bad. Where and when I have no idea, but it’s not good.”
“Do you have any idea how cliché that sounds? You sound like you just came out of a school play!” Came Dreamwalker’s voice from behind them. They both jumped.
“What in Phyrria are you doing?”
“The bell went!” She said with a mischievous grin. “But you don’t really think that was a prophecy, do you? It could have just been… uh… umm… yeah, okay, it was. Don’t tell Heartseeker I said that.”
“Why would our teacher be so focused on denying Dusk’s prophecy though? I mean, it’s not as if seers are unusual- there’s at least one in every class.” Sharpsight asked.
“Maybe she just doesn’t like seers?”
“That can’t be it, Dream. No one would be so touchy just because they don’t like a certain group of dragons.”
“They could too! Look at the all the wars we’ve had with the Icewings- we hardly had a reason to start those, did we!” She objected.
“Hmm… What was it you said earlier, Dusk? About our tutor being jealous?”
“I said she’s scared. And so am I.”
== Chapter One ==
“Sleeping caves this year will be decided by your interactions and behaviour last year.”
“There goes that idea...”
“Shhh!”
“Why don’t you, you overgrown toad!?”
The noise was deafening to Tideweaver’s ears. A vicious, unrelenting force that made every word ring and echo and reverberate and HURT. She wished it would just go away, be carried off on a cool current. Ahh…
“TIDEWEAVER,”
Her train of thought was interrupted by mention of her name. Her mind was torn from its calm, secure sanctuary and crammed into a world of hustling and bustling, a place where she didn’t fit.
“STARGAZER,” Thank the moons, they gave me a nice, quiet roommate.
“ASTRAL WINGLET.”
The lingering, banging racket reached a fever pitch.
“Who was in my winglet again?”
“I don’t want to go with him, he’s such a slug.”
“Oh, why did I get put in that cave?”
“FOR MOONS' SAKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
It was too much for Tideweaver. She crumpled into herself, claws desperately trying to cover her ears, trying to muffle the tumult puncturing her defences.
“Dismissed.”
That one word was enough to lift her spirit out of the chaos, and suddenly a great weight removed itself from her shoulders, despite the bedlam that was to come. Perhaps it was knowing that the torment was almost over, that she could go back to the cavern of conciliation that was her sleeping quarters. A safe haven that provided a wave of serenity and protection from the outside world. Her own personal bubble. The only other dragon with whom it was shared likely respected silence as much as she did.
As the pandemonium unfolded, she watched. Just stood there, still as a statue, keeping herself from its grasping claws. Once everyone had left, she made a beeline for her cave.
Upon her arrival, she noticed a small cutting of parchment on her ledge. At least, she assumed it was hers, but she’d have to ask Stargazer about that. Tideweaver reached up to grab the papyrus and held it tightly in her claws. It said:
“Welcome back to Midnight Academy. We hope you are well and…”
She wasn’t going to read all of that. Scanning all the details of the scroll, she found her name and winglet.
“Astral Winglet:
Dawnbreaker
Sentinence
Stargazer
Sunstealer
Tideweaver”
Two male, three female. Most of them are calm, collected, and unlikely to disturb us at noon. Although Sunstealer has made quite a name for himself. I’ll have to watch him.
A soft voice sounded from behind her, soothing her concern. “Hi. You’re Tideweaver, right?”
“Indeed. That makes you Stargazer.” She stated. It was answered with a nod.
“You’re quiet. I can respect that. You like scrolls?” Again, a nod. “You happy with that ledge?” This time only a dip of the head. Tide checked the back of her scroll cutting, and as she had hoped, found her table of lessons.
“Not too bad…” she muttered.
“Sleep well."
"You too."
== Chapter Two ==
"Stargazer. Wake up."
Tide looked down at her clawmate, then poked her hard in the chest. She stirred, and another firm prod brought her around. Nightwings, she thought, are so lazy. And they call the Rainwings sloths! As if to prove this, the dragonet rolled of the side of her ledge and onto the fur rug below. As usual, she was clutching a scroll to her chest as if keeping it safe from the world. When she hit the ground, she slowly got to her feet and grabbed her timetable. 
