Wing of Fire - The Iceborn (Fanfiction)

Chapter 31

She saw just who she expected, and just who she wanted. The Grand Headmaster, who was the closest, turned around. Their darkened eyes were wide with shock, and they were frozen in place. Cloud, unconscious, lay sprawled on the Grand Headmaster's back. His wings were blackened and limp.

Sandstorm was in the back, holding Permafrost down. The stunted IceWing's tail looked to be crushed and broken beyond repair. Comet and Supercell stood next to Sandstorm, eyes wide at Blizzard's arrival.

It was Comet who spoke first.

"Blizzard! He said you were dead!" Comet bounded up and engulfed Blizzard in a hug so sudden that Blizzard had no choice but to return it. Comet's body shook with sobs, and Blizzard felt her shoulder become covered in dripping tears from the black CloudWing's eyes.

"It's a long story," Blizzard stated, rubbing Comet's wings and back spines. "I'll explain when I finish the job given to me,"

Blizzard gently pried Comet off of her and turned to where Sandstorm and Permafrost were. The IceWing approached the SandWing and kin with a purpose, signaling for Sandstorm to let Permafrost go. Blizzard's brother was staring at Blizzard, mostly at her chest.

"But-!" Sandstorm started. But he paused, lowered his head, and released Permafrost. Permafrost leaped to his talons quicker than a rabbit bolting away and engulfed Blizzard in a hug.

"Hey!" Sandstorm and Comet chorused, both stepping forward before Blizzard spread her wings to surround her and Permafrost.

"Yay! Blizzard is back!" Permafrost cheered. "Come! Come! I have so much pla-" Blizzard placed a claw on Permafrost's maw, silencing him and leaving him confused. Another bubble of blood oozed out of his nose, and small, viscous streams of blue were still leaking from his eyes.

"Little brother," Blizzard said softly. "You know I love you, right?"

"Oh course!" Permafrost cried, squeezing Blizzard harder as Blizzard took his head in her talons. "We're twins!"

"I want only the best for you," Blizzard stated, looking deep into the bloodshot eyes of her twin. "To make you happy or to help you. And I see only one path for you right now. A path with the least misery,"

"Huh?" Permafrost blinked, looking muddled.

"Permafrost..." Blizzard took a deep breath. "Watch me from Paradisum,"

"Bli-" Permafrost was cut off when Blizzard twisted his head at a sharp angle. With a brutal crack, Permafrost's neck snapped. Blizzard dropped Permafrost's head, his now limp body still and lifeless. Blizzard's own heart felt like he was just broken like her brother's spinal cord, but she closed her eyes and reminded herself that it had needed to be done.

The IceWings folded her wings back in to show the others what she had done. She began backing away from Permafrost's body, as if it was festering with disease. Her eyes remained closed so she wouldn't have to see the body. A wing wrapping around her caused Blizzard to open her eyes. Comet was there, looking shocked, relieved, and sympathetic.

"I'm sorry, Permafrost..." Blizzard sighed, her own emotions welling up to pour over after so many years of bottling them up. She collapsed into Comet, the CloudWing prince holding Blizzard up and stroking her like she had previously stroked him as she wept. "Please forgive me..."

"You did the right thing," the Grand Headmaster held. "All those under his tonic of loyalty should be free now,"

"What about the supposed power? Blizzard, what occurred in the temple?" Supercell asked, looking up at the temple. The doors had long since closed, leaving the dragons outside with no means of getting in.