The Sandwing Empire

An AU by PhantomHeroJ, Starlight of the Rainwings, and ChasmtheCavewing. No stealing! WIP
== Characters ==
Sierra
Glyph
Ardent
Maritime
Owl
Marvel
== Prophecy ==
A fire ignited from its hearth
Spread all across the unlucky earth
Scorched and then begotten
A land of sand
But when each tribe joins together
To protect the candle that was forgotten
It will replace the pyre that would have gone on forever
But when three, fight once more
Who’s blood will coat the floor
One who came from a blistering sun
One from the son of the last SandWing Queen
Or one from each, those who longed to be seen
Six dragonets will reach to take the forlorn torn corners
And stitch it together in the night
Then all will see with eyes of healing light
== Prologue ==
Nightbreak was asleep on his thin mat that was barely keeping away the cold stone and doing “wonders” for his back. Being a slave was hard work, having to do all sorts of labor, difficult to menial. He hated it, but at least he had the escape of sleep. He never dreams, which his best and only friend Marvel think is weird and lame, but he is grateful. He enjoys the black nothing though, it was relaxing. But tonight, he was dreaming, dreaming a nightmare. 
He tossed and turned in a feverish haze as he stood on scorching sand. He saw a dragon like a sun rose up with a palace following suit, they rose from the burning sand. The higher the shining dragon flew the hotter it became, and Nightbreak noticed the sand slowly turning red, blood red.
He turned and fled from the bloody sand, the scorching heat, the terrifying sight he was seeing. The sight of the terrible past that formed the SandWing Empire. He raced across the sand to the ocean where he saw five dragons that were a dim cool light, a hope that was keeping Nightbreak running despite his fatigue. Just as he was about to jump to safety, to be away from the horrific heat, a wall shot up and trapped him. He banged his talons against the wall, but it didn’t work. He continued till his talons hurt; he continued hoping that just by his desperation he would be free.
The sand wrapped around Nightbreak, the heat of it melting his scales off. It pulled him away from the wall, down into its blazing embrace. He tried to fight it off, but he was losing, he wasn’t going to escape, he was giving up hope like he has done so many times. He finally stopped fighting and fell into the sand.
He fell into a frigid abyss where no light shone, but he heard whispers behind him. He turned around and he saw six dragons sitting around a candle, the light of the candle was flickering but the dragons were protecting it from the harsh wind that was whirling around the abyss. Suddenly, the six dragons turned blood red and the candle went out as its guardians fell and a blinding dragon stood in the place of the candle.
“You will perish!”
He sat up awake with a gasp and his eyes flew open. He awoke to see a colorful black splattered face of Marvel. Her bright red eyes were worried and her vibrant black masked face anxious.
“Oh my moons! Are you okay!? Did you have like a thingy?” Marvel exclaimed in anxious concern. She was holding Nightbreak’s talon, something that warmed his heart.
“If you mean a seizure then no,” Nightbreak paused and rubbed his eyes, he had a scorching headache and his tongue felt heavy with words. Words that were trying to force their way past his gritted teeth. “I-I think I had a vision.” He choked out. He closed his eyes and let go of Marvel’s talon so that he could clutch his pounding head.
Marvel gasped with excitement and then waved her talons as if to say go on, “REALLY! You have to tell me!” Nightbreak forced open his eyes to glare at Marvel who seemed oblivious to his pain. His eyes drifted past her to the other dragonets that shared this dark cold room. They all were still asleep, all too tired to care. He wished he was still asleep.
Marvel watched Nightbreak as if he was a firework about to go off at any moment. He sighed and let go of his head and just as he did, the words exploded.
"A fire ignited from its hearth
Spread all across the unlucky earth
Scorched and then begotten
A land of sand
But when each tribe joins together
To protect the candle that was forgotten
It will replace the pyre that would have gone on forever
But when three, fight once more
Who’s blood will coat the floor
One who came from a blistering sun
One from the son of the last SandWing Queen
Or one from each, those who longed to be seen
Six dragonets will reach to take the forlorn torn corners
And stitch it together in the night
Then all will see with eyes of healing light."
