The next morning he was awoken sharply by another NightWing, this one was big and slightly less frail than the others, but certainly not healthy. His eyes were a dulled purple and his mind raced with hunger, he so badly wanted to reach out and just remove the hunger, the pain, all of it for all the dragons; however a wish like that ended all visions abruptly and harshly, so he but his tongue.

  “Morrowseer sent for you… he uhh wants you to meet him outside the palace as soon as possible.” The dragon looked off absently.

  Eclipse slowly crawled his way out of the bunk and stood up, his body was stiff, stiffer than it ever had. But he sauntered his way out of the doors and his body slowly started to loosen up. A few dragons were up, roaming the halls of the dormitory. Two dragons were out together one was huge and looked substantially healthier than most and another who was smaller sideled beside the other. He glanced at them for a moment and their minds were hard to read but they certainly weren't happy he’d noticed them. He didn’t pay it much mind and soon flew out to the palace.

  He immediately felt the heat difference but also the fact he couldn’t tell if it was day or night, the thick ash from the volcanoes completely covered the skies. He thought about just ignoring Morrowseer and either running or finding out what answers lay on high. Where would that even be? He wondered as he moved closer and closer. Soon Morrowseer’s massive frame appeared into few and he felt that sickening feeling of his thoughts. He wanted to throw Morrowseer into a pit of lava as soon as possible if he could.

  “You finally arrived,” Morrowseer scowled.

  “Well sorry, the fly here isn’t exactly one I’m used to.” Eclipse retorted.

  “Well you should, you’ll be here quite often.” He said as he turned and gestured for Eclipse to follow.

  They maneuvered through the hall and Eclipse decided to see what he could possibly find out here.

  “What is the highest point on the island?”

  Morrowseer shot a grimace backwards at him. “Why does that concern you? Whatever you think is important, isn’t, what her majesty has to say is.”

  “Well I’m sure whatever I deem as important still matters, and if you absolutely have to know, it was in a prophecy, therefore it must be important.”

  Prophecy too, but it isn’t possible we would know if he had dragonets.

  “If who had dragonets?”

  “Get out of my head, Eclipse,” he growled.

  “Would love to, but I can’t so who are you talking about?”

  “None of your business, if you don’t know, you don’t need to know.” He paused when they got to the door of the main chamber. “If you must know the highest point is the main volcano, but I don't know why you'd want to go there unless you wanted to get turned into a roasted lizard.”

  They stepped into the chamber, the heat still as intense as yesterday, this time a different dragon was there but he didn’t seem to be in any trail or trouble, in fact he had scrolls slung across his side and two pieces of glass in front of his eyes.

  “My Queen, I have had yet another lab assistant who fails to follow the simplest instructions. Why is it so hard to find dragons who can just listen and actually use their brain?”

  Princess Greatness places ear to the hole and then looked back. “Her majesty believes that perhaps it is you Mastermind that is the problem.”

  “Me?!? How am I the problem?”

  “Well your research has certainly been… stagnant and you seem to be far too picky with who you want as a lab assassitant, we can only give what is available and it is up to you to figure it out. We don’t have forever to get this over with. The clock is ticking.”

  Lab assistant, ‘where knowledge lives… where lies die.’ A lab is a place of knowledge and this dragon certainly seemed like he’d know something, but what would it even be he could answer…

  “Surely you can give me a dragon who knows what they are doing, the process would indeed be much faster.”

  “I could… maybe be that dragon.” Eclipse responded.

  All the dragons turned to him, Morrowseee’s gaze felt like talons digging into him.

  “And who are you?” Mastermind asked whilst looking him up and down.

  “That is none of your concern Mastermind, he’s here for the Queen to decide what to do with him and how best he can serve our tribe.” Morrowseer responded with barely hidden anger

  “Well he certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulder, looks healthy and strong too. Maybe he’s what I’ve been waiting for.”

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  “Don’t! Get any ideas, he’s not someone you can just take, now leave Mastermind we have important matters to discuss.”

  “Whatever Morrowseer,” the dragon stalked out of the room, his mind swirling with desires of action he could never inflict upon a dragon as big as Morrowseer.

  “Well Mastermind wait…” Mastermind stopped in his tracks and turned. “Battlewinner, my Queen, I think that it could be helpful if you would allow me to work with Mastermind; I mean you said yourself time is running out and what he’s going must be important and surely my ani—AGhhhhH”

  Morrowseer slammed his claw down on Eclipse’s tail and stared him down, his mind instantly barked at him.

  Shut your snout, you are not to say such things without the Queen’s permission.

  Greatness placed her ear to the partition.

  “Her majesty says… perhaps we can allow it, if you do what is asked without using your gifts.”

  “Thank you,” he bowed.

  “Mastermind.” Greatness spoke.

  “Yes, your majesty?” Mastermind said with too much glee.

  “You are to treat Eclipse as if he is like a precious gift, should any harm come to him or he is attacked for some reason, we will find a new scientist, understood?”

  “Yes, your majesty.” He growled.

  “Battlewinner you can’t be serious!” Morrowseer barked. “I was supposed to… we… you just…”

  “Her majesty’s decision is final Morrowseer, you know that better than anyone, in fact I think it’s high time you go check on our dragon on the mainland, he certainly should be done with his most recent assignment.”

