Celestial Bright

Prologue: The New Arrival

Swarming above my head, the dragons’ chirping quickly awakens me. Normally, I only half understand what they’re singing to one another, but tonight their meaning is clear; someone new is arriving. This is all too rare an occasion to pass by. I jump from my bed, causing an immediate halt to the air acrobatics. Carefully, I dress in jeans and a t-shirt, an act hindered by the gently nudging and the cries to hurry by my companions.

Had they been full sized, they never would have been able to fit inside the compound, let alone my room. But they were the seven remaining Pygmy Dragons, only about as large as a small dog. Once, they had been pets for kings and queens, now they were my shadows, following me almost everywhere. Unlike their giant cousins, my friends are rather sweet natured and fiercely loyal to their chosen master, but subconsciously I was always a bit cautious of their dagger-like teeth, razor sharp claws, and elemental breath, but avoiding them was second nature after almost fourteen years of knowing them.

“I’m hurrying,” I chant to Daystar, one of the three males, as he perches on my shoulder and buries himself into my hair, as he is prone to do. His brilliant ruby, emerald, and gold scales glimmer in the weak moonlight leaking in from the bay window. His breath is warm on my ear and could easily turn to fire if he isn’t careful. Even though he is the baby of the group, he is still old enough to have control, which I am always thankful for.

His twin sister, Aurora, a chaotic rainbow of pink, lavender, blue, and gold, is turning flips in the air and hiccupping sparks as she always does when excited. Her good friend and fellow female, Twilight (a rich purple, blue, and silver), slowly circles around her in a somber dance, her icy breath blowing puffs in the warm midsummer air. Midnight, another male, curls up on my bed, his blue and silver scales violently clashing with my green sheets and dribbling water onto my pillow. Dusk preens herself in the mirror of my vanity, rubbing her gray, black, and silver scales to make them shine, and I shudder as she spits a mouth of splinters onto my floor. Too often have I stepped barefooted on her leavings, and been forced to spend an hour at the medics.

My two remaining friends hover near my door, waiting only slightly more patiently then the others. My last male drips shadow as his female counterpart does with light. Eclipse is an elegant black and silver, and Moondream a breathtaking white, silver, and gold. Commonly, they are called the “love birds” and it is a widely held believe that they were mated, but it is still too soon to tell if any of the desired offspring would be forth coming. Pygmy Dragons were a long lived species, but had not proved to be very fertile.

I smile at the brood before slipping my pass key over my head and opening the door, then I rush down the dorm hallway with them quick at my heels. There is no stealth in our movement, impossible for there to be so. The hall lights up with our presence and echoes my foot steps and their wing beats and chirps. Even in my earliest days here, I have never felt the need to go on quietly with my life. Everything blends in the compound. We are a small community, only about a hundred in number. Reflecting on self too much will cut us completely off from life.

No one else is about at this late or early hour. In my haste, I have forgotten to check the time. Excitement tingles in me as I walk up to the lock of the Enclosed Aviary Garden. I slid my key card and the door slides open. I walk the foot paths through the center. Normally this is one of my favorite places in the entire compound. Besides being the home to several unique and rare flora, there exist my main interest; the fauna. If the dragons were not so in love with me, this would be their home, but now it plays host to several others. As I walk across the bridge over the main lake, I spy the families of rainbow swans in the small island in the middle. Near the bank of trees the crystal peacocks glitter in the moonlight from the glass dome ceiling. The quietly whirling of gears and musical notes ring out softly from the trees that hold the nest to the fifty mechanical song birds made by some ancient alchemist. Hidden were the double wing penguins in the smaller lake and the little family of Phoenixes. I feel the restfulness of this room, and quietly bid them all a goodnight again.

Leaving the garden, we are close to the main entry hall. I hear the voice of Helen instructing whoever had arrived on the procedures and rules of the compound. The other has no reply to her. I stand in the arch to study them.

I am a bit upset to see that it is not a more interesting arrival, such as fantastical animal to add to the menagerie we have here or even some new plant which would be almost as wonderful. It is just another human, though I am happy to see he is close to my own age, only a year or two older. He is tall, with a slender muscular build. His hair is rather long and dark, but his eyes shine in the muted light. He holds his hands behind his back as he studies the display boxes of artifacts as Helen continues her lecture. He has probably already heard it a thousand times before even the chance of setting foot here, the rules about what was and wasn‘t allowed here, how to use his access key, the importance of our work, and most importantly treating everything with great respect, especially those who dwell in the Caves. His face is very serious, even as his eyes fall on treasures that were supposed to be lost to the ages. He has a bit more interest for the mural at the end of the hall that shows all the workers of the compound. It is rather old, I am only five in the picture and most of the people in it have either left or died. Uncle Nathaniel keeps saying that one day soon we will repaint it, but I know he never will. It has the last picture of mother. She, like in all her pictures, looks nothing short of angelic, with her sweet temperate smile and her halo of pale hair.

A gasp brings me back to reality as the new comer’s eyes land on me and the dragons. I don’t know if it is them or me that has caused this reaction. While they are surprising, he must be in some ways prepared for them or their like, but to see a petite sixteen year old girl, standing and studying him in this institute that has the most selective staff in the country must shock him. Helen has noticed my arrival, but that doesn’t deter her from this prepared speech.

I suppose she is rather pretty, but she hides all her good features in chaste buns, thick glasses, and unflattering dull suits. She is not actually a part of the compound, neither a scientists, field worker, assistance, or other support staff. She is our government appointed liaison, keeping everyone on track or as close to it as possible. I can never tell if she enjoys her job, or if she thinks being amongst the odd and outrageous is a duty she must do for her country.

“Clara,” she says, only slightly surprised now that she has finished. “It is rather early for you to be up.” There is no question in her voice, merely a statement of fact lacking any true emotion. I give a guilty smile and shrug, which is rather hard to manage as Daystar, Aurora, and Twilight are now resting on my head and shoulders. Helen rubs the bridge of her nose in frustration, a feeling I seem to constantly give her.

“I suppose introductions are in order,” she gestures to me. “This is Clara Blake. While unofficially she thinks herself Dr. Bennett’s assistant, she is more importantly Dr. Madison’s niece.” I childishly stick my tongue out at her. Helen has never understood my place here and thinks I should have been put in foster care rather then grow up here. I turn to the newcomer expecting him to be some new member of the support staff.

“This is Arthur Courland,” she points to him. “He is going to be your Uncle Nathaniel’s second in command.” He smirks at my surprised face.

“A pleasure to meet you Miss Blake,” he says coming closer to me and extending a hand in greeting. “I hope my stay in the Madison Cryptic Compound is an agreeable one.”

“I hope it is,” is my reply as I for one last time make eye contact with him before fleeing the way I had come. The dragons follow, a bit confused at my sudden departure, but I can’t help but be unnerved as I reenter the garden and pause on the bridge. “I really do.”