Nightbreak sucked in air as if he just broke through the surface of the sea. The headache lingered but a weight was lifted off his chest. He felt weak, he felt relieved, he felt the arms of Marvel who held him close.
He laid in her arms, their embrace warming him, her comfort healing him. Marvel was the first dragon who talked to him since he became a slave, she talked him through the terrible tasks, she is his only friend. After the SandWing Succession War, everyone hated NightWings, seeing them as liars, false hope, everyone blames the Nightwings for this blistering fate. To be honest, Nightbreak hated NightWings too, so it meant so much to him to have Marvel as a friend. He would have fallen asleep in her arms if she hadn’t pulled him away.
“That was amazing Night! You had a prophecy! We have to tell everyone; everyone will know that they will be free. Oh, this is too good to be true!” Marvel squealed and shook the groaning Nightbreak.
“Marvel, please listen to me. Stop shaking me,” Nightbreak moaned, and Marvel thankfully stopped. Nightbreak gently shook his head and looked Marvel into her buzzing red-orange eyes. “And you can’t tell anyone.”
“What!? Why?” Marvel exclaimed in shock.
“Shhh,” Nightbreak said shushing her so that no one hears. “Because nothing good comes from prophecies. Remember the last one?”
Marvel frowned, “Yeah, but it is better than nothing. So many dragons are suffering, they just need hope.”
Hope. The one thing Nightbreak loved and hated about Marvel, she was so full of hope. She always looked at tomorrow like it would be Freedom Day, and she would always say things would get better. Nightbreak couldn’t help but smile when she said that but inside he was angry. Hope was only a lie to oneself. Hope is a poison that blinds dragons from reality. Hope was something that made Nightbreak’s existence even worse.
“Marvel, I have rarely asked for anything. Let this be the only thing I will ever ask for. Please, I beg of you, don’t tell anyone.” Nightbreak pleaded.
Marvel sighed and looked at all the other sleeping dragonets. She knows all of them by name, all of their wishes and dreams. Nightbreak couldn’t help but feel guilty, but he knew telling the young dragonets would only disappoint them.
Marvel slid one of her talons behind her back and looked at Nightbreak. “Okay, I promise.” She looked…sad and it made Nightbreak feel worse. But he couldn’t help but wonder why Marvel had her talons behind her back. He wanted to ask but he trusted Marvel. “I’m going to sleep.” She then said laying down on her mat, wrapping her wings around herself.
Nightbreak looked at her, a frown plastered on his face. Why did I have to have a prophecy? I am a nobody; I hate prophecies and I never even had one before. Nightbreak wanted to deny the existence of the prophecy, but he couldn’t. He laid down and closed his eyes to sleep. The prophecy was real, and it was going to be the end of him
                                                                       * 
Nightbreak awoke in a sleepless haze. All night he was tormented by the same nightmare, over and over again it played in his mind. Each vision ending as the last had. He could not understand how dragons could dream and still have the energy to go through the day. 
He woken up with all the other slaves to get started, they had risen before the moon even began to set. There was much to do unloading ingredients, cleaning, preparing for the morning report and breakfast. Not many realize this but caring for a palace is a full-time job that can be really draining.
Nightbreak stumbled through the early morning barely keeping his eyes open. The headmaster was really in a snappish mood, but Nightbreak couldn’t help but be grateful for the sting of the whip. It drove away the nightmares and his sluggish body moved faster with the crack of leather. 
Nightbreak was dragging himself down an extravagant hallway of sandstone. He was rubbing his eyes when he saw Marvel who turned a corner ahead of him. She looked excited and basically buzzing with energy, but at the sight of Nightbreak she stiffened. 
