Blood Soaked Sands

I DO NOT OWN THE RP THIS IS BASED ON OR MOST OF THE CHARACTERS
WARNING: This story has lots of gore and unsettling aspects
Owner: Glacieroftheicewings5612 || Written by: Shardclaw
RP: https://wingsoffire.fandom.com/wiki/Thread:3337266
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Prologue
Talonsteps echoed through the empty halls of the palace. A huge dragon the color of oasis sand round a corner and ran towards a large door at the far end of the hall. She pushed the doors open, peering into the large warm room before her. Her giant sides heaved as she stood there, towering over the small pale green dragon before her.
"Okapi." She said, looking down at the small dragon. "Is it true? Is it hatching?" Okapi looked up at her and nodded, her pale green scales shifting to a vibrant yellow. "Yes, your majesty. The egg is hatching." She stepped aside, letting the huge dragon past her. A large hollow lay behind her, lined with camel furs and feathers. In the middle of the hollow lay a single egg, the color of desert sand at night. It had a spidering crack in its side, with a small black talon peeking out.
Okapi walked up to watch besides the huge dragon, eyes sparkling "Queen Mirage, won't this be your fifth daughter?" Mirage grinned, still watching the egg "Yes, it will." The egg shook, then the shell fell away to reveal a small dragonet with pale yellow scales and a black stripe down her back. The dragonet looked around for a moment before finding her mother's eyes. For a moment, a flash of emotion crossed her face before returning to the face of a normal dragonet. Mirage suddenly had a jolt of realization. This dragonet will kill me. She looked at the dragonet. And she won't wait long.
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Chapter One
10 years later.....
Stonefly had never been anyone special. Her entire life she had lived in a small village near the sea. She had normal parents, friends, and a normal hut. The only thing remotely unique about her was the fact that she was a hybrid. But, even that was normal in the small village by the sea.
Stonefly had been laying on her messy pile of furs, trying to bury her face in the fur blankets to avoid the sun. She groaned as another sunbeam pierced her makeshift fur shield and sat up. Stonefly rubbed her eyes and stretched her wings, which resembled those of a dragonfly. She stood up and walked over to the window next to her bed. The sea sparkled like a giant sapphire, reflecting every ray of sunlight that touched it. She walked out of the room with a tiny hop.
A dragon the color of the sea was sitting in the main room of hut, reading a leather-bound book. As Stonefly bounded into the room she looked up and smiled. "Stonefly!" She called, her webbed talons waving for her to come closer. "How did you sleep?" The dragon had gills fluttering along her sapphire neck, and warm green eyes. "Fine, Mom." Stonefly said, making her way to sit by her. "Where's Dad?" Stonefly's Mother looked out the window and closed her book. "Just running errands." She said, smiling. "He'll be back soon." Stonefly sat up and walked towards the door, moving her yellow scales away from her mother's sapphire ones. "I'm gonna go out then. See you later!" She then ran out the door and closed it on her mother's protests.
She breathed in the salty air, gills fluttering. She let her webbed talons sink into the wet sand. Stonefly closed her eyes and listened to the sound of waves..... "STONEFLYYYYYY" Called a familiar voice from behind her. Stonefly opened her eyes to watch as a ruby-colored dragon ran down the beach to her. Her leaf-shaped wings flung out to her sides. The dragon almost collided with Stonefly but stopped herself just in time. "Are you meditating again?" The dragon asked, amused. "No! I was... I was just..." She stuttered, then sighed. "Yes Mahogoney, I was meditating again." Mahogany wrinkled her snout "I don't know why you do that Fly. It seems boring." Stonefly swatted her with her wing. "It's very relaxing! If you could sit still for TEN SECONDS I think you would like it." Mahogany started walking towards the center of the village, flicking her tail. "Whatever Fly. Let's go see if we can annoy Swift into hanging out with us." Then bolted up the hill. Stonefly snorted and followed her, smiling.
The center of the village was a bustling market, full of treasure, food, and raving lunatics. Stonefly narrowly avoided having her tail stomped on or her wings caught on claws and barbs. A dragon stood on a podium near the center of the market, preaching about Queen Mirage, queen of all the tribes. Stands of fish, whale, seagull, and other foods were lined up alongside treasure and clothing.
They finally saw the stand they were looking for, a small fish stand with a dusty silver dragon standing behind it. The dragon spotted them and sighed. "What do you want now?" She peered at them with dark blue eyes. Swift was the only pureblood Icewing Stonefly knew. Mahogany slapped her talon against the top of the stand, making the fish on the top jump. "Hang out with us Swift! You can work tomorrow." Swift swatted her away. "Can't you tell I'm busy Mag? I don't have time to play with dragonets." Mag laughed "We're the same age! Tell her, Fly." She said turning to Stonefly. "Uhhh... What she said." Stonefly mumbled, her eyes locked on a dragon that was pushing through the crowd.
The strange dragon walked up to the preaching dragon on the pedestal, then shoved him off. She barely heard Mag and Swift arguing behind her as the dragon started speaking above the crowd. "By order of Queen Viper, I have been sent to deliver a message!" It seemed that all at once, the normally loud market went almost completely silent. Even Mag and Swift had gone quiet. Creepy she thought, watching the dragon. "As of two weeks ago, Queen Mirage and four of her daughters went missing, leaving Queen Viper to rule." Whispers broke out in the crowd, threatening to drown out the rest of the dragon's words. 
"And by order of our new queen, all hybrids are banned. All existing ones shall be taken by Queen Vipers soldiers." At this, the crowd broke into outrage. Dragons yelled and screamed and started to flee. Suddenly, soldiers descended on the market. They were waiting! Stonefly realized, running with her friends. A large Sky dragon landed in front of them and grabbed Mag, trying to pin her down. Mag clawed his stomach, leaving long claw scratches. The guard growled, then reached down and slit her throat. Mag gurgled as the life bled out of her into a scarlet puddle. The guard grinned as Mag took a final gasp, then fell dead. The guard chuckled "Should have just co-operated." He looked up, then saw Stonefly and grinned. "Hello there." Stonefly was frozen in place, eyes stuck to Mag's body. She was stuck, trapped in fear, to trapped to see the Hivewing stinger plunge towards her. To trapped to see Swift dragged away from them, crying. Then, she could only see darkness.
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Chapter Two
Stonefly was in her room again. She jolted upright and screamed. Her scream trailed off, as she took in her surroundings. "It was just a dream." She let out a sigh of relief, then went out into the hall. Strange... I can't hear anyone. Stonefly walked into the main room, then outside. Where is everyone? She looked around her scanning the beach. "Stonefly...." She heard a slow, bloodcurdling voice behind her. Stonefly tried to turn but was stuck in place. "Why did you let me die... You watched me die and did NOTHING." Stonefly managed to turn her head, eyes widening. Mahogony was standing behind her, her throat dripping scarlet and her eyes dull. "You let me die... You did nothing." She croaked again. Stonefly started sobbing, unaware of the feeling of falling, of lying on stone. "I'm sorry Mag. I'm sorry." Mag was starting to fade. "Too late... too late..." Then, Stonefly woke.
.....
Stonefly felt cold stone pressing against her side, and slowly opened her eyes. She slowly sat up, rubbing her shoulder. She lifted her talon from her shoulder and noticed a thin trickle of blood. Is that mine? She thought, taking in her surroundings. A cage surrounded her on all sides, but she could still see slivers of sky in-between the bars. She realized that she was standing on a pillar, overlooking a large arena below. Dragons below roared and screamed in pain, fear, and without a trace of hope. She shivered as a cold wind blew in the cage. Where am I? She thought, terrified. I want to go home...
 Her wrists ached like she had been dragged across the continent. Maybe I was. Who knows. Then the realization of what had happened set in. I don't know where mother and father are... Or Swift... And Mag... She choked back tears. Mags dead. Stonefly wiped tears from her face and looked down towards the arena. It looked like it could hold hundreds of dragons comfortably, with more room in the seats that surrounded it. Right then, there were about ten pairs of dragons fighting. In the center, a large burly Sandwing was standing in front of a smaller, very obvious, Sandwing Icewing hybrid. The Sandwing had small scars crisscrossing his body and had a malicious grin on his face. 
A loud voice rang through the arena, "Welcome, ladies and gents, boys and girls, dragons of all ages, to the hybrid arena!" The announcer's voice was cheery, and it made her sick "Today, we have our champion, Quickstorm, facing off against a hybrid challenger, Frostpool. Claws up, ready, FIGHT!" Quickstorm suddenly disappeared, his scales fading into the sand. The opponent seemed to jump, then search his surroundings. Then, out of nowhere, Quickstorm reappeared. He reached down to grab Frostpool, then clawed her stomach open. Frostpool shrieked and fell to the ground, screaming. The already bloodstained sands became dark blue as he laid there, bleeding out. Quickstorm then pinned them down, and slit their throat. 
After a few seconds of silence, cheering rang through the rows of dragons watching. The announcer's voice rang through the arena again, "We have a winner! One of our champions, Quickstorm, has won again!" Stonefly looked away from the sickening scene of dark blue blood and the malicious smile of Quickstorm. She curled up on the stone, and couldn't help but wonder Am I next?
....
Stonefly had been at the arena for a few days now, and it made the arena feel more and more terrible each time she woke. She had tried several times to break or at least damage the bars of her cage. But, each time she slapped her strong tail against the bars, she felt like it had hit something harder than steel. She had tried to keep herself from sleeping. Every time she closed her eyes she could only see Mahogany dying, or the countless hybrids dying on those blood-soaked sands. Over the time she was in there, she had seen the other two champions fight. One of them was a Skywing named Flare, who had firescales and controlled fire near them. The other was a small Rainwing named Lichen, who seemed to move faster than sound.
But, most of the time, hybrids fought each other to the death down there. From what she had gathered, hybrids fought each other until they had won a lot of fights and then fought the champions. The champions never lost. 
Stonefly rested her head on her talons and closed her eyes. She had not fought yet, but the death and misery of this place haunted her. She closed her eyes tighter as a scream echoed off the arena walls and the crowds cheered. It seemed that dozens of dragons died here daily. She rolled onto her side and looked out through the bars at other pillars and their prisoners.
On the pillar nearest to her, only talons reach away, was another hybrid. He looked somewhat like a Sandwing, except for the fact that he had pitch-black scales and silver scales on the tips of his wing membranes. But, the strangest thing about him was the fact that he had a pure white mask on his face. His tail flicked back and forth, watching the arena like it was a play. Stonefly watched him for a while, then noticed when he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Stonefly waved, hoping that this dragon wouldn't kill her. What's your name? Who are you? She then refrained herself from slapping her own face. He can't hear you. She then jumped as the strange dragon spoke, without taking his eyes from the arena.
"Yes, I can." He grinned, his teeth startlingly white against his pitch-black scales. "Haven't you ever heard of mind-readers?" The dragon then turned his head to looked at her. "Have you?" Stonefly's eyes widened, and she sputtered out, "I-I uh... Y-yes yes, I have." He seemed to still be grinning, but it was hard to tell. "My name is Stalker. Yours?" Stalker looked down towards the arena again, as if he didn't care to hear her name anyways. Stonefly looked down towards the arena as well, then back immediately as a dragon screamed again. "S-Stonefly." She smiled nervously. 
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