The Hybrid Prophecy

Please do not edit unless you are me or are pemitted by me. Thanks!
P.S.- This is a different version of what happpened after/during the SandWing Succession. 
THE HYBRID PROPHECY 
After thirty years of wars and fights
The dragonets will come to end the blight
On darkest day when celestials unite
Find the dragonet of ice and night 
Under the cliff, beneath scant light
On tallest mountain your eyes shall strain
To seek the dragonet of sky and rain
A turquoise egg awaits alone
To be found in engraved sea stone
For sand and sky 
Search the desert dry
Above cactus high
You must try
To look in highest tree
There you will find she
Of rain and mud
Stashed in the nub
The queens who blister, blaze, and burn
Must begin to learn
How to compromise
Or they will all meet their demise
Darkness will rise to bring the light
To show its power and might
Five dragonets born on this night
Five dragonets to end the blight
 
 
Prologue 
Asha clutched the deep brown egg reverently to her chest. It was found by her in the hollow of the tallest tree in the rainforest, just as it was prophesied. She glanced uneasily at the sky. A million questions as numerous as the stars roamed her head. What if this is the wrong egg?  Is the total eclipse truly going to happen? Will I die before I come back? She shook the worry from her mind and assured herself. I followed all the instructions in the prophecy. The moons and sun should line up tonight, as it was foretold. I have to make it back for this egg to survive. 
She looked down and saw the canyon where the dragonets from the prophecy would safely be hatched and raised by their guardians. It was a little too close to Queen Scarlet’s palace if you asked her, though. 
She made sure for the umpteenth time that there was absolutely no dragon following her, then dived into the deep, carved out crevasse. She found the secret door hidden behind an outcropping and gave the secret knock, waiting impatiently. 
Asha heard an almost inaudible whisper: “Who is it?” That’s Dune, she thought. Must’ve left early to stea- I mean, take the sand/sky egg. “Asha of the Talons of Peace.” After a moment, she added in a more comforting voice, “You can let me in, Dune.” 
The boulder was slowly slid aside with SandWing’s one good arm. A relieved, light beige head shot out of the crack. “You scared me. It sounded like one of Burn’s MudWing soldiers were at the door when you first came. Do you have the egg?” 
“Yes, but if you keep me out here any longer I just might be spotted by one the foot soldiers around here,” she said, giving a very, very, very faint hiss. Dune pushed the giant rock aside and kept a watchful eye behind her just in case someone did come barreling out behind her, ready to dragonnap or destroy any of the precious eggs. 
He shut the door behind them and they started walking down the hall that led to the small maze of caverns that was soon to be their home for the next several years, or until the guardians decided the dragonets were mature enough to go out and stop the war. That will probably take a while with Kestrel here. 
Asha saw the pedestal where the eggs were to be kept. There was already one there, blazing fiery orange, red, and gold, looking as if it were on fire. It was shining under a sky hole that gave light from two moons, soon to be three, and the sun, perfectly aligned in a complete solar eclipse. 
Hopefully, Asha thought, and then immediately scolded herself. Do not think like that. She paced around, waiting for the other guardians to come with the eggs. 
First Hvitur came in with the ice/night egg, which was a dark midnight blue with scattered silver specks, like the underside of NightWing’s wing. As soon as it was put under the moonlight, it started to take on a more of a silver shade. Strange. 
Hvitur had a few deep scratches along his shoulder, wings, and snout, probably from an encounter with an angry IceWing mother. Asha quickly bandaged them with a few scraps of moss that she found along the riverbed, while he winced and bit his lip. 
A few hours later, Webs came in with a pure aquamarine egg, shivering and jittery. He almost was caught by the queen in his escape from within the, at least, according to him, intricate wavy walls of the unknown Summer Palace. He was already a traitor to his tribe, so being captured by the queen, especially after he stole her egg, would not bode well. 
 
Where is she? Asha was nervously tapping her talons on the stone ground. She should be here by now. This dragonet was the closest to our hideout. There was a loud knock on the door and Dune rushed there, at least, as fast as dragon with three legs could go. Asha could hear the boulder move across the floor as if it were old bones. Everyone in the cave, including Hvitur, who was brooding over his wounds, turned their heads to the end of the hallway where Kestrel limped through the door, looking very ashamed and scarred, and in her talons…there was not a single egg. 
Asha’s heart dropped. How is the prophecy going to be fulfilled without the egg of sky and rain? She still ran up to the rust red SkyWing and helped her to a ledge. “What-What happened?” Webs questioned, his eyes distraught. 
Kestrel looked like she was about to break into tears. That’s uncharacteristic of her. Asha guessed it was because this was the second dragonet she had to leave behind. 
“There-there was an ambush. It took a long time to find the egg, and when I was almost to it Scarlet’s soldiers came from nowhere and knocked me back.” She said ‘Scarlet’ with utter hatred. “I tried fighting my way back to it, but there were too many. I was forced to flee.” 
“Maybe…we could get an egg from a different tribe?” Hvitur proposed. “No. it’s too late.” Kestrel responded, looking towards the sky hole. The sun and the moons were in the sky, yet to be united in a few minutes. 
They all dragged themselves in a circle around the pedestal, heavy-hearted. The celestial bodies had almost finished their path towards each other, their edges touching. Asha looked at the ready-to-hatch eggs. 
Then, the bright spherical orbs in the sky formed a straight line, casting an enormous beam of light at the eggs as if the last light from the covered sun was cast on them. All the dragons surrounding the platform were blown from their positions. 
When Asha could see again, she rushed over to the ring of tiny, newborn dragonets lying on the stone floor. Please be okay…please be okay…She picked up the limp forms, felt their heartbeats, and breathed a sigh of relief. They were alive. 
These are the dragonets that will save the world…
 
Chapter 1
Scorch ducked and rolled under Kestrel’s wing. She expected the most out of him, since he was half-SkyWing. 
That certainly did not exclude battle training. 
The humongous dragon lunged at him, talons outstretched. His eyes widened, and he wrapped his wings around him, bracing himself. Kestrel knocked into him, sending them rolling around the training cave. He flung his front talons out in front of him, feeling some of them hit her hard scales painfully. 
She roared and made the hissing sound that meant fire was about to come streaming out of her mouth, until a voice echoed across the cave “Enough!” the dragonets’ MudWing mentor yelled. Kestrel whipped her head around to glare at Asha. “He needs to be trained for the outside world!” 
“Just because he is going to help stop the war doesn’t mean he’s going to be fighting in it every day!” Asha replied with an equal, but more defensive glare. “Scorch, come here.” 
He managed to wriggle from under Kestrel’s grasp and dash to Asha before he met the SkyWing’s claws. Scorch still felt her eyes staring at him as he receded down the hall. He also heard Asha stomping into the cave to argue with Kestrel about being too hard on him and his frien-well more like brothers and sisters. They had been raised up together for six years. If only Asha would stop battle training all together. But, then again, without her we would suffer a lot worse with just Kestrel. The two female guardians had made a compromise that if Asha could take the dragonets, in secret, to the outside world every five weeks, then Kestrel could keep battle training them. 
Scorch came to one of the cave openings that held the dragonets’ ‘sleeping ledges’. He walked over, hunched, to his bed, which consisted of a mat of unknown fur and flopped on top of it. Not wanting to look in his friends’ eyes, he turned his whole body to face the wall. 
“What happened? Did you get hurt? I heard Asha go down there,” Hurricane interrogated. She was a SeaWing, the only non-hybrid in the prophecy. She was pretty large for a dragonet, but definitely not as big as Kestrel or Asha. She was kind and protective and would leap into any danger to protect her friends, even if it meant death. Although the only danger they would face in the underground caves were their SkyWing guardian’s own claws. 
“I lost the battle, again. I did not get hurt too badly. A few scratches here and there. And yes, Asha just went to go argue with Kestrel, yet I doubt it’s going to change anything.” Scorch mumbled. Especially for me. 
“Nothing has changed in six years. I doubt Kestrel will change either.” came Komodo’s snarky voice. She was the dragonet of Mud and Rain (and sarcasm), yet she only looked like a RainWing. Scorch thought it was the effect of the beam of light that struck them when they hatched, somehow, because he only looked like a SandWing with some SkyWing colors, too. Phantom was the only one not effected by the blast. 
Phantom, the ice/night hybrid, said nothing. He was the most mysterious of them all, quiet, powerful, from what Scorch knew, yet not evil. He just said and did practically nothing, unless he was sneaking around the caves for something, hardly speaking a word. 
 
