Dragon Prince: The Storm's Courage

Chapter Six: The Dance of Spirits

Everything shifted and changed around her. It wasn't long for her to realize that she's standing in a new place.
Everything around her has changed into a gorge. Shira found herself in a wide, deep rocky ravine with steep orangish cliffs. At the bottom of the ravine is a river that cuts through and pools of water can be seen. There seems to be steep and narrow paths lead up the cliff-sides that lead into caverns and looming in front of them is a peak surrounded and based by rocks.
As Shira was standing in front of the peak, she suddenly heard over a dozen wings flying overhead. She looked up to a massive flock of dragons of all kinds coming down towards them. To her, all of the dragons shone with the colors of the rainbow and somehow reminded her of a flock of colorful birds or butterflies. She watched as the dragons has started to land on the ground or onto the cliffs. A few Ocean Dragons poked their heads from the pools, startling Diana.
Once the dragons had settled in their respective places, they seemed to be waiting for someone important to arrive to the ravine.
A figure seemed to emerge as if from the sun, getting larger as it approached the ravine. Shira could make out wings so broad they appeared as wide as the sun itself. Shira looked up to see a beautiful Star Dragon on top of the cliff with such regal elegance and royal authority.
The Star Dragon is, no doubt, very beautiful to perfection. The Star Dragon resembles the Storm Dragon, but the differences is pretty amazing to see. The Star Dragon's stunning white body shimmering like a million crystals. Spikes ridged along her back and two ornate horns stuck out of each side of her head. Her eyes is the brightest of pure blue, with long teeth protruding from her lean and rounded snout. The dragon's long neck lowered as her magnificent wings folded against her body, but she could see that underneath the dragon's wings has hints of sapphire blue and a glittering spray of sparkling silver scales that catch the morning light like trapped stars. Digging her large white claws into the cliff, she bowed her head slightly in greeting and locked her clear blue eyes into Shiraa's blue eyes.
"You too can be a great mage too." A strong, warm voice was soon heard in Shira's head. The voice is clearly a female and sounded human, but inhuman at the same time.
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
Suddenly, Shira let out a gasp as she opened her eyes, and then she lifted herself up and looked around as she took a few breaths. She remembered that she have fell asleep in the one of the caves to see the rising sun and immediately gotten up from the ground.
Shira lightly braided her hair with a blue hair tier. Shira ate some breakfast and went outside of the small cave, letting the fresh morning air refresh her and recover her strength. Shira looked around for Runaan, looking confused and concerned. She found the elf she was looking for.
Runaan wasn't exactly hiding. He was sitting on a boulder not far from a nearby glade. Shira approached him and see five tan tents hidden in the glade. The sunrise cast golden rays over his huddled form and his still shadow sloped like another boulder.
"Runaan?" Shira looked at him in concern.
The Moonshadow elf didn't respond he only stared at the various tents and elf materials before him. Seeing all of this before him, it showed to Runaan that the only elves that made it out of the assassination alive was him and Rayla. All the other assassins that came would never see their family and friends again.
As much as Runaan tried to put on a brave face, he couldn't deny the heavy grief and guilt that seeped into his heart. Shira watched the struggle the elf was going through. Runaan's face scrunched as he held back tears, thinking of the last moments he had with his colleagues and friends.
What took him out of his grief was a gentle hand on his four fingered hand. Runaan blinked the tears out of his eyes as he looked at his human companion. There, he saw Shira holding onto his hand and her head leaning on his arm. Shira smiled at him sadly, closing the space between them. She gently gripped his right hand with her left hand, leaned against him, and rested her head on his shoulder. It was the closest thing she could get to a hug that she thought he would be able to tolerate.
Immediately, she felt Runaan tensed up at the sudden physical contact and felt his muscles flexed and stiffened underneath her grip. She was determined to show Runaan compassion. She wasn't moving. She was relieved when she felt Runaan slowly relax instead of shoving her away. They didn't say anything, but Shira hoped that this would be enough to comfort the elf over the losses of his friends.
Luckily it worked, Runaan gently rubbed the hand of the human while letting out a shaky smile at Shira, who gave him an sympathetic smile.
"They were all good friends of mine. We had all made a vow that we would return back to our families. But it seems that it would only be me and Rayla." His grief stricken face grew solemn. "But now I must perform the Departing of Spirits Ceremony."