  “As you wish,” he bowed. He turned to Eclipse and thought. When you figure out the mess you put yourself in, don’t come crawling back to me begging for it to stop.

  He walked out of the chamber and flew somewhere fast. The chamber now just had Greatness, Eclipse and Mastermind.

  “Well my work has little time to waste… your name was?”

  “Eclipse, Princess Greatness already told you.”

  “Right, right, well my mind is always racing so you can’t fault me for not remembering such things, anywho, follow me.”

  Mastermind quickly retreated out of the chamber and Eclipse raced behind him trying to catch up as best he could.

  It was nice being away from Morrowseer for now, but it wasn’t like he could stop worrying as now he had to figure out what he needed to be looking for. The two of them walked down a corridor and the further the two of them went down, the more guards there seemed to be.

  “I see you didn’t skimp out on protection,” Eclipse tried to joke.

  “Of course not, my lab is one of if not the most important assets to our island.” He said with absolute pride. “In fact if my work succeeds I may even be seen as one of the greats.” He stopped in front of the door. “That is why Eclipse, what we do here is important and secret. So please don’t disappoint me.”

  He opened the door into a very organized and yet somehow completely unsafe as well; there was a distillation kit sitting on one of the center tables. Another had a helmet on it with a somewhat scattered pile of scrolls and a cauldron of lava and holes in the floor where lava pooled under. There was also a door in the back of the room with a lock, from behind it Eclipse could feel faint thoughts but utterly unpleasant.

  Eclipsed notice in a side wall there were shackles and a black liquid spewed all on the sides of it.

  “What’s that?” Eclipse got close and was about to touch it.

  Mastermind came behind and grabbed his arm, yanking it back. “Don’t touch that you fool! That RainWing venom, you don’t want to know what that’ll do to you.”

  Eclipse remembered glory and knew full well what it’d do. It killed Scarlet. “Thank you,” Eclipse said softly.

  “Of course, I don’t need my new lab assistant getting hurt on the first day.” Mastermind joked.

  Eclipse then began to wonder, why is there RainWing venom on the walls?

  “But this is what is so important to our mission and as an animus and mindreader—”

  “How do you know about—” Eclipse tried to interject.

  “Well when I hopefully have a choice, I make sure to know about the dragons I wish to have assist me.” Mastermind smiled. “Anyway perhaps you can help me better understand how they work and maybe even build a way to stop them all together.”

  “The Queen was very stern. I don't use my power,” Eclipse reminded.

  “You won’t need to, your mind reading will hopefully be enough.” Mastermind put a key into the door and turned it.

  When it slowly opened Eclipse saw why he felt awful, why something felt wrong, he saw a RainWing chained to walls; their colors mixes of greys and dower expressions. Their minds were so sad.

  “Mastermind, what are you doing to them?” Eclipse tried to walk closer.

  “Wait Eclipse be careful, they might try to split on you.” Mastermind warned.

  Eclipse walked closer anyway and the RainWing looked up at him, pure sadness in her eyes. “Who are you?” Eclipse asked softly.

  The RainWing looked up at him, “Splendor.” She said softly.

  “I’m sorry Splendor, you don’t deserve this.” He whispered.

  Her scales flickered to a different color, slightly brighter and livelier in shade before returning back to the normal grey.

  “Here Eclipse,” Mastermind came to his side with a chestplate. “Get her to spit on this, let’s see if this works any better.”

  Eclipse hesitantly held out the armor in front of her, “can you please spit on this?”

  Splendor opened her mouth slowly and the venom dripped onto the armor and it began to hiss at him. He dropped it and watched as the venom ate through it.

  “Fascinating, it burned slower and longer this time. Battlewinner will be pleased by this. Well done Eclipse.” Mastermind congratulated him.

  “Thank you Splendor.” Eclipse said.

  A small smile appeared on her face and then she looked down.

  “Why are you thanking it and using its name? A lazy tribe like that does not deserve such menial praise.” Mastermind said flatly.

  Slender scales tinted a shade of red and orange, Eclipse could hear in her thoughts. How dare you say that! We are not lazy you brutish NightWing.

  “Because she is still a dragon Mastermind! Just because you see them as experiments doesn’t mean they are!” He yelled.

  “Hm, believe what you want Eclipse.” Mastermind said and he walked out.

  This is no place of knowledge, this can’t be what it was talking about. Mastermind is awful, hurting dragons like this. I will get splendor and whoever else here out if I have to.

  Eclipse walked back into the lab and saw Mastermind writing on a scroll looking completely enthralled.

  “Where knowledge lives… where lies die.” Eclipse was silently whispering to himself.

  “What was that,” Mastermind looked up.

  Eclipse thought about maybe not saying anything. The timeline wasn’t exactly yelling at him if it was a bad idea or not, but then he thought maybe Mastermind could be of some use. “It’s a riddle I heard.”

  “Oh I love riddles,” Mastermind lit up.

  “Where knowledge lives, where lies die, answers be found up high.”

  “Oh that’s easy, it’s a library.” He smiled.

  By the moon! Of course it is, that was so obvious! “Thank you Mastermind, where is the library?”

  “Oh it’s the way to my lab, it won’t be hard to spot.”

  Eclipse turned around and walked out of the lab, finally he’d find his answers.