            Hurricane looked at the skylight to see what time it was. “It’s almost time for Hvitur’s class.” she stated. Webs taught about dragon abilities and weaknesses, Hvitur taught History and whatever about the war he could, Kestrel taught how to fight, and Asha taught them how to read, write, and whenever she could get them outside, she taught them about the flora and fauna of Pyrrhia. 
            After a long, boring lecture, at least, to Scorch, they receded back to their sleeping room. He caught Komodo and Hurricane taking quick glances behind them to watch if anyone was following them, although he dared not ask why. When they got there, Komodo breathed deeply, shared a look with Hurricane and said, 
“So, when do we escape?” 
 
Chapter 2 
“Wha-wha-how-why?” Scorch sputtered. “Because we need to get away,” Komodo hissed and lashed her tail, a scowl on her face. “You know how they treat us,” Hurricane sympathized. Phantom watched with an amused, crossed with interested, look. “But, Asha-”, Scorch started, but Komodo interrupted him. “Yet when she’s gone Kestrel and Dune have their go at us while Hvitur and Webs stand and watch.” Asha often was the one to get their prey because shimmering ice blue/silver, deep blue-green, and target red were a lot more noticeable along the dirt-and-rock floor than amber and brown scales. And Dune could not hunt because of the scars ripped along his wings and the stub that replaced his right foreleg. 
“We’ve been stuck in this cave for six years now because of the stupid Talons of Peace. Don’t you think it’s time for us to stop the war already? We’re not two month old dragonets anymore!” Komodo hissed as loud as she could, not wanting their guardians to hear. 
“But we are still dragonets! We still have so much to learn!” Scorch said, thinking about his fight with Kestrel. 
“We know enough to stop the brutal deaths happening around Pyrrhia!” 
“Do we? Do you?!”He countered. Komodo flared her wings and her ruff, turning a dark red-brown, because she only could turn earthy colors, due to being half MudWing. She could also spit lava and normal RainWing venom. Very scary. 
“STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!” Hurricane yelled, yet miraculously, the older dragons did not hear her. They’re probably sleeping. 
“Arguing like mini Kestrels will not help us make a decision,” she said more calmly. “But voting might.” 
“What?” Komodo and Scorch said almost simultaneously. “You heard me. We should vote on whether we should leave or not.” 
“I vote yes!” Komodo said almost immediately. 
“Yes.” Hurricane said. 
“No, no, no!” Scorch said, giving a hopeful look at Phantom. He probably won’t say anything, as per usual. 
But Phantom gave out a low, rumbled, unexpected, “Yes.” Scorch lowered his head. “Well. Then it’s settled.” Komodo confidently stated. 
 Three of them jumped as Kestrel’s loud, ringing voice spread throughout the system of caves. “HURRICANE! KOMODO! PHANTOM! SCORCH! COME HERE NOW!” Scorch’s ears hurt. Komodo turned another violent shade of burgundy. Hurricane sighed and was the first to walk to the center cavern. Phantom silently padded behind them. When they got there, they stopped in one wide row near the doorway. 
 
Their guardians were filed in two lines. Why so official-looking? Scorch thought until he saw who they were lined up for. Hvitur looked at the giant dark dragon, who was even bigger than Kestrel, voice wavering, and announced: 
“Dragonets, this is Morrowseer, the one who delivered the prophecy.” 
 
 
 
Chapter 3 
Scorch’s legs froze. Delivered the prophecy? Morrowseer walked up to them, glowering, and inspecting every single one of them. I remember a scroll said that NightWings can also read minds. I hope he’s not reading mine. If he is, then I better stop thinking how big and ugly and-stop, do not think like that. Maybe if I start thinking about staying here, he can convince the others to stay, too. Then Morrowseer sauntered over to him and stared straight into his eyes. He let out a low, angry growl, and said “Kill him.” 
The guardians stood there, as if they knew something that the dragonets didn’t, so Hurricane leapt into action and jumped in front of Scorch, claws ready. Komodo reluctantly pinned Morrowseer’s tail. Phantom did nothing, even though he had great fighting skills. While walking down the hall, Scorch heard Kestrel fighting with Phantom. He saw Phantom block and counter Kestrel’s moves as if he knew all of them, and in the exact order Kestrel did them. He never had battle training again. 
Morrowseer looked at Hurricane and said, “Very good.” He looked at Komodo. “Alright.” And then he looked at Scorch, narrowed his eyes, and demanded, “Do you have no fighting instincts? Do you have no regard for your life?” Scorch drooped like a wilting flower. Then the big, coal black dragon looked at Phantom from head to tail. “Hmmm…” Then he addressed the guardians. “Where’s the fifth dragonet?” 
Kestrel angry demeanor was ripped away while shame overwhelmed her. Webs sadly conceded, “We were not able to…withdraw the egg from the mountain.” 
“You failed to get the egg and train the dragonets properly. Looks like you can’t leave anything important to the Talons of Peace. Dumb non-war peace organization,” he hissed, “Looks like I have to take things into my own talons. I will take them to the NightWing kingdom tomorrow. But before I leave, I want to talk with you,” he grumbled, motioning to Phantom. 
The NightWing and NightWing hybrid went into the library cave. No one dared to move or talk until they were done. Once they emerged, Morrowseer looked slightly confused, as if Phantom had something he didn’t have and was supposed to. Phantom looked a bit smug, but concealed it well. The larger dragon quickly squashed his expression. 
“I will pick up the dragonets tomorrow. Try not to lose any more.” he snarled, shooting a hateful look at Kestrel, who, surprisingly to Scorch, almost burst into tears. 
Morrowseer pushed aside the boulder and flew off into the distance. Scorch half-expected Komodo and Hurricane to fly off while the rock was rolled away, but they stayed motionless, still shocked by Morrowseer’s cruel ‘test’ for him. Welcome to the real world. The though didn’t feel like his. 
“Go back to your caves and prepare for tomorrow,” Webs said. Asha was with Kestrel, who wouldn’t budge. Hvitur looked confused and like he couldn’t believe the dragonets were going to leave, after six whole years. 
The four went back to their sleeping caves, tired, weary, and wanting all that happened to be a dream. Will I ever be able to be trained? Will I ever be good enough to stop this war? Will I… was the last thought Scorch had, even though it was a few hours before sundown. 
 