Tide peered over Star's shoulder to get a better view of their lessons. "History. Ugh."
Stargazer frowned. "I thought you liked scrolls and reading?"
"Yeah, I like fiction. Not History. Anyway, like it or not, let's get to class." She walked off, glancing behind her to make sure her friend followed. She was close behind.
As they reached their destination, Tide could see a circle of dragons sat around the Library. Each had a scroll headed The Island Tragedy, and Tideweaver couldn't help but be intrigued. Her mind asked a thousand questions at once, such as What happened? and Who was involved?. 
Her thoughts were interrupted by sudden movement in front of her eyes, and she abruptly and forcefully snapped back into reality. Looking down at her was who she presumed to be the teacher, a fierce looking Icewing with elegant features and a permanent scowl. She couldn't help but laugh. "Don't patronize me, Tideweaver. You'll regret it, trust me."
"Why should I trust you? Oh, let me guess, you're the Queen's cousin or something." She smothered a giggle. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Oh, and you might want to wipe that look off your face. It doesn't suit a pompous Icewing like you. You'll break all the mirrors." A smirk crawled across her face as a hint of frozen breath crossed between them. Their eyes were locked together. Stargazer looked rather worried, but of course the two were too busy glaring daggers at eachother.
Suddenly, all the scrolls leaped free of their bindings and surrounded the serpentine figure and began a barrage of attacks. Tideweaver stepped back from the teacher, looking as surprised as her peers. "I'm... an animus? Yes! YES!" She launched herself into the air, tail writhing with pure joy. Her grin faded as the Icewing hissed and began gracefully slipping through the assault. Inhaling deeply with a hiss of pure hatred, she reared into the air, tail coiled and neck arched, exhaling a mist of glittering white high into the air. It spiralled and curled around the rolls of parchment, then speared into their core. They fell to the ground and shattered as the students screamed and made off into the darkest corners of the room. The frost-like mass dispelled into the cracks of the walls and sinking into the floor, leaving shards of ice jutting like mirrored stalagmites that narrowed into a point as sharp as a Rainwing's fangtip. 
The teacher regarded Tideweaver with the venom of a dragonbite viper. "Get out of my classroom. Now." She said quietly. Tide lowered herself, slowly and reluctantly. "OUT!!!" Her tutor hollered.
Tide snorted. "Make me." She stood her ground, tail thrashing from side to side but slower, this time in frustration. Her razor-sharp claws were curled deep into the ground, making deep notches in the tan-coloured stone. Opposite was her tutor. She stayed completely still for what seemed an age.
A flash of silver, and a line of gore appeared across Tideweaver's flank. She looked at it curiously, as if wondering what it was, then to her attacker. It wasn't who she expected. Students were crowded around the hollow that was the entrance to the classroom, a wave of horrified faces. "Darkstalker." came from the crowd, in a hushed tenor. Tide growled, deep and true, and stalked towards the door, eerily calm, despite the crimson cascading down her side. As she got to the door, she slowed and turned towards one of her peers. He stepped back. Navy scales shifted, whirling round in an arc, and the Nightwing was thrown against an unmoving structure of cold granite. He slipped out of the dent left with a quiet thud, eyes closed and chest heaving.
Tide continued down the corridor, wordless. She stormed into her sleeping cave and launched onto her bed. This may be exciting, but... should I be scared? She frowned, and another voice, entombed in her conscience, spoke with a voice of silver. They deserved it. Then, no more than an echo, Make them pay. More, MORE! She got up and walked to the mirror. What a mess. Covered in blood, scales ripped. It's perfect. There's nothing wrong with you. A manic grin peered back at her, jagged talons, an unearthly blue glow. "No. NO! That's not me, it's not me! I'll never be like that! Stop, STOP IT!" The mirror shattered beneath her talons, but the shadow remained. No... I won’t let that happen. I can’t.
Crimson eyes stared through a spectre of blackened smoke.
== Chapter Three ==
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)
Category:Genre (Prophecy)