Runaan hesitantly let go of Shira's hand and began to look through the tents.
"Departing of Spirits Ceremony?" Shira echoed, looking at Runaan curiously.
"Yes. It's kind of like how you humans have a funeral. We elves instead light a candle that burns through the night. It's said that the light will guide the spirit of those we have lost to the heavens above." Runaan finally came out of the tent with four candles each for the soul that was lost the day of the attack. Shira sat down as Runaan placed each candle down in a circle.
Using a flint and steel, he lit up the candles that burned with magical flames. He soon got on his knees, closing his eyes while tilting his head down and started praying silently. While Shira watched as Runaan stayed in that position for a few minutes and she stepped back as Runaan as he stood up.
"Now I have to perform the Dance of the Spirits." Shira's eyes grew wide with fascination as he started the dance. His movements were swift and graceful. It was nothing like she have ever seen before. That's when Runaan started singing an amazing song, but Shira had a hard time recognizing the language of the song. But, her heart won out in the end and started singing along with Runaan. It was sad, but beautiful nonetheless in Shira's opinion. Shira glanced at Runaan in concern as he danced by himself in the morning sunlight.
Runaan was soon done with the dance and they both stopped singing. He sat down next to Shira, his eyes were a little tearful, but he smiled tearfully at his companion. But his face crinkled in shame. Shira inched closer to him and gently leaned against him. At first, Runaan couldn't seem to bring himself to look at Shira. But she firmly nudged him and Runaan looked at her. He wrapped his arms around Shira and squeezed his human friend tightly. Shira felt the elf's strong arms wrap around her, burying his face between Shira's shoulders. She kept her eyes open and let her whole body relax slightly into the embrace to keep them from falling. Warm tears were sliding from Runaan's face and onto her. Shira stayed perfectly still. Her gesture said everything to both of them. It wasn't his fault. None of this was.
Once he finally released his hold on Shira and watched as she walked away, she started gathering some flat stones and placed four stones for each of the fallen Moonshadow elf assassin behind the glowing candles. Runaan felt surprised and touched by Shira's gesture of sympathy and kindness. Runaan watched as Shira sat down next to him and they both watched as the magical sparks started floating to the faint outline of the moon.
"Shira." She perked up when she heard Runaan's quiet voice and looked at him curiously. "Thank you." Her expression softened as she looked at him.
"Do you want me to stay with you?" Shira placed her hand on top of his. "I mean, if you want. I could keep you company as continue the ceremony."
Runaan seemed surprised, but he gave Shira a tearful smile and pulled her closer to her side. She decided to tease him a bit and help him ease grief a bit. "I'm pretty surprised that you've became quite friendly towards me, considering I'm a human."
"Well, I was captured by the enemy of my kind," explained Runaan. "Stuck in a prison cell with no ways of escaping and fearful that I would never see my husband again. So I wasn't exactly going to be friendly towards you." This time Shira was truly hit with realization of what he meant.
"Oh yeah. That makes sense." Shira started playing with her silver necklace.
At the sound of the necklace, Runaan turned back to face the girl. "That reminds me. I've always seen you with that necklace. Where did you get it from?"
Shira looked down at the jewelry. "Oh. I've had it since I was a kid. It was given to me before my mother had passed away."
He nodded understandingly, but there's a touch of sympathy and empathy. Runaan then began to examine the necklace and Shira stood completely still for him. In the middle of a silver chain was a silver pendant with a wyvern dragon engraved in the middle of it and the wyvern dragon has a blue jeweled eye. He soon caught sight of Shira's bracelet and looked at her for some kind permission. "Can I?" Shira nodded as she lifted her left wrist and smiled at his gentle touch. He gained a closer look of the bracelet on her left wrist. This bracelet is made of copper wires and attached to three moonstones that radiated pure beauty, gleaming milky white with a sheen of sky blue. Runaan narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he gazed at the bracelet. "Shira, where did you get this bracelet?"
"My mom gave it to me when I was little," replied Shira.
Runaan hummed thoughtfully and nodded. "We better get ready for tomorrow. It's a long way to travel all the way to Xadia."
Who knows. Shira smiled and nodded at Runaan's words. With any luck, I might be able to find my father... and hear his side of the story as well as stopping the war between Xadia and the Human Kingdoms.