Little did he know what was next for him, or what he would face in the near future. 
 
Chapter 4 
            Scorch woke up to the sound of dragon feet scampering around the caves. He lifted his head to see that Phantom was pacing around the room, not bothering to keep silent feet. Phantom noticed he was awake. “What is with you? I’m trying to sleep before Morrowseer takes us,” 
“Problem is, He may already be here.” Phantom murmured. Scorch was amazed that Phantom actually responded, before what he said sunk in. 
“How do you know?” 
“I…feel it.” 
“Mmmmmm….why are you guys talking so early in the morning? It better be about something important,” Komodo groaned drowsily. 
“If you consider the NightWings important, then yes.” Komodo snapped her eyes open. Hurricane started to wake up and stretch. “Come on you guys, get your stuff. We need to show that we are worthy of being in the prophecy!” Scorch whined. Or at least, I do. 
But when they brought their few items to the entrance, Phantom tensed up and looked uneasy. But it was not the NightWings that they saw. It was practically death. Her brightened orange scales gleaming in the early sunlight, Queen Scarlet of the SkyWings was at their doorstep, if Scorch remembered from the scrolls correctly, with her soldiers holding their guardians in chains and muzzles. She probably is here to kill us. We have to get out of here, now. 
The queen took a step closer, and Scorch gave a sideways glance at Komodo and Hurricane. They leaped and erupted into battle with the soldiers. Scorch could not fight as well as the others, but his SandWing tail could sting. Phantom disabled three oncoming SkyWings, Hurricane bashed her tail into two more, and Komodo, who had a late start, was almost to a soldier when: 
“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE,” Scarlet bellowed. She had her claws over Dune’s throat. Scorch and the others froze. “Well, now that that’s over, SIEZE THEM!” Scarlet ordered, ripping Dune’s throat open. He let out a low, gurgling, throaty noise as his back eyes dimmed and his body drooped. 
“No!” Hurricane yelped as she was leapt on and chained, staring at Dune’s limp body. Scorch felt rough talons encase him, and he also tried to wriggle out of the soldiers’ grasp, trying to stop his friends’ capture. “Stop, or this one dies too,” Scarlet hissed, pointing to Hvitur. The IceWing let out a small whimper, and Scorch stopped thrashing. 
“Let’s go before we have any more…interruptions. We will have such a thrilling time together! So bloody!” she announced, starting to fly out the cave. She talked on and on about an alleged arena she had and how the dragonets were going to fight in it, while the soldiers dragged the dragonets and their guardians out of the cave and into the air, heading towards the mountainous kingdom of the SkyWings. Scorch flew with a heavy heart. 
How would they fulfill the prophecy and stop the war if they couldn’t even survive it? 
 
Chapter 5 
            Despite the imminent fear of being killed at any moment, Scorch was enjoying the actual flight. I am a half-SkyWing…He felt the wind billow under his wings and flowing along his aerodynamic body. I could fly like this forev-wait, Scorch, control yourself. You are flying towards probably immediate death. And possibly, home? 
He felt the soldiers tilt downward, as if to land, and saw what they were aiming for. There was a humongous sand pit, surrounded by towering stone pillars and a gold and gem laden castle. He realized that there were chained blue, green, pale yellow, and even some red/orange dragons strapped together by an enigma of chains. Then he also realized the sand was splattered with blood 
It was the arena. There were no dragons fighting currently, probably because the queen was not able to watch their ‘thrilling’ battles. “BRING THEM HERE!” Scarlet yelled, landing near a giant throne. 
The dragonets landed next to it while Scarlet ran inside the palace, and a few minutes later came out with a golden-wired chest plate with rubies attached to it. Komodo was also taken into the castle for an unknown reason and wasn’t taken out. The guardians were taken to empty towers on the pillar. 
“Now. Who wants to have a thrilling fight first?” Scorch looked around at his friends, too scared to say anything. Hurricane was about to speak up, but he realized that he did not want to see his friends die. “I’ll go!” he blurted. 
Scarlet eyed him, looking impressed. His adopted brother and sister looked surprised and worried (at least, Hurricane did). “Scorch, no!” Hurricane yelped. “Take them to their cages,” Scarlet ordered the soldiers. “And you,” she said motioning to Scorch, “Come with me.” 
Scorch’s life flashed before his eyes. He would have been frozen in place, besides the fact that he was too afraid of the arena queen’s wrath. 
Scarlet led him to a stairway halfway between the arena and the castle, where there were bands lined up on racks. I wonder what those are for. Scarlet motioned to some soldiers at the top, who grabbed the bands and clamped them on his wings. Oh. 
She told the guards to bring her art, whatever that was, to the throne, which overlooked the whole arena. Once they reached the pit, Scorch was shoved into the sand, which sent strange shimmers of energy through his body. He shook the sand out of his ears just as a seemingly bigger, redder, male version of Scarlet landed in the middle of the arena. Some soldiers were dragging a thrashing, silver body into the arena. 
The red dragon proudly called out to a SkyWing, SandWing, and MudWing crowd in the stands, “Whooooo’s ready for a bloody, gory battle?” The crowd cheered. “Introducing Scorch, the dragonet of prophecy! Which he might not be fulfilling now, right?” That’s extremely helpful. “And our other competitor, battling for the third time, the IceWing…” 
 
Chapter 6 
“Flake!” The red SkyWing said. “Talons up and fire or in this case, frostbreath, ready? FIGH-oof!” The IceWing leapt from the soldiers’ grasp and tackled the announcer, hissing. Her throat turned a bright blue as she gathered all the icy energy she could, and got promptly head-butted as the other dragon flew to the stands and nearer to the queen, gasping. 
So he’s probably related to Scarlet, Scorch observed, not noticing the rampaging IceWing charging towards him. Until he heard Hurricane’s voice shouting desperately: “Scorch, look out!” He snapped into action and did the one thing he was good at during a battle, rolling under Flake’s underbelly, ramming into her tail. She whipped around and slashed her claws at him. “Stay still! I have a family to get back to!” 
He felt a stab of pity. Now is not the time for that! He arched his SandWing tail and leapt back while bringing it down on her claws. She yelped as the stinging poison entered her talon. It wasn’t deadly enough to kill her, but it still hurt. The crowd cheered, except for one confused- looking SkyWing soldier. His opponent glared at him, her pained blue eyes burning his heart. This is just self-defense. She attacked me first, didn’t she? Right? Flake then angrily rammed into him, both becoming a blur of white and orange. 
“DIE!” she commanded as he crashed against the wall. She plunged herself at him, and Scorch instinctively put his arms in front of himself for protection. That wouldn’t do much against an anger-bent IceWing, but it would probably preserve his life a little longer. 
But then he felt his body light up with fire. AAAAAHHHHHH-ah? He didn’t feel like he was burning. Awesome! But then he heard a voice that wasn’t his, screaming. Flake’s face was smoldering, as if her face had turned had turned to coals. The crowd roared in glee besides the one SkyWing, and Scorch flipped his body into a defensive position. But then Queen Scarlet’s voice echoed across the stadium. “STOP! STOP THE FIGHT! Bring the Halfling to me.” 
Most of the crowd booed, wanting more, but one glare from the queen of the SkyWings sent them into pure silence. Guards descended on the two dragons, surrounding Scorch and Flake. Two of them took the whitish-blue dragon to her tower. The others were still deciding how to approach Scorch, who now actually posed a threat. He tried flying away, but the fire had not burned through the band. Not wanting to kill the other dragons, he sighed and somehow the fire calmed inside of him and disappeared. 
The soldiers leaped to him before he could put himself on fire again, even though he wouldn’t anyways, and put extra fireproof chains on him. They brought him to the queen and she looked delighted. “That was so thrilling!” I have plenty of plans for you! But first, bring one of those Talons of Peace mongrels here. I want someone to die today,” The soldiers yanked him to his pillar, and chained him there. 
Oh no. He saw Hvitur being brought down to the sands. And coming down with him was a sad looking SkyWing. Wait, that’s not a SkyWing. Is that…another hybrid?!?!? 
 
