Deathbringer's story

The Judgement of the Queen behind the Screen

Deathbringer wasn't too suprised to wake up inside of a cell.

He looked around he could see no light around him it was dark the only light came from a few poorly lit torches. His eyes hurt as he used his Night vision but he was determined to look at his surroudings. He regonized himself to be in the dungeons that were more below ground, judging by how hot it was around him.

As he continued, he spotted another dragon. A few cages down was a Rainwing he regonized as Queen Splendor, or was it just Splendor now? Surely with her gone for so long the Rainwings must have not even cared she was gone. And if they did, they had other Rainwings to be Queen. So just Splendor he figured.

He stood up despite the protest of his aching muscles. Something stopped him. He peered down at his talons only to see shackles at his front and back talons preventing him from moving much. He bumped his head when he tried to stand to his full height, and his wings bumped against the bars of his cage. But he wasn't complaining, stuck in a small cage was better than in a pit of lava, dead. So he didn't mind his tiny cage much.

His ears twitched as he heard talking and talon steps. Moments later there were four guards at his cage unlocking the shackles and his cage, with expressions that suggested they were doing it against his will.

"Dont try anything" The one unlocking his shackles growled at him.

He nodded and let the guards drag him into a tunnel. Maybe there was still a way out of it all, running wouldn't do him much good. Maybe there was another way to see Glory again. Hopefully. He just needed to find out a clever way out of it.

All too soon, they were in a tunnel, one he knew that lead to what was called the council chamber, where there would be a cave full of Nightwings discussing. Or more accurately just argue and growl alot until the Queen shut them all up and decided something. Most of the time, Deathbringer wasn't involved in these "council meetings" he was just given orders without any explainations. 

There was a guard at the mouth of the tunnel, she signaled for Deathbringer and the other four guards to stay there. Personally, Deathbringer thought there wasn't nearly enough space in the tunnel. The guards around him seemed to all be keeping thier wings and talons close, thier glare on him. Deathbringer didn't have the shakles or any chains but he too was keeping his limbs close.

"Its your fault they found out about us!" He heard a familiar voice say although he couldnt quite place his talon on who it was, "You're the one who brought her here even though Deathbringer warned us the dragonets were in the Rainforest and that we should stay away until they were gone."

"Deathbringer" A new voice said he could identify this one, Vengence. "Oh yeah how is your pet Greatness? I've heard a very intresting story about him"

Without a warning of any kind, Deathbringer was then dragged by the four guards in the cave full of Nightwings. Most of which were spread around the room but some were hanging upside down from the rock coloums on the roof.

Vengence siezed his ear making him wince and virtually threw him and he crashed into another dragon Deathbringer neatly used his wings to balance himself. After he stood his ground, he turned to see who he had just crashed into. It was Starflight one of Glory's freinds the neverous Nightwing he had seen back in the border of the Ice Kingdom,

"Ah you're here too" he said to him in a freindly way, he desperately wanted to ask if Glory was alright but he knew he couldnt dare with his fellow tribemates watching. Starflight had always seemed nervous and peterified in place but here he managed to look even more nervous which Deathbringer understood perfectly.

"This dragon" Vengence bellowed to all the listening Nightiwing. Pointing an accusing claw at Deathbringer, "This pet assassin of princess Greatness was actually consipring with the enemy he is the one that brought the Mudwing here, he helped them both escape."

"Hold on, Conspiring with the enemy? Do you have ant proof?" Deathbringer demanded. He hopped neatly over starflight so the dragonet was carefully between him and Vengence, in case he tried anything. Vengence already hated him as it was for the death of Slaughter but he certainly didn't need to add any reasons for him to attack him, such as- making it easy for him.

Vengence hissed, "Yeah I have witnesses one of the guards she attacked on the way out saw you help them, and the guards you distracted from the tunnel so the Mudwing could come through-" He looked ironically smug. "They can tell us all about that."

There was a long pause as Deathbringer searched his brain though anything he could use in his defense.

"Deathbringer" Greatness piped up, "That kind of betrayal... The punishment is death" she twisted the dimond necklace around her neck in a nervous way.

He bowed deeply towards the queen and finnaly spoke trying to not show the fear in his voice as he spoke," I swear ive only ever done what is best for my tribe"

"Oh yeah? Then why are all the dragonets still alive then?" Vengence snapped.

Deathbringer quickly glanced under his wing to look at Starflight and hide the look of alarm. What if she wasnt alive? What if after everything I risked shes dead? He gave Starlfight a quistioning look and he nodded Deathbringer sighed a sigh of relief. Deahtbringer held his head up, "My mission is not complete its true, I need to return to the Rainforest and-"

"And betray us some more" Vengence spat " I bet you do."

Every Nightwing's eyes were on Deathbringer so he raised his voice and flared his wings to get thier attention, trying not to think about.." I assure you I'm a loyal Nightwing, Perhaps I think its worth disscussing if whether we really need to kill these dragonets, but-"

"You see! Hes-" Vengence started.

"Vengence!" Greatness shouted "The queen has spoken, you've endangered the whole tribe. You disobeyed orderes, you brought a viper disguised as a simple gardener snake." She spread her wings

"Wait!" Vengence pleaded "What he did was worse! I just caught a Rainwing as always! How could I know- She looked no diffrent from the others!"

"And in addition" Greatness flickered her tail and guards who had Deathbringer just a second before came bursting in "You're irritating the queen."

"No!" Vengence shouted.

Deathbringer knew what was gonna happen every dragon in the room knew, he had seen it so many times growing up on the volcanic island, guards siezed Vengence just as he spread his wings to fly away. But he wasnt fast enough. Other Nightwings were already taking steps back and away from Vengence.

The guards threw him into the lake of lava, and Deathbringer shot up to avoid the lava splashing around them. Starflight however wasnt fast enough, and he yelped in pain. Vengance shot up spraying even more lava around them. This time Deathbringer yanked Starflight up into the air with him, the hovered in the air and watched as Vengeance got boiled alive.

"DONT DO THIS SAVE ME" Vengence bellowed, and guards pushed him down using thier spears and soon enough the thrashing stopped.

Deathbringer felt sick in his stomach as relization hit him, that could be him, he could be the one pleading for his life thrashing around. He could be the one being boiled alive.

"Thank you, your majesty" he said at last bowing, he tried not to glance at the shape of dead Vengence.

Greatness looked away, "Dont Deathbringer we're not done with you." She adressed the guards this time. "Take him to the dungeon, we'll invistigate the charges and then her majesty will decide what to do"

Deathbringer landed and he allowed the guards to escort him away, glancing only once at Starflight and the dragonet wrinkled his nose at him in what looked like a confused and apologetic look. He turned back to the tunnel, a shiver went up his spine as one terrifying thought entered him once more.

What if I end up like Vengeance?