Wings of Fire: Secrets in the Stars

Chapter 4: The Arena of Bloodshed

After being captured by the Skywings and their queen, Darksea was chained onto a tall column with metal bands on his wings to prevent him from flying. He was also wearing a metal collar on his neck that has a long metal rod attached to it and to other prisoners' collars.

He looked to his left and he could see Clay two pillars down talking to a Skywing with a firery copper colored metallic orange scales. And from what he can see, it looked like the scales were emitting smoke. It also looked like they were talking to each other about somethings.

Darksea looked around the best he could to see where the others are. He could see Starflight about 6 pillars away from him and Tsunami being 8 pillars away. When he turned his head back to Clay's direction he saw the Skywing pointing at the direction Starflight and Tsunami was.

Soon he saw the Skywing flying off towards the arena that's below him. As he looked down he saw the seats around the edges of the arena being filled by Skywings and Sandwings. He then saw Scarlet walking out onto a platform at one of the sides on the arena infront of him.

Immediately once he saw Scarlet he was Glory being chained to what he thinks is a tree sculpture, he scales changing colors at a steady pace as she sleeps. He could hear Clay thinking to himself if Glory's alright.

"What do you ask think of my new art? Well?" Scarlet said to the audience around her, this made Darksea's blood boil at how she called Glory art. 'Glory isn't art, she's a dragon! Did Scarlet do something to her, why isn't she fighting?'

Darksea heard Clay's thoughts 'I agree Clay, she isn't art for moons sake!' Darksea agreed in his head. "Bring the combatants in!" Scarlet shouted.

Darksea looked down at the arena and saw the Skywing from earlier walked out into the arena with cheers coming from the audience that're watching the fight. Darksea didn't take his eyes off the Skywing to see what she'll do once the other opponent enters the arena.

Darksea then saw guards placing down a Sandwing that's larger than the Skywing. He had pale brown like color with a large scar going across the top part of his snout, while there's another small one on the left side of his snout. "After four victories, Horizon the Sandwing - formerly and unwisely, a soldier of Blaze's army - Has been challenged to a match with the Queen's Champion, Peril."

Another Skywing announced, after that Scarlet shouted, "Claws up...Fire ready! And Fight!" and immediately after that Horizon started to run away from Peril and towards the door that led to the arena. When he was only a few feet away from the entrance Peril flew past him and landed in front of Horizon.

Horizon then lashed his barbed tail at her to try to labs a hit. But Peril didn't flinch and just blocked his attack with one of her front talons and the tail was immediately set on fire.

'What the? How did she do that? Does she have fire in her claws or something?' Darksea thought to himself as he heard Clay thinking the same thing. Horizon then backed away from Peril to a wall as he held his scorched tail.

Peril walked up to him and placed a claw on one of his wings, leaving a burned claw mark on it. Horizon screeched in pain as he looked at Peril before jumping onto her, his body soon setting on fire with sizzling and crackling sounds.

Finally, Horizon's was now a blazed as Peril got up and looked at Scarlet. "Well that was disappointing, I hope tomorrow someone will at least try to amuse me. TODAY'S GAMES ARE OVER!" Scarlet announced to the audience.

After that Scarlet let the platform as the audience left the seats. Soon later the night sky appeared Darksea layer his head down and started to let sleep take him away.

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Dakesea woke up to wings flapping to him. He saw two Skywing guards landing next to him as one started to unclamp the metal collar. Then the guards picked him up and Darksea saw Clay and Tsunami being taken by other guards.

The guards took the three of them into the Skywing palace, they landed and started to walk towards the throne room. There stood Scarlet sitting on a large stone throne that was carved to look like a big fluffy cloud. A guard standing both sides. And lastly a sleeping Glory on the tree sculpture still chained to it a bit far from the throne.

Darksea entered the room and immediately bowed like Starflight as Clay walks in afterwards. "Are you guys alright?" he asks the two, Starflight turns towards him and placing a claw over his mouth to shush him.

"He's trying to tell you that it's rude to talk before the queen in her own throne room. What do they even teach dragonets these days? Bow" Scarlet ordered Clay, in which he bowed to her while saying sorry.

"Oof! Let me go! This is an outrage! We're the-" Tsunami yells as she was tossed to the floor but Scarlet cut her off. "The dragonets of destiny, yes yes, very thrilling. You know not everyone wants this war to end, personally I love it! I get lots of contenders from the war for the arena! And it is great distraction from dragons who want to challenge me for the throne" Scarlet said to the four.

"So you're alright with dragons dying all over the world!?" Darksea snapped to Scarlet, "As if you know anything about that" Scarlet replied to him. "Have any of you even been in a real battle? Have you seen hundreds of of dead dragons? Do you know anything really about this war?" she asks them.

"Well we've studied it...we know it's awful....innocent dragons are getting hurt!" Tsunami told Scarlet. "It's easy to say we it's awful, but hard to solve our dragon problems writings one of them. Who should be the next Sandwing queen? Is it Blister, Burn, or Blaze?" Scarlet asks them.

"If not our fault! We wanted to be out in the world!" Darksea yelled at her. But Scarlet just chuckles and said "That's what you think. Hilarious! As if you'd survive this long out here." "Your guardians did  tell you what happened to the Skywing dragonets born on the brightest night? Didn't they? I won't go into details but it was very sad, not for me though!" Scarlet added.

"Excuse me, I have a question Your Majesty" "But where's Sunny?" Clay asks Scarlet as Darksea walked behind him and stepped on his tail, but Clay was oblivious to the pain in his tail. "Oh the odd looking Sandwing? I think Burn will love her" Scalret answers him.

"She collects curiosities, you should see her palace it's quite horrifying! Full of two headed lizards...and seven toed dragon talons... and also stuffed scavengers with weird pale skin! Your friend will fit right in there"

"You can't bring Sunny to Burn!" Tsunami shouted, "Oh I can do whatever I like!" Scarlet remarks. "And what's wrong with Glory?" Clay asks "Nothing at all she's quite perfect if you ask me" Scarlet answers.

"But why is she all......sleepy then?" Clay added, "Rainwings are naturally lazy, hadn't you notice? But, then Mudwings are naturally stupid" she told him. "You have to let us go! The prophecy-" Tsunami started to tell but Scarlet interrupted her, "Oh SHUSH! Your spunkiness is starting to bore me. My hatching day is tomorrow, and I want a thrilling arena. But I want to see at least one of you fight today. So who'll most likely to survive, the Nightwing?" Scarlet then asks.

"Me!" Clay, Darksea and Tsunami shouted. "Adorable, but seriously" Scarlet said, "You're delusional, I beat you two all the time" Tsunami told them.

"But a Mudwing would be more exciting to the audience than two more Seawings!" Clay said, "But what about an odd looking Seawing? It'll be more interesting to them on how there's an odd Seawing fighting" Darksea jumped into the conversation. "I love your enthusiasm, dragonets!" Scarlet cheered.

"Guards! Take these three away! As for the other Seawing prepare him for the arena" Scarlet then orders. "Let's see what this one has to offer for us"