Nightbreak smiled and waved, “Hey Marvel, how is it going with the washing?” Marvel waved and gave him a smile.
“Oh good, good. Me and Starhaze got it.” She said quickly. Nightbreak couldn’t help but feel suspicious of Marvel. Why is she acting so... not her. Maybe she is just having difficulty keeping my vision a secret. Maybe she is upset with me for not letting her share the vision. No, she wouldn’t be upset about that.
"Hey," Nightbreak said, brushing her wing with his. "Are you ok? You seem... different."
"Who- me? No, I'm fiiine," She yelped. Nightbreak wasn't convinced. 
"Alright, camels, hurry it up!" The headmaster yelled. "New orders from the empress herself! There's a big banquet happenin' later, so make sure the dining hall is spotless!" He glared at the two talking. "Anyone who slacks gets five lashes!" He roared, waving his whip around. Barely audiable groans rose from the slaves as Nightbreak, Marvel, and the others set to work.
After a few minutes, the clang-clang of dragons in armor drew everyone's attention. The squadron filed into the room, and the headmaster went to greet them, and they conversed for a few tense minutes. Nightbreak noticed how the headmster's face began to change expressions from mildly concerned, worried, angry, to furious. He raised his whip, and for a minute Nightbreak thought he was going to hit the guards. But to the NightWing's terror and surprise, he cracked it in his direction. 
"YOU!" The headmaster roared. "WITH THEM! GO! NOW!" 
Marvel clutched his arm and began sobbing. "Night! I'm so so sorry! It's a-all my fault!" 
Nightbreak, in utter confusion, asked, "What? What do you mean?"
"I-" She gulped. "I told s-some friends your p-prophecy!" 
Nightbreak was astonished. 
Two SandWings were walking up to Nightbreak, their faces passive to the fate that was waiting for him. Nightbreak’s mind was dazed, the cries and pleas of Marvel echoed dimly in his mind, he knew what would happen, yet it didn’t feel real. Suddenly he was grabbed, and the sound of a whip snapped him out of his shock. He looked back at Marvel who tried to follow but got pushed back by the taskmaster. Their eyes met; his fate confirmed in their shared fear. He was going to be executed. 
Nightbreak thought of the last execution he saw, which happened when he was much younger and much newer to the palace. Someone from the Onyx Rebellion tried to assassinate the empress but was caught, the idiot was Talen to the palace square after some torturing and questioning and then was beheaded. That’s going to be me. Nightbreak thought as he was dragged through the extravagant halls of the palace.
But instead of being taken to the dark dungeon which Nightbreak was lucky to never visit, he was taken straight to the palace square. The shining sun met him outside with a clear blue sky. Today was a beautiful day but it all felt gilded, as if Nightbreak could grab the beauty and peel it away to see the ugly.
He walked out from the shining huge doors to be above a crowd who whispered anxiously. There were more SandWings waiting for him, one had a big axe that sent a cold chill down Nightbreak’s spine. The guards pushed him forward and he fell to his talons, the executioner on his left, a fancier looking SandWing on his right.
Nightbreak yanked his eyes away from the axe to look over the crowd. My prophecy must have spread like wildfire for this many to be present.
In the crowd, Nightbreak caught sight of Marvel who was crying. She lied to me, broke my trust, yet I can't be angry, Nightbreak thought. He looked at the shining sun that only ever reminded him of his loss of freedom, how he will never fly free, never be free from fear or the sting of a whip. He heard words being spoken of his treason and crimes or whatever, He saw the glint of the axe's blade. Nightbreak knew he was going to die; he was ready to accept it.
"Any last words?" Asked the fancy SandWing and Nightbreak nodded. 
"They will come, they will rise, and they will free you all!" I yell so loud, making sure everyone, even the sun hears my rebellion.
Before I even heard Death, I gave one last smile at Marvel. "Good luck." 
== Chapter 1 ==
Category:Alternate Universes
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Collaborations
Category:Genre (Adventure)