 
 
Chapter 7
The dragoness had emerald and copper scales, with highlights of gold and silver. Her wing membranes were deep aquamarine. There were no wing bands on her, although a super long, thick, and winding chain was strapped to her neck, probably connected to somewhere in the middle of the kingdom’s castle courtyard. 
So she can travel in and around the castle, but not outside it. I wonder why? Maybe she’s Scarlet’s art. But then she wouldn’t be fighting, would she? Hmmm… 
But Scorch got less distracted with the arena fight that was about to begin, and looked towards the SkyWing waiting impatiently on the throne. Scraggly servants brought out a stone structure shaped like a tree to Scarlet. But what was on it was the thing that surprised Scorch. There was a peaceful-looking RainWing, with deep shades of mahogany brown and forest green. 
Is…is that Komodo?! She would never let someone chain her. Maybe the queen drugged her. From Scorch’s sharp hearing, he heard Scarlet sighing happily. “Ahh…is that my art? So many presents for my hatching day tomorrow!” But then she added, “What TOOK you so long?!” One of the servants replied nervously, not wanting to look her in the eye, “We struggled to get her on there. She almost knocked one of us out. I-I don’t know how she looks so peaceful now… I’m very, very sorry, Your Majesty.” 
Scarlet snorted. “A RainWing?! Resisting?! The most they can do to you is blink at you.” Komodo didn’t flinch or budge, after many times of hearing Kestrel’s lazy RainWing comments. Or maybe it was because she was delusional from someone’s drugging. 
“But since it’s my hatching day tomorrow, I’m feeling…forgiving. You will not be killed right now.” Relief spread over the servants’ faces. “So you will be my first set of thrilling entertainment tomorrow in the arena. Burn will be so pleased. So much death!” Scarlet smirked and the other dragons’ faces were smothered with pure horror. 
The arena announcer finally regrouped from the last fight landed back in the arena, more cautious than before. Like Hvitur would have enough courage to attack him. He cleared his throat, and spoke to the crowd: “On one side, Hvitur of the Talons of Peace.” The crowd snorted. “And on the other side, Shimmer, the queen’s champion and Dragonet of Destiny!” 
Scorch’s stomach twisted and turned, and he felt dizzy and nauseated.  His thoughts zigzagged through his head in at the speed of light. So that’s where the dragonet Kestrel lost went…Will Hvitur survive this? I hope He does, or else that will be the second guardian we will lose… I wonder how that dragonet is the champion. 
 
With another stomach twisting turn, he realized that today he would either lose family or part of the destiny that would end a thirty year war. 
 
Chapter 8 
            “Talons up, fire ready, FIGHT!” The SkyWing left the arena as soon as he said ‘fight’, leaving the hybrid and Talon to watch each other nervously. That was when Scorch noticed sparks coming off the hybrid. So she has different powers, too. 
            Scarlet gave a questioning look to the announcer and jested, “Next time you should announce from up here, Vermillion.” Vermillion started muttering to himself. She then called out to Shimmer and said: “Remember to make it thrilling! I missed the first bloody fight!” 
The hybrid looked like she certainly did not want to make it ‘thrilling’ or ‘bloody’. But she advanced on Hvitur anyway, who was cowering in a corner. Scorch was pacing in his tower, not sure who he wanted to win. Hvitur was never truly mean, but like Dune and Webs, he let Kestrel do whatever she wanted when Asha was out hunting. 
Yet he did not know this dragoness, and she was Scarlet’s champion, no matter how sad she looked to kill. Shimmer creeped closer and closer to the silver outline barely showing from Scorch’s spot on the pillar, which jutted out from behind two other prisoners, one looking pitifully at him. 
Shimmer leaped over and behind Hvitur, shocking him out of his hiding area. The crowd whooped with joy.  She circled around him, shocking him here and there. Hvitur started twitching, but then she gave him a pitying look, said something like, “I’m sorry.” She threw her claws on his heart and Scorch could see mini lightning bolts arch off Hvitur’s chest. As he fell to the ground in front of Shimmer, Scorch felt his heart practically implode, further squeezing after hearing the spectators cheer with mirth. 
She backed away as soldiers flew towards them, picking up the dead IceWing, and dropping off a cliff to a nearly picturesque waterfall with greenery. Strange for them to dump it off there. Shimmer glanced at the queen, took to the air, and flew around the circular arena, stretching it to as long as it could go. She surprisingly landed near where the dead body was, but Scorch could not see anything she was doing. No one else seemed to notice her, for they all seemed to be focused on going home. 
It was late afternoon now, and the SkyWings started to fly into the air and towards somewhere the village probably was, the MudWings started to head southeast, and the few SandWings from the stands went southwest. The queen headed back into the castle, probably to her sleeping chambers. But Scorch would get absolutely no sleep tonight. 
Especially with a visitor with battle armor flying up and straight to his tower. The SkyWing flew to him, but then decided to soar around to the opposite side of his cage. The prisoners next to him were asleep, so they didn’t see the dragon approaching him. She landed gracefully on the edge, but almost slipped when they made eye contact. 
She stepped closer, and Scorch became very anxious and curious, realizing she was the one viewer of his fight that was not applauding at his fiery attack. What is she going to do to me? He then saw a tear slip down her cheek. “How…how could he do this to me? To you?” Scorch had no idea what she was talking about. “Scorch, is it? My name is Raptor, general of Queen Scarlet’s army.” Raptor’s posture became better, and then her shoulders slumped and she started scratching the area behind her horns. Scorch started to get a tingling feeling. 
“Aaaaannd, your…mother.” 
 
