Wings of Fire: Melting Ice #2

Chapter 25

Aurora had reached the palace. She's landed on the balcony, her claws scratching the glittering floor. She trotted down the hall, looking in each room. "Plum?" She called out. It's too quiet.

The sound of the fighting and roaring outside was now muffled as she went deeper inside the palace. She stopped at the room where she had originally been in, hoping she would spot Abysswatcher, Plum, or Gellis. 

Nobody was in the room. Heart beginning to pound, Aurora ran farther down the hall. "Snowball!" She called out. "Abysswatcher! Plum!" Her calls echoed down the hall, as if mocking her attempt to find who she was looking for. 

Suddenly, the scent of blood reached Aurora's nostrils. Turning a corner, she saw dark blue blood on the floor. The trail was messy. There were small splotches of blood, then big splotches. It led into a room.

Heart pounding in terror, Aurora came closer. At the entrance to the room, a large blood-stained spear was on the ground. Aurora then stepped into the room, but almost screamed in horror. 

Snowball was collapsed against the window, his wings stretched out as though he had tried to fly outside. A huge dark blue puddle of blood was settled under him. 

Aurora ran over, gasping in horror. "Snowball! Who did this to you?" She cried. She could see where the spear had been; there was a gash in his back. She turned him over, bet was immediately met with terror. There were more gashes in his chest. He must've had twenty stab wounds. "Snowball..." 

The young dragon was dead. His eyes were dull and deprived of that bright light that shone in them, but there was still a look of terror and pain contorted on his face. Aurora held her relative in her arms, tears stinging her eyes. But.. only a moment ago, I saw him alive! What happened in the time frame that I was gone from here? She carefully placed his corpse on floor, away from the blood puddle. She moved his body to make it look like he was peacefully sleeping.

Aurora reluctantly traveled down the hall once more, fearing that she would find Plum dead. "Plum? Please.. respond," she whined, her tail dragging behind her. Only a day ago, my sister had changed completely. I can't lose her now. 

A growl suddenly echoed down the hall. At that moment, flames burst from one of the rooms further down. A SkyWing stepped out, one that Aurora was actually imtimidated by. His scales were blood-red, and he walked like he owned the place. He looked at Aurora with his eerie yellow eyes that seemed to pierce her soul. His gaze was so cold, despite being a SkyWing. Aurora was frozen in place at the sight of him.

"You! Did you kill Snowball?" Aurora asked. She bared her teeth at him and lashed her tail. 

The SkyWing stepped closer, his wings folded at his side. Smoke poured from his jaws and nostrils, encasing him in a dark cloud. 

Aurora backed away. She opened her jaws and spread her wings outward. "Don't come any closer!" She hissed, feeling cold ice creeping up her throat.

The SkyWing sighed, his tail swishing from side to side. A dragon-shaped ear-ring in his right ear caught Aurora's eye. "I am Prince Firefinch of the SkyWings. I have come here tasked with the duty to kidnap you."

"Where's my sister?" Aurora questioned. Why only me? What's so special about me?

Firefinch seemed to avoid the question. "Your sister is supposed to be killed. You're only being kidnapped because of those special scales you have."

Aurora backed away, growing scared and angry. "I won't let you kill my sister, you stupid dragon!" She roared. She leaped forward, opening her jaws and blowing a stream of her frostbreath onto him.

Once the haze had cleared, Aurora gasped. The large SkyWing was still standing, showing no signs of injury. "It was good that I casted an enchantment for your frost to do nothing to me," he huffed, turning towards Aurora.

"Y...you're an animus?" Aurora gasped. "But SkyWings can't-"

"My mother decided to save me from being killed," Firefinch spoke. He seemed to smile. "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be standing here right now." He turned away. "Anyways, I'm not the one that's going to be killing your sister," he sighed.

"Then who is?" Aurora growled.

Firefinch smirked, his eyes closing. "You'll see."

Aurora growled. "That doesn't answer my question!" She hissed with anger. What's his problem? And who is going to kill my sister? Why.. This can't happen!

The SkyWing stayed silent, his yellow eyes focusing on the ground.

"Fine, if you can't answer that, then answer me this next question: Why are you kidnapping me for my scales? Are you going to take them off for some sort of sick experiment?" Aurora growled.

"No, no, not at all!" Firefinch answered quickly. "We'll use you in battle. We already have another hybrid with special scales. He's pretty fun to use, and the damage he does to the other hybrids is honestly so fun to watch. Our queen would like to know how your scales would work against the flesh of dragons."

"I refuse to be used for killing!" Aurora growled. Suddenly, a realization hit her. Another hybrid with special scales.. Could he be talking about Nightmare? I haven't even met him. I'll get the chance to meet another dragon with this problem.. but this isn't the way I wanted it to go!

"Well.. you don't have a choice," Firefinch said. He walked towards her and took her chin between his talons. "You're such a pretty dragon... I hate doing this to you, but this is what the queen wants."

Aurora dug her talons into his arm and scrambled away from him. She ran past him and into the room behind him, hoping she'd find her sister in there.