Wings of Fire - Court of Lies

3 - Fire and Venom

<< Flame, Glory, fight. >>

He was expecting the silence following his sentence, just like the shocked expressions on the dragonets' snouts, well, at least on the five that lived in that place, the ones trained by Morrowseer looked as interested as "Marianne".
"Morrowseer really fucked up their minds..."
Thought the RainWing, they almost remembered him of a certain SkyWing queen hidden by the "mask" of Marianne with his magic.

<< You can't do this! >>

Protested Webs going up to him.

<< They're just dragonets! >>
<< Oh, so you knew it was wrong when your friends covered them in bruises and destroyed their poor self-esteem and minds... >>

The SeaWing fell silent, shame was visible in his eyes.

<< ... yet you didn't blink an eye. But now that we're doing this to establish their future, you want to interfere? >>
<< ... no. >>

Webs went back to sit near Kestrel and Dune, he could sense the other dragons burning him with their eyes, he could hear their voices screaming "Coward!" in their minds and he found himself agreeing with them. The other two didn't look bothered by the situation, Dune was simply curious and Kestrel was already watching proudly Flame, like she expected him to win right away.
The young SkyWing positioned himself at one side of the cave's room where Kestrel trained the dragonets to fight, waiting for the Glory that, despite her friends repeating that she didn't need to prove a thing, followed right after.

<< No cheating, your friends can't help you and don't expect favouritism from me. >>

Said Chameleon, then he gestured for them to start the fight.
Flame was quick to lunge at Glory, filled with security and stories about RainWings and how lazy and useless they were, he was expecting a quick and flawless victory and Glory looked like she could read his minds, as she guessed right the thought of her opponent. The dragoness dodged the other one's claws, using her mimetism so that she became literally invisible at the eyes of everyone else in the room, quickly taking the advantage on Flame and leaving him to fire at where she stood seconds before in hope to burn her, but she was already gone.

<< Did you know she could do that? >>

Asked Kestrel to her colleagues, both of them shook their heads in disbelief.
Flame looked around him, trying to hear where Glory was or to smell her, it looked like she had disappeared from the cave.

<< Come out and face me! Stop hiding you coward! >>

Screamed the SkyWing.
He felt something long around his neck and, before he could react, a tail was pulling him toward the ceiling, then it released him before he could scratch it and when he got back on his paws, the body of his opponent dropped on his back, her claws piercing his scales and her weight pinning him down (even if it was difficult for her, since he was bigger). Flame brought his wings togheter like he wanted to clap, slapping Glory a few times untill she got down from his back and became visible again, her scales colored with various shade of amber and red like she was trying to look like him.

<< Are you mocking me?! >>

Asked Flame with a growl.

<< You useless lizard! Hiding 'cause you know I'm much stronger than you! >>

To his surprise, she was calm, being used to hear the others scream like that at her and having only her friends as support, those insults weren't new to her ears.

<< Yet I scared and hurt you, didn't I? >>

Asked Glory retorically.

<< You think you're so strong and superior, just 'cause... what? You can breath fire like MudWings, SandWings and NightWings? You can fight well like every other dragon that gets a good training? Or it's just 'cause you got a better cardio and your fire is hotter? 'cause that's not such a big difference, you know? >>
<< And what does a lazy vegetarian know about it?! Your blood is from a Tribe of sloths that hides from everyone else, nothing more than lazy cowards and soon you'll get destroyed in this war! >>