Chapter 8
After Vala left, Flint and the others decided to get some rest for the night to be wide awake for tomorrow. Flint tried to fall asleep but kept having nightmares flash through her head. Her friends lined up and being slaughtered while she was chained up and forced to watch. Her being stabbed through the heart in the pit while her friends looked on in horror. Vala being found out and sentenced to die in the pit.
It's just a nightmare, wake up out of it, she kept thinking but she couldn't escape the endless horrors running through her mind. She watched as the Webwings and Cavewings were slaughtered by the Spikewings who rose from the underground. She watched Prancer's parents get murdered and Tulsi father die as well. Wake up, wake up! She couldn't wake up, the nightmares were dragging her down into an endless pit and the more she kept trying to fly out of it, the more she felt it grow in height. She felt like she was almost at the top when a hand grabbed her from the darkness and started pulling her down. She turned around and saw Queen Helen's smirk on her face as the dead bodies of her friends were around her.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Flint screamed, launching herself out of her nightmare and into the darkness of the cave.
"Flint?" Prancer asked, lighting up his scales to see her. "Are you okay?"
Flint was breathing heavily and she couldn't answer Prancer. The nightmares felt so real to her like they actually happened.
Were those just nightmares or were they something that was going to happen in the future?
"I'm… I'm fine," Flint lied. She then felt a wing rest over her back and turned around and saw Hunter standing beside her.
"It's okay to be scared, you don't have to try to hide it. You can tell us if you need to," Hunter said.
"Th… Thanks," Flint said and then laid her head back down to try to go back to sleep. She felt Hunter lay down beside her, still with his wing over her back and felt his scales rest on hers.
This feels comforting, she thought and then the other part of her mind shot awake. No, I shouldn't be allowing this to happen! I only care about Prancer, NO ONE ELSE! She looked over at Prancer and saw that Tulsi was sleeping next to him with their tails twined together.
THAT SHOULD BE ME! she screamed in her brain but forced herself not to move. Maybe it isn't so bad to have someone else care, I mean he clearly cares about her. BUT HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MINE! Can't I care about someone else though? NO, IT HAS TO BE ONE DRAGON AND NO OTHER DRAGON CAN GET IN MY WAY! She kept fighting in her brain but felt Hunter wrap his tail around hers and her brain calmed down. Maybe just for right now, I can stop panicking, we do have more important matters to think about. Flint then finally fell asleep, without nightmares, right beside Hunter.
It was the next day, at least that is what Flint thought, when Queen Helen woke them up from their slumber.
"WAKE UP YOU SNOOZY FACES!" Queen Helen commanded. "It is going to be time for the second round and we have something special for you today."
"And what's that?" Flint asked, in a mocking tone.
"If you would like to know Ms. Grouchy, then I will tell you," Queen Helen said. "We have just learned that the two Spikewings who were supposed to fight each other before your battle Flint, are actually a part of the same family. Obviously we can't put brother against brother so we decided to spice up the rules."
"What did you change?" Hunter asked.
"Well we decided to put the two Spikewings on a team," Queen Helen said. "So this battle is going to be a team battle, the first ever one we will have. Which means Flint, you need a partner. Lucky for us though, we have three dragons to pick from right here."
Flint looked back at her friends. "Wait, I want to pick my partner," she announced, hoping that she could choose Prancer.
"Nope," Queen Helen said. "I'm the queen and you follow my rules. Your partner is going to be that shy little Drillwing behind that Webwing."
Flint looked back to Tulsi and saw her fear grow rapidly while Flint's anger rose.
WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE HER? SHE CAN'T FIGHT, ALL SHE KNOWS HOW TO DO IS HIDE! SHE IS GOING TO GET US BOTH KILLED, I KNOW IT! FIRST SHE GOT US TRAPPED AND NOW SHE IS GOING TO KILL US! WHAT A GREAT WAY TO GO!
"What's wrong Flint, don't like your partner?" Queen Helen said, smiling at Flint. "From what I heard from your screaming, that dragon will totally be able to help you."
It then hit Flint like a rock on the face. She heard my comments about Tulsi. She knows that she is useless in a fight and that it is the best chance at getting us killed. She may have picked another dragon but me and my big mouth ruined it.
Queen Helen then walked away saying, "Good luck tonight," on her way out. When Flint was sure that she was gone, she rose to her feet and marched over to Tulsi.
"YOU ARE THE WORST DRAGON EVER, YOU KNOW THAT?"
"Hey Flint, calm down!" Prancer said, trying to hold her back.
"NO!" she screamed, tossing Prancer off of her. "EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE HAS RUINED US! YOU CAN'T STAND UP FOR YOURSELF! YOU CAN'T FIGHT! YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR OWN DRAGON TO CARE ABOUT, YOU HAD TO PICK MINE!
"Wait, what?" Prancer said. "What are you talking about?"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" Flint screamed. " I CARE ABOUT YOU BUT THIS PIPSQUEAK IS TRYING TO TAKE YOU FROM ME!"
"You care about me?" Prancer said.
"YES! WHAT'S SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THAT?"
"Well if you care about me then why are you acting this way over a dragon I am just trying to protect?"
"Wait, what?" Flint asked.
"Well, Tulsi said it herself to me," Prancer said. "She just wanted protection because of what dangers could be out in the world. She just wanted to get out of being behind her father's shadow all the time."
"But… but…" Flint tried to think of something but nothing came out.
"No Flint," Prancer said. "I did care about you, but I don't think you truly care about me." He then turned around and comforted Tulsi, who was crying, with his wings. Flint turned away and smacked her head onto the iron bars, trying to break them, but instead just hurt her head.
Was I really that jealous? Flint thought, thinking back to what Prancer just said and what Hunter said about her jealousy. Did I seriously allow it to control me and not think clearly? She hit her head into the ground, trying to shake off all the wrong decisions she has made throughout her life. Why, why, why? Have I seriously allowed my jealousy to control my actions all this time? But I never felt like this when I was younger, what changed? Was it because I was away from dragons for over four years? But no that can't be the reason, can it? Being away from dragons made me stronger and made me not be a killing machine for my tribe. I wouldn't change the decision I made of running away from them. But then, what decision would I change now?
Flint looked around the room to look at her friends. Prancer was still comforting Tulsi and had his back towards her, Tulsi still had water in her eyes and was shaking heavily. Hunter was looking from her to his buddy Prancer, probably wondering what to do. She then saw him decide to go help out Prancer.
Maybe I am better without friends, she thought. It seems like everything I do just ruins everything and that isn't something I want to continue to do. Maybe I could make a trade with Helen. My life for their release. They don't care about me anyway so it would be no harm for them.
Flint then thought of Vala and how she was making an escape plan for them.
What am I thinking? I don't want to die before Vala is able to rescue us. Which means I will survive this round in the arena to be able to escape with her. If we are caught though, I will have everyone else go on ahead. They don't need me. I may just be dead weight to them and I am better off by myself. If I have to, I'll fight till my last breath to make sure they escape.
Flint walked over to a corner of the cage that was the farthest away from everyone else and curled herself into the smallest ball she could. She just wanted to feel insignificant so that she could feel like she was by herself again.
Then that way I do not have to focus on anything else and only focus on myself. It's what I'm best at.
Flint then closed her eyes to try to get some sleep before the impending doom that was going to happen later that night.
She was woken up when Queen Helen prodded her with a spear.
"Wake up, little dragon," she said in a sweet but cruel tone. "It's time for your impending doom."
Flint got up and looked at Queen Helen right in the face.
"I will win this," Flint said. "And you will be sorry you didn't kill me earlier."
"I doubt it," Queen Helen said and her bodyguards entered the cage and chained up Flint and Tulsi's snout and wings.
"Bring them to the arena," Queen Helen said. "And don't be late with them, I'm excited to see this battle."
The Spikewings marched Flint and Tulsi to the pit and the whole time Flint was trying to figure out what Vala's plan was going to be. Is she going to try to have us escape while we are fighting? Is she going to intercept us after the fight to free us? What is she going to do?
Flint and Tulsi were escorted down to the pit and that's when she saw the Spikewings that they were going to face. They both were missing talons on their claws and one had a nasty scar across his face. The other one seemed to have their tail cut in half and had scars on the side of his body.
"Those are the two you are facing," the Spikewing who was escorting Flint said. "The one with the cut tail is Grim and the other with the scar on his face is Hex. I would say good luck but I doubt you will be able to win." The Spikewing then unchained Flint's snout and wings while Tulsi's Spikewing did the same thing. The four dragons were standing there facing each other when Queen Helen got into her position on her throne.
"Welcome Spikewings to round two of the arena games!" she announced, her voice still having the booming authority. "As you all know we have had a change in today's game and it will be a team battle with Hex and Grim vs. Flint and her partner Tulsi of the Drillwings."
Flint looked over to Tulsi and saw her try to shrink lower while all the Spikewings looked at her.
Don't worry Tulsi I'll get you through this, only because I am not worth anything but you're worth something.
"Ready your claws, face your opponent, and fight!" Queen Helen yelled.
Hex and Grim started circling around Flint and Tulsi, obviously trying to mess with them.
"Oh look at me, I'm a useless Drillwing," Hex said to Tulsi.
"I got ourselves into this mess," Grim mocked.
Flint saw Tulsi start to shake and tried to cover herself with her wings.
"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT UP!" Flint screamed and slashed at Grim's face. She gave him a nasty scar across the eye and he screamed in pain. She then turned and saw Hex charging her. She was about to dodge to the side when he stopped and changed his target to Tulsi who was still trying to hide.
"Oh no you don't!" Flint yelled and tackled him, sending them both rolling towards the edge of the pit. Flint stopped herself before rolling toward the edge where the lava was and Hex stopped himself too. Flint looked behind her and saw that Grim was approaching Tulsi, who was backing away from him but was approaching near the lava at the edge of the pit.
Come on Flint, there has to be something to get us out of here!
Flint then heard the shakes before she felt them. They were vibrating through the walls and then the ground started shaking. Flint looked up and saw that Vala was smashing the ceiling with her tail. She looked around and saw that everyone else was wondering what was going on but luckily none looked up to see Vala. Flint then saw Vala crack open the rock she was smashing at and lava started pouring out from the hole. Flint saw all the Spikewings look up and panic set in on their faces. They all started to fly away from the lava and out of the arena. In the chaos, Vala flew down to Flint and Tulsi.
"Come on, let's go!" Vala said.
"Wait, we can't forget about Hunter and Prancer!" Tulsi said.
"Oh shoot!" Vala said. "I forgot about that part!"
"What do you mean?" Flint said.
"I may not have gotten that far with the plan to figure out how to rescue them from the chains."
"WHAT?" Flint yelled.
"Come on, let's see if we can help them right now," Vala said and picked up Flint and brought her to where Prancer and Hunter were chained up.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Prancer said.
"Me too!" Hunter said. "Now get us out of these chains!"
Tulsi, Flint, and Vala started pulling on the chains trying to break them.
"They won't budge!" Flint said.
"One sec, stand back!" Tulsi said. She then slashed her wings at the chains and they broke in half. Tulsi then screamed though and Flint saw that her wings were starting to bleed.
"Tulsi! Are you okay?" Prancer asked, running over to comfort her.
"Ye… Yeah… I'm good," Tulsi said, obviously in pain.
"Come on, we have to get out of here!" Vala said.
"Where do we go though?" Hunter asked.
"Follow me!" Vala said and led them down a tunnel. Flint and the rest of the group followed her as she led them through tight pathways and over rivers of lava.
"This is a much scarier place than the upper caves," Flint said.
"Yeah, well we've learned to live with it!" Vala shouted and continued to lead them. They then came across a giant pit with a lava pool at the bottom that was too far to jump.
"Great, how do me and Tulsi get over that?" Flint asked.
"We'll fly you across the gap," Prancer said. "Hunter, you and Vala get Flint and I'll get Tulsi. Hurry!"
Hunter and Vala picked Flint up from either side and started flying her across the pit. Flint could tell they were struggling but pushed on and set her down on the other side.
"Ok, I'm coming over!" Prancer said and lifted Tulsi up and started to fly her across. Prancer was wobbling though and starting to lose altitude.
"Prancer, you can't do it by yourself, you need my help!" Hunter said.
But before Hunter was able to reach them, Queen Helen appeared from the tunnel that they came from.
"There you are!" she said and launched her spikes at Prancer which hit him right in the neck. He let go of Tulsi and they both started falling down into the lava pit.
"Prancer, Tulsi!" Flint screamed, watching their bodies fall down while she was powerless to do anything. Flint saw Hunter ready to dive after them but then Flint saw Prancer and Tulsi both disappear into thin air. She didn't know how to describe it, they were falling in the pit one moment and then disappeared out of sight the next moment.
"What on earth?" Flint said and then felt Vala start dragging her.
"Come on Flint, we have to go!" Vala said.
"But…" Flint said.
"No, we don't have time!" Vala yelled. "If we don't go now then Queen Helen will capture us!"
It was a tough choice for Flint. She wanted to stay and figure out what happened to Prancer and Tulsi but she knew if she stayed, then they may be captured and executed by Queen Helen who was crossing the pit right now.
"Fine, let's go," Flint said and she, Hunter, and Vala both ran down the tunnel and away from Queen Helen, the Spikewings, and Prancer and Tulsi.
We'll figure out where you went, Flint promised in her mind. We'll find you, just hold out until we can.
Flint then felt a pain in her neck and realized Queen Helen shot her with her spikes and Flint felt droopy. Flint saw Hunter have a panicked look on his face before Vala shook him and yelled something at him that Flint didn't catch. The whole world around her was going dark and Flint couldn't hear or