Daybreak was seriously starting to think that Queen Monsoon had made the path to Haze Arena achingly long on purpose. It certainly made the arena seem more terrifying, if that was possible.
The arena was a large, circular, navy-blue colored structure located near the Storm Kingdom's northern border. Around the arena hung tapestries depicting great battles fought by the MistWings. There were five entrances for contestants near the bottom of the arena, and balconies bordered the top of the building so spectators could fly in through the open ceiling. Just looking at it made Daybreak's stomach flip.
"I don't think I can do this," she whispered uneasily to Downpour. "We should have chosen you instead. You have more battle training."
Downpour laughed a little. "I don't think that's true anymore, Droplet." He gave her a small smile, but Daybreak could detect a worried look in his eyes.
Daybreak sighed, turned around -- and saw a flash of midnight-black scales.
She screamed out of pure panic and frantically dove into one of the rose bushes lining the path to the arena. Slowly, she raised her head from the bush -- only to see Gale and Downpour, staring at her in concern. "Are you alright?" asked Gale.
"Oh, um, I'm fine," replied Daybreak, shamefully shaking the petals and thorns from her scales. "I just -- thought I saw something...alarming -- but it's nothing to worry about." Three moons, am I really this paranoid? When am I going to stop dwelling on the stupid DarkWings?
"We need to focus," said Downpour. "Droplet, if you lose this tournament, we'll have to abandon all hope of ending the war."
Daybreak nodded -- weakly at first, then more firmly. She was filled with a sudden rush of determination that seemed to have fallen out of the sky. She still couldn't stop thinking about Paradise, Foliage, and the Darkwings -- but now, instead of letting those thoughts weigh her down, she had found a way to use them to make her stronger.
Which was exactly what she needed, because right before they reached the arena, the worst thing imaginable happened: It started to rain.
YOU ARE READING
The Sapphire of War
FanfictionThe sequel to "The Lost Tribe", a Wings of Fire fan fiction book. More exciting adventure awaits! Credits to Tui T. Sutherland and Scholastic. If you enjoy this book, please check out the next book in the series, The Endless Fight!