Chapter 9 
Scorch opened and closed his mouth. My mother? Who probably abandoned me six years ago? Raptor searched him for some sort of reaction. There was so much confusion pounding at Scorch’s head that he had to straighten things out. “You-you are my mom. The general of the whole SkyWing army. And… you abandoned me.” The last statement came out more as a question then a spoken fact. 
“What? No, no, no, I would never do that. Scorch, I gave you to your father so he would protect you. Which obviously didn’t happen. I sent you so far to save you from this place…and, and yet that…moons-begotten SandWing had you sent right back.” Smoke started rising from her nose as her temper flared. 
“He didn’t, mother,” Scorch responded, feeling the oddness of saying ‘mother’ and defending someone he didn’t know. She gave him an odd look and he continued, “I was taken by the friends of the dragon that the champion killed.” She flinched at the word killed. If she’s the general, why would she flinch at death? Unless…she knows something about Shimmer that I don’t. 
“I grew up under the Claws of the Clouds mountain range, in a system of caverns with three other dragonets-the prophecy dragonets. A few of the Talons of Peace raised us. Then Scarlet saw a NightWing come from the mountain and came with a few soldiers to capture us and took us to their kingdom. Well, here.” 
 Raptor asked in a dark voice, “What NightWing?” Scorch hesitantly replied, “Someone named Morrowseer came down to inspect us, and he was supposed to pick us up this morning to train us his way. I guess some of Scarlet’s patrol saw him leave and told her our location.” 
She was now so enraged that she started to pace around the tower, smoke from her snout covering both of them. Before she attracted unwanted visitors, Scorch asked one question circling his head. “Who-who is my father?” Raptor stopped circling around and sighed. “Your father’s name was Tumbleweed. I thought he was a kind, smart, and courageous fellow. So when I had your egg, I gave it to him so he could protect it from Scarlet, who would probably give you to Burn and send me to the arena. He obviously didn’t do his job. You were captured by those weak Talons of Peace, for the three moons.” 
            “Oh.” Scorch said, disappointed. At least one of my parents care for me. Although I do wonder what he was like…? Raptor noticed his expression and wrapped her humongous wings around him, which was somewhat comforting. 
“There isn’t any chance that you can help my friends and I escape, is there?” She sighed again and dropped her wings. There are more night patrols then there are day, which would usually be the best time to escape. And plus, the general isn’t the one who takes care of the keys for the prisoners chains. And then there is my tribe…although you are important to me than them.” Somewhere a rooster went off, and Scorch finally noticed the rising sun. 
            Raptor also noticed and started to take off. “I’ll see if there is any way I can help you escape, but for now, I have to leave. Bye!”  Scorch felt his heart practically drop off the cliff as he saw his mother fly off towards the castle, and far, far, away from him. 
 
 
 
              
 
Chapter 10 
            Scorch felt all the tiredness from the night before descending upon him. His talk with his mother left him confused and tired, and his eyelids drooped heavily. 
That was, until a loud herald trumpet went off and he jumped, dragging his and the prisoners next to him’s chains, waking them up, too. Some of them hissed, until they saw the great, big, muscular shape at the front of a flying SandWing squadron heading towards the castle. 
            Queen Scarlet was already on her throne, adorned in all sorts of jewels and gold plating. “Welcome, Burn!” Burn?!?! The female hulk of a dragon landed in front of her smaller ally, towering over her with battle scars rippling across her scales. 
            “I was wondering if you would make it to my hatching day party, and you did! So many thrilling arena fights today! And you’ll never guess who I have to fight in there!” 
Burn raised an eyebrow and said, “Who?” in a raspy, but deep voice. “We’ll have them fight later and you will see. But for now, Vermillion, pull out my two incompetent servants and that odd looking SkyWing. And get someone to bring roasted lizards for our guest, and, bring my art,” Scarlet commanded authoritatively, and Burn raised her brow again. 
            Vermillion lifted off, talking to some soldiers and servants, who carried out the commands. Komodo looked even lazier than before, turning all sorts of colors, only a chain restraining her from a possible attack. 
What happened to her? Why isn’t she attacking? Why do they not know she’s dangerous? Kestrel had often called them lazy RainWings, but Scorch did not think any dragon could be that lazy. Does she want to be like this? 
Scorch’s attention diverted to the dragons being brought to the arena. Vermillion landed in the middle and shouted to the now seated crowd, “On one end are two servants of the high and mighty Queen Scarlet who couldn’t fight a RainWing,” The crowd laughed, and he continued, “and on the other side, Minerva!” 
The battle ended abruptly with two SkyWing servant corpses on the ground, one sort of guilty-looking SkyWing breathing heavily, and a hundred or so dragons cheering. 
“That was quick! Burn, if you don’t mind, I am going to hold a little trial for a certain traitor,” Scarlet questioned. The SandWing princess rolled her eyes and sat at a smaller throne beside Scarlet’s. Traitor? 
A writhing, rust colored dragon was dragged towards a small pit. What was strange about this to Scorch was that he knew this dragon. 
It was Kestrel. 
 
Chapter 11 
            Kestrel’s the traitor? I heard Dune saying something about her being in the army, but what did she do to rebel? I guess I’m going to find out now… “Vermillion, as per usual, you will be the accuser. Osprey, where are you? You know you’re the defender! Come here now!” An old SkyWing came out of one of the arena entrances as the furious, rust-colored dragon Scorch grew up under was thrown at the same spot. 
            Osprey yelped and jumped out of the way, flapping his wings while Kestrel crashed into the sandy floor. He didn’t go far, and that was when Scorch realized that he had a broken tail. He also thumped on the ground and shook the sand from his body. 
            “Now, Vermillion, state your case.” This will be interesting. “Thank you, my queen. The dragon in question has specifically disobeyed your laws. She was entered in the breeding program, and produced a defective egg. She was ordered to destroy it, and yet she proceeded to take it with her to escape. She then abandoned the egg when confronted.” Scarlet then addressed the other sky dragon, “Osprey?” 
            “Your Highness, I would like to state that this dragon was only trying to defend her egg, and we are not for certain sure that the egg was deformed, it was just assumed it was because the dragonet had breathed fire a little early.” 
            “Every egg that’s melted is deformed,” Vermillion muttered. Osprey was about to start up again, but Queen Scarlet shushed him. 
 “I have the final decision. And I approve of the charge. For punishment, you will fight in the arena. If you live, you will be kicked out of the kingdom. Any resistance will result in immediate execution.” If she wins, she’s practically free…that’s too easy. There has to be something behind that malicious smile. Apparently Kestrel thought the same from the confused look plastered on her face. Even Burn, who was not paying attention earlier looked like she was startled by her ally. 
            “Now, Vermillion, get to the spot where you will announce. Osprey, go back to your home. Guards, bring my excuse of a granddaughter to the arena,” She snarled. Granddaughter?  What looked like Princess Ruby, came out and started screeching, “No, not her mother! I won’t let you!” She must be the mother… 
            “Go back to your cave now, or guards will personally escort you,” Scarlet threatened. Ruby leapt at Scarlet, hissing, but was tackled by soldiers and dragged back into the castle, where Scorch could hear the screams of protest. She was bigger than those guards, yet she could not fight off for her own daughter? Scorch cut off the thought before he finished it. 
            He felt pity welling up in him, although he could do nothing about it but watch as a small, pale, off-white SkyWing barely one or two years older than him being thrown in with the older, burlier Kestrel. He knew she was about to be slaughtered for freedom. 
            Along with the wrong feeling of seeing dragon being slaughtered by dragon, he felt some underlying dagger stabbing at his heart within at seeing this cruelty, almost a small portion of what he felt when his mother left his cage. 
            Then it felt like puzzle pieces crashed into place, sending him into an understanding that he never could have imagined. 
 
