Wings of Fire: The Prequels

5.8

Again, Burn didn't seem to quite get the fact that he wanted to stay around her. A few weeks later (and almost directly after an invasion of the stronghold), Rust was sent off to do a different mission. This one wasn't to do with fighting or royalty, much to his confusion.

"So I have to go to this oasis in the middle of nowhere and find this random shop? Why do I need to do that?"

"It's something that I need you to do. It'll make sense in time. Do you remember where you're heading and what you need to say?"

"I remember... Does this have to do with the prophecy?"

"It does."

"Do ya think you'll die?"

"I don't know."

"Then why are ya sending me away?"

"I need you to go through this even if I do become queen, as I should. Think of it as another training exercise. Just... be safe, this town isn't harmless."

"It ain't the Scorpion's Den, I think I'll be fine."

"Right. Bye, Rust. I love you."

"I... I love ya too."

A weird conversation indeed. Anyway, now Rust got to travel to this middle of nowhere town. It took a few days to get there, the travel through it somehow a lot more tiring than the travel to it.

Shadows shifted all the time, hiding away curious dragons who wanted to see the newcomer. Various dragons bumped into him, almost making him laugh when he heard them curse 'under their breath' about his lack of items. Not that he ever carried anything on him, too much stress to have to keep track of a bag plus whatever madness he had to go through for Burn.

Speaking of madness, now he had to search for the shop. It was supposed to have a sign with an eye framed by wings, paying homage to the Eye of Onyx. A jewelry store, apparently, although why Burn would ever even look at a jewelry store was beyond Rust.

It took about twenty minutes of wandering before he found it. Other than the sign, it looked like a normal SandWing building that would never stand out to Rust. Why did it stand out to Burn?

Why did she make it stand out to me?

With that passing thought, Rust opened the door to hear the dull jingle of a bell that announced his presence. Inside the room that was lit up by the windows, various rows of jewelry stood in various displays. Some of it was so out in the open it was a miracle that nobody had stolen it. Or maybe someone had tried and faced a tragedy.

Coming from a door that probably led to a backroom of sorts, a scarred SandWing stood behind the counter. He probably challenged Burn's scar count, he definitely challenged her size. Still, he couldn't compare to Burn's gaze as he stared at the dragonet that was in his store for some reason.

"What do you need?" he asked, glaring ever so slightly at the hybrid.

"Nothing much," Rust said as he walked up to the counter, meeting the SandWing's glare without reacting. "Just wanted to let ya know that more are starting to belong to the sands of time."

The glare vanished, replaced with a slightly pitying look as he stared at the dragonet. "Come into the back," he said, moving to open a trapdoor of sorts to let Rust behind the counter.

Silently questioning the behavior, Rust didn't say a word as he moved behind the counter and followed the SandWing into the back room. Ignoring all of the various tools and instruments, Rust carefully watched the other as he pulled out a false brick in the floor. Under it, a small chest was taken out of the little hiding nook to see the light.