The Twin Islands-Wings of Fire

Tempest

"I feel like I'm being blasted full force in the face with little shards of glass" Tempest commented, beating her large wings with ease as she narrowed her vivid violet eyes against the smoke and the ash. While Potent, who had far less of a wingspan and far less stamina, trailed behind.

"I guess, yeah." He huffed, his tan scales were now darkened by the ash in the air. The bag around his neck felt heavier than ever, and the Desert Rogue flag, even wrapped like a bandana over his eyes, did nothing to help them from frequently clouding up.

"At least it's us here and not Snowfall and Seaglass, though." Tempest says, looking back at him. "They certainly wouldn't have made it this far. "

"I'm surprised we have!" He retorted. "How do these Moltenwings even breathe in this air?"

Tempest grimaced at him. "You asked this before we left. Apollo said it's because their lungs and scales have adapted to the effects of the volcano."

"Lucky them, then." He mumbled, falling silent as the two soared over the home of the Moltenwings. It was a couple more hours of silence that lead to them finally reaching the heart of the kingdom.

Dragons in all shades of red, orange, grey, and brown looked up as they flew overhead, visibly startled by the appearance of these newcomers that looked nothing like them.

As expected, when they came to the biggest volcano yet, two large red guards holding spears flew up to meet them. The first turned his blue eyes upon them quizzically, then quickly pointing his spear at Tempest's heart.

Potent hissed aggresively, making the other guard aim his spear in his direction as well, but the tribrid, despite her slight shaking, held her calm stature.

"We need to speak with the Queen, on account of the Desert Rogues." She gestured to the flag for emphasis, the blue eyed guard slowly lowering his spear. "It's urgent.."

"Very well. But you will not go unsupervised."

"Fair enough." Tempest agreed, suprised at herself for keeping so calm. She looked to Potent, brushing her wing against his for reassurance. The Sandwing nodded.

"Lead the way." He tells the blue eyed guard.

~~~

It was beginning to get suffocatingly hot.

Tempest panted and felt her energy drain the closer she got to the large gaping hole in the ground. Lava spilled from its edges, the smell of sulfur and strangely, burnt wood, drifted up to her nostrils. Down the hole it gradually became darker and darker till there was a faint red glow.

The blue eyed guard waved his wing at the darker Moltenwing and suddenly dived into the massive, gleaming lava surrounded sinkhole. His red color was immediately swallowed up by the ash, and Tempest watched the rest of him dissappear completely.

"Where did he go?" Potent said, curious. The darker guard flicked his tail and turned the spear in his talons.

"He's just getting something. You wouldn't want to burn alive, would you?"

Tempest swallowed hard at this, beating her wings and hating how the debree scraped against her scales. Soon enough the other guard emerged, twirling up in a spiral, and little droplets of lava slid off his scales. He flared his wings and then approached Tempest and Potent, holding two arm bands in his talons.

They were made of beaten gold, and writhed up in the form of snakes, the eyes on the creatures glittering red.

"Wear these." He said, handing one to the tribrid and Sandwing so they could slide them up their arms. "They're enchanted to keep you safe from the lava and the effects of the volcano. " The guard explained, smiling reassuringly at them both.