Chapter 12 
            ”Our first competitor is Kestrel the Traitor, whose charge we have already been informed of.” 
            Scorch knew. He knew Scarlet’s evil, twisted mind, how cruel she could be, and now he found a deeper, undeniably vile way for her to take out her carefully calculated revenge. 
            He saw. He saw the malicious grin on her face, her knowing of exactly what she was going to do. 
            “And our other competitor, Angel of the SkyWings, who is accused of helping prisoners escape,” The small, pretty, and courageous-looking dragoness was backing up, on the defensive. 
            Most of the crowd was either booing or muttering about how Kestrel was given them such an easy escape. I know why. 
“Kestrel! Don’t fight her! She’s-she’s…” His voice was lost over the stadium, and he was left helpless to watch Kestrel kill this dragon. 
            He saw Burn whisper, or yell, whichever one made no difference in the roaring spectators, to Scarlet, who stood up and flung her wings open, nearly knocking over Shimmer and Komodo, who were apparently dragged out during the commotion. “SILENCE!” 
            The voices immediately died down. Kestrel faced the dragonet in front of her, and Scorch flung himself across his tower, and yelled, “No!” 
            The prisoners adjacent to him looked at him like he was crazy, but his voice was not as loud as Scarlet or Vermillion, so the dragons in the arena and castle did not hear his desperate plea. 
            Kestrel took a step closer to the frail dragonet, who scowled, and attempted to dive under her wings. But Kestrel had years of training in Scarlet’s army and under the mountain, so she stopped her halfway, pinning her to the ground. 
The crowd roared with excitement, and rust-red dragon spun around and flung her opponent into the opposite wall and closed in. 
            Looking as if she had no remorse, the older female plunged her talons straight towards the dragonet’s heart, whose beautiful green eyes Scorch could see from his cell, glimmered with pain for a few moments, and then dimmed. Shimmer strangely lashed her tail in annoyance. 
            Scorch felt some emotion piling up in him, not only for the pitiful small dragonet, but for Kestrel, who now looked up defiantly at the queen, who was applauding. “Well?” 
            “Well? Well, my dear Kestrel, congratulations on killing your one and only daughter.” 
 
Chapter 13 
            Kestrel gasped and crumpled to the ground as she backed away from the dead body. She covered her head with her wings with shame. The crowd consisted of pure silence. Except prideful, sly Queen Scarlet, of course. 
            “I knew it was a risk keeping the continued rebellious line alive and keeping her. Yet you just happened to show up, and gave me the chance to put her in there with you.  I was surprised you didn’t recognize her. I mean, it would not be thrilling at all if you discovered it was your daughter.” Scorch felt sick as he heard the words that confirmed his suspicions.  I tried to warn her…  
            A dark, trembling voice sounded from the rusty heap of depressed scales. “But you said it was your granddaughter,” 
            “Oh, yes, I got my daughter to adopt her so I could cover up your tracks.” Burn stuttered for a moment with her mouth wide open, and it slowly transformed into a nasty smile. 
            “Of course, she was raised a rebel by my incompetent offspring, and therefore gave me a thrilling reason to put her in the arena.” 
            Kestrel was now practically motionless, only a hint of breathing evident from the dragoness. 
            “Now seeing that you are not intent on leaving, and since a queen can change her mind,” Scarlet motioned to the guards, “take her back to her cage.” 
            Burn growled. “Give me what I came here for.” What she came for? That doesn’t sound good. Webs said once that Burn was the most violent out of the competitors for the throne. Scarlet rolled her eyes and huffed, “All bark and bite now, are you, Burn?” 
            The SandWing hissed, and the queen yelled some commands: “You two! Bring one of the interesting hybrids, one we haven’t seen. Don’t disappoint me or my guest, or else…you know.” She motioned to the sandy grounds below. Scorch shifted uncomfortably and wondered which ‘hybrid’ she wanted. 
            To his relief and demise, the two SkyWings flew towards a different cage with an icy grey-blue dragon inside. Phantom can handle himself, right? I saw that battle with him and Kestrel, and he looked like he had no problem fighting. 
            “Burn, darling, who do we want to put in with him? The champion, maybe?” 
            “No. I want to see him fight before he is killed.” Shimmer looked relieved at this, but neither Burn nor Scarlet noticed. 
            “Fine. Then I’ll put three other dragons in with him.” Scarlet said with a devious smile. 
 
              
 
Chapter 14 
     Phantom had no hint of emotion on his face. He went down silently and without resistance. His opponents, though, had a much more violent way down. A SeaWing, a SandWing, and a SkyWing all were carried down thrashing and hissing.  Oh moons, please help him battle. 
            Despite the snorts of amusement ringing across the stadium, Vermillion was almost against the wired ceiling to announce. Wow, that’s what I call cowardice. Quieter than usual, he managed to spurt out, “W-welcome. This battle includes Phantom the prophecy dragonet, Depth the SeaWing, Amapola the SandWing, and Fuse the SkyWing! Ready? FIGHT!” 
            Amapola was the first to lunge, tail first, at the SeaWing’s side. Must not have been in Blister’s forces…Blaze’s, maybe? 
            The SeaWing roared, leaped out of the way, and flung his claws towards her. Amapola tried to jump backwards, but Fuse intercepted her launch and shoved her straight into hooked claws. He then shoved it even further, ramming the body into Depth. She let out one last anguished groan and became limp. 
            The air was knocked out of the sea dragon, and the SkyWing flew straight over the dead dragoness and blew fire straight at the SeaWing’s heart. He writhed in pain, the flames consuming his scales. Fuse lashed his tail with pleasure and sauntered over to Phantom, who was watching the adult fight from a distance. Scorch didn’t think he was cowering, but saving his moves for whoever survived. Wish I could have done that… 
            Phantom slowly and cautiously stood, partly crouched in a battle position. The SkyWing made out a barely audible word: “Diiiiiieee!” He launched at Phantom, wings spread wide. Even from his tower, Scorch could see Phantom concentrating. He quickly turned around and whipped his tail into his opponent’s face. Fuse fell to the ground, a low grumble coming from his throat. Phantom slowly circled around the downed dragon, who was clutching his face. 
            He then erupted from the ground at the hybrid, rage clearly plastered on his face. No! Scorch yanked on his chains in an attempt to stop the sudden attack. Phantom had seemed to already seen it coming (as if he read Fuse’s mind?) and vaulted straight into him, sending both of them tumbling on the ground, claws thrashing. 
            Even though they had encountered SkyWing moves from Kestrel, each soldier had their own versions of them. But Phantom apparently could dodge, block, and counter every move Fuse could come up with. Whoa! When did he learn to do stuff like that?! Fuse exploded with anger. “STOP IT!” He lashed his tail towards Phantom, who swiftly caught it in his talons and used it to throw him across the arena. 
             Fuse, now trembling with fury, made the hissing, fire-is-coming noise and shot a huge blast of flames at Phantom. Scorch watched as a bright blue light rising from the IceWing hybrid’s chest transformed into frostbreath and hit the red-orange flames, steam spurting from the interaction. 
            The older competitor, who was concentrated on continuously bursting fire, did not notice the icy blue and black dragonet crawling under the blazing inferno, creeping closer and closer towards his deep orange and yellow body. Phantom hurled his body at Fuse again, sinking his claws in the chest area. Fuse coughed up blood and collapsed onto the ground for the final time. 
            The spectators, who were mostly quiet during the vicious battle, were now clapping and whooping in excitement at the new, entertaining gladiator. Scarlet motioned to the crowd, and they quieted. Oh no… what now? “Next-” But Burn had other plans. 
            “ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE. Give me the dragon I came for, Scarlet!” 
            
 
Chapter 15 
            What dragon? Three moons, don’t be me. I know Burn has a weirdling collection, and has ‘tribe purity’ issues. Is it me? He was soon answered. 
            “Goodness. So demanding, and it’s my hatching day, and not yours.” the SkyWing queen said with a dark tone. Burn’s tail twitched, and she continued, “But a deal’s a deal. I’ll give the least interesting one for your collection.” Here it comes. She’s talking about us, the dragonets of prophecy, isn’t she? Scorch cringed, Burn hissed. 
            “Guards, get the SeaWing.” Scorch’s head snapped towards the queen’s position. It isn’t me! Not Hurricane! She isn’t not interesting! Komodo, do something! All these thoughts whirred through his head at the same time. 
            The SkyWings and a few SandWing sent by Burn, launched towards her cage, ready to take the prisoner. Scorch felt helpless, yanking on his chains and trying to set them on fire. Hurricane was pretty much their bigger sister, ready to defend them, no matter what the cost was. 
            And now she was taking the big hit for all of them. HShe knew she couldn’t resist, there were too many opposing dragons. He saw her look sadly down at her chains as she was taken to the sky, Burn trailing behind the ascending dragons. 
            Scorch saddened as they flew over the arena, farther away from him and his friends. He then saw something fall down from the group. The dragons stopped in place, almost in a trance as the saw the item plop down on the sands. He had to squint to realize what they were. 
            They were chains. 
            In a flash, Hurricane had knocked a soldier out of the air with her tail. She was flying by herself, no restraints attached. Komodo seized the chance of surprise, the small, delicate links snapping in a fluid motion as she leaped towards Scarlet, red-orange droplets ejecting from her fangs straight towards the SkyWing’s face. 
            She yelped in surprise as the lava splattered on the side of her face, melting the scales beneath. Before the guards could come to her aid, Komodo zipped over to where Hurricane was defending as best she could. Komodo was halfway when the SeaWing concentrated hard and some of the soldiers roared in pain. Their armor crumpled around their bodies, most likely breaking their ribs. They fell towards the arena, writhing in almost the same way Scarlet was on her throne. 
            Komodo barreled into two of the soldiers, knocking them out of the sky.  Hurricane knocked the rest out of the sky with her tail. Raptor came flying out of the castle, her soldiers close. As soon as she saw the two prisoners, she paused, deciding whether to attack or defend Scorch’s friends. 
            Hurricane was already to his cage, though, and the chains shivered and snapped. 
            Her eyes looked tired, but she managed to smile and say, “We’re leaving.”           
Chapter 16 
            Scorch was still taking it all in. What just-how-what? The chains? The armor? 
            “Come on, Scorch! You’re free! What are you waiting for?” Hurricane started yanking him out of the cage, saw his confused look, and sighed. “I-I guess I’m an animus. I don’t know why it was triggered just now. But an animus isn’t going to stop the whole SkyWing army! We have to go now!” 
            They lifted off away from the tower, and despite his surprise, Scorch had an idea. “The prisoners!” 
            “Whaaat about them?” Hurricane asked, glancing around for danger as they hovered above the sandy grounds below. “If you release them, they could help us escape by distracting the soldiers!” 
            “Or they could attack us, camel-brain!” Komodo winged in with Phantom. Oh. Right. So maybe… “Only release the ones who are worthy to leave, then!” He countered. 
            “Well, how are we supposed to know who’s worthy to leave, and who’s not?” Komodo hissed back. “The animus magic will decide.” Phantom croaked. So he’s on my side for once. I wonder why? 
            “Okay, I’ll try.” Hurricane sighed and concentrated. “Chains,” she mumbled, “Release the prisoners who want to go home and forget this war. Oh, also only the ones who won’t attack us.” He heard rattling and about one hundred dragons, all of different colors, took to the air, fleeing from the SkyWings and some SandWings. 
She released her breath, and missed a wingbeat. “Are you okay?” Scorch asked, worried. 
            “Y-yeah.” Hurricane practically whispered. Her eyes looked darker and lost their shine. There was almost a cold aura about her. Phantom twitched, growled, dived, and Scorch, Hurricane, and Komodo flew after him as a patrol of SkyWings launched themselves at the dragonets. 
            “OUT OF THE WAY!” a mystery voice yelled. A crack that sounded like lightning sounded and Scorch lit himself on fire in front of his friends to defend them. But what he saw quenched his fire and left them wide-eyed. 
            Shimmer was shoving the soldiers out of the air, shocking them until they were paralyzed and plummeted to the sand. She was a flash of emerald, gold, and aquamarine as she slashed, ripped, and electrocuted to protect them. 
            The SkyWings were left sprawled out on the arena, twitching with every electric wave that flowed through their body. 
            “S-so,” Shimmer stammered, rubbing her claws, “Mind if I join?” 
Chapter 17 
Part 1 
            “Are you kidding me? Why would we want a preferred killer in our group?” Komodo flared. “I’m not a preferred killer. In fact, I tried to bring them back.” Shimmer murmured. Hmm… 
“What do you mean, bring them back?” Hurricane questioned. 
            “Could we take this conversation somewhere else? You know, somewhere we won’t get ambushed by raging SkyWing soldiers?” Scorch interrupted. 
            “I know a place!” Shimmer exclaimed, her body swiveling towards the waterfall where the soldiers dumped the dead arena bodies. “Follow me!” 
            “Why are we actually following the psychopath? Shouldn’t we be trying just to leave?” 
            “The one closest to being a psychopath around here is Scarlet and you.” Phantom defended.  Why in the three moons is he defending her? “Besides, she’s telling the truth.” he said quietly, and after some questioning looks, he rolled his eyes and said, “I sensed it. 
            They dove down to a cave near the rushing, flowing streams. “In here!” Shimmer stood in front of the cave and ushered them in, carefully avoiding the water and the small droplets that sprayed from the falls. After she ran in behind them, Scorch heard crack and the whole cave was lit by her claws. Tiny bolts sparked off. 
            “Are you sure no one will find us down here?” Hurricane asked, scooting closer to her friends with her claws flexing. 
            “Yeah. The soldiers won’t look where they dump all the slaughtered dragons.” Shimmer replied sadly. Maybe by you? Scorch thought as he and his companions scooched closer together. 
            “So. Are you all ready for a story?” Shimmer asked, the light illuminating the golden scales on her face. 
            Komodo snorted and said, “Make it quick.” The sounds of soldiers clashing with prisoners rang in their ears. Screams and roars filled the air, reverberating around the closed in walls of the cave. I really hope they don’t find us in here. 
            “Okay. It all started when…” 
TO BE CONTINUED 
            
 
Chapter 17 
Part 2 (plus commentary with Scorch. *Hey!*) 
            “Scarlet discovered my powers. I was a lone egg on top of the tallest mountain, and she had chased off someone who was trying to take me. She never specified who.” We know, but we’ll have to tell her later. 
            “She told me that when I hatched, there was a bright beam of light that struck my egg.” Just like us. “That was supposedly what gave me my powers.” But we didn’t. Maybe when the light of the eclipse struck her egg, she got her lightning abilities because she was alone at the time of the impact, where as we all took the blow together. 
            “She raised me in the castle. As soon as I was of fighting age, which was, to her, three years, she threw me into the arena.” Shimmer shivered, started crying, and continued. 
            “At that age, I didn’t know what dying was. I thought I was putting my competitors to sleep when I electrocuted them.” A very long sleep. “Then, one night, I was looking out the window while it was raining. A SkyWing flew by my window, what he was going to say I don’t know, because right then and there he was struck with lightning. He fell to a ledge right below, and there was a gaping hole straight through his chest. I then realized what terror my power could bring.” Poor SkyWing. “But Scarlet didn’t care. So I had to get out. I couldn’t that night, with it raining and all, so I decided to leave the next morning. I had not flown that often, so I was quite slow. Apparently, Scarlet was quite fast and captured me. She took me back to her castle. I didn’t have the heart to stun her, so she ended up chaining me. She told me for the rest of my life, I would fight in the arena, or face slowly drowning until I passed out each day.” What does she have with water? “One time, after I was…done…with one of my opponents, I shocked him again on accident. I saw his eyes flutter, as if he was still alive.” That’s odd. “I couldn’t try to finish what seemed like reviving him in front of Scarlet, so I waited until he was dropped off the cliff here. Scarlet didn’t seem bothered that I followed the body down. Then, I gave the smallest shock I could, and he spazzed for a second, but soon he started shakily breathing. I slowly fed him and gave him water until he gained a little strength. He was confused at first, because I killed him, and then he came back to life, but he got over his trauma, and I felt I had to help him escape. I needed help getting him out of the kingdom, and that’s when I found Angel.” Scorch shivered at the mention of her name. “She agreed to help me, because she thought her step-grandmother was evil for putting dragons in the arena, and she took the prisoner through secret tunnels in the castle and set him free. After a while, I found I could shock my opponents into a coma and wake them with another electric bolt when I took them out of the river. I tried healing them, and about ninety percent survived. Angel aided me in getting medical supplies for them. But as the escapees increased, we needed a sort of distraction for the soldiers. And guess who helped us? Raptor-” 
            “The general!” Scorch blurted out. The dragonets all swiveled their heads to stare at him. I’ll have to explain that later… “J-just continue.” 
`           “Yes. The general cleared the way for us to get the prisoners where they needed to go. Then, we got discovered, but Angel was the only one caught in the act, so she was thrown in the arena.” She looks really guilty. “If we could get to her or Raptor, they could help us escape, but Angel’s dead and we shouldn’t involve the general. She would get serious punishment from Scarlet." If Scarlet is alive. At least mother won’t get harmed. She seems to care for her tribe. A little too much, if you ask me. But then again, I don’t belong to any tribe. 
            An idea struck Scorch. “Shimmer, show me where you buried Angel.” 
Chapter 18 
            Shimmer leaped behind them, heading farther down the cave. Scorch and the group started after her. “And why do you want to see the dead body? Is there something going on here that I don’t know about?” Komodo said sternly, although there was a hint of teasing in her otherwise glare. 
            “N-no s-specific reason.” Why I am I having such a hard time explaining this? “I-I just thought she might know some ways out of here without being detected, after helping all those prisoners escape.” He felt their eyes on him now, most of all Phantom’s, who’s felt like they were searching his feelings. 
            “There’s just one problem with that. SHE”S DEAD.” He winced at her yelling, and his heart took a drop to the floor. “You’re going to alert the whole kingdom that we’re here if you keep that up,” Hurricane scolded Komodo. “And Scorch, what are you going to do?” 
            “It’s more of what you can do, Hurricane. Would you mind enchanting something one more time?” Hurricane shrugged and said something unintelligible, but Scorch could pull out a few words about ‘not being a tool’ in a manner he never heard her speak in before. Is she okay? 
            Scorch’s thoughts dissipated when he heard Shimmer’s voice. “Over here!” Around
the corner was a whole cave filled with bodies. Not a big heap of dead, mangled
forms, but rows and rows of neat, well-dug graves with pretty head stones that
were casting a shadow over the grisly sight. There were a few skylights,
camouflaged by rich green bushes that covered just enough to disguise the open
entrances, but small enough to let beaming sunlight spread warmth through the carved-out stone.
Too pretty for death. Scorch looked at one particular grave at the center, with a statue of a beautiful SkyWing covering the mound of dirt. He flew over to the statue, careful not to descend on any of the dead. He landed on a space in between her grave and the next, admiring the intricately carved dragoness.
“We’d better hurry up, I don’t know how long it will be before they search down here.” Shimmer rubbed her claws nervously. Komodo glared as she sat by her, but no more than a wingspan away. Phantom watched curiously as Hurricane alighted next to Scorch. I hope this works… Hurricane huffed and then concentrated on what seemed like the gravestone. She closed her eyes and curled her wings in, whispering something.
Phantom suddenly stiffened and looked towards where Hurricane was casting the enchantment. The stone was starting to glow. Does he have a problem with something? The hybrid jumped from the spot where he was sitting. Hurricane was seconds from finishing when he tackled them both to the ground. “Why did you do that?” Scorch inquired, almost yelling. Just as he said it, the ground where they were standing erupted into flames.
“No reason,” Phantom replied, a smirk beginning to creep on his face.
==                                                            Chapter 19==
            Phantom backed off them as a form started to shape in the fiery tendrils of fire. A familiar form. The green eyes were all too recognizable. As the inferno died down, there was no doubt who it was. 
            “A-angel!” Scorch stuttered, butterflies eating his stomach. She’s been fireborn! Her beauty seemed magnified by the fire enveloping her. She flapped once, twice, then landed gracefully on the ground. She seemed stronger, bigger, more agile and quick. “And I believe your name is Scorch,” said Angel, with the most eloquent, beautiful voice he had ever heard. “Thank you for doing whatever you just did! I feel…rejuvenated. On fire!” 
            Hurricane gave a queasy smile. “But, what happened? Last I can think of, I was in the arena with Kestrel. Poor dragon in a bad situation.” She doesn’t know her mother? Well, then again, she didn’t hear the end of the battle. 
            “That poor dragon was our guardian and your mother,” Komodo spat. Why does she always have to do that? Hurricane lightly swatted her on the ear. 
            “Wh-what? My mother?” Something crashed on the roof of the grave (…cave?). 
            “We’ll have to tell you on the way. We have to go now!” Shimmer shouted as the walls came crashing in, a platoon of soldiers closely behind. They took to the air and flew as hard as they could. “Now would be a great time for your famous escape plots, Angel!” Komodo speculated. 
            Angel seemed to be counting under her breath. “One, two, three…NOW!” She dove straight towards the ground, where a prison tower jutted out from the sea. The dragonets looked at each other and flew after her. When she was closer to the rock, he flung out her wings and twirled towards the bottom of the stone. She headed straight towards it. Three moons, there better be a secret passage or something… 
            Scorch watched as she got closer and closer to the wall. He watched as she, not crashed, but flew straight through the rock. When he became near the heap of stone, he gulped a lungful of air and cannoned right behind her, his friends and the platoon closely behind. 
            When he opened his eyes, he was in a small tunnel with a bright light at the end. 
             “Come on! SkyWing animus tunnel!” Angel yelled and took off towards the opening. Scorch waited as one by one his friends popped in the secret entrance. As they ran through the narrow channel, Scorch caught sideways glances of Hurricane admiring the flat, smooth carvings of the rock, Komodo half blending in, and Phantom concentrating on something. 
            As he turned his head back around to jump out the exit, he collided with Angel, who was hissing and face to face with a giant MudWing whose horn was snapped off and had a few teeth missing.  
                                            Chapter 19- coming soon!
WIN_20150425_114805.JPG|Hurricane!
WIN_20150425_114120.JPG|Shimmer! :) :) :)
WIN_20150425_115406.JPG|Phantom!
WIN_20150425_115026.JPG|Scorch!
WIN_20150425_114101.JPG|Komodo!
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)
Category:Genre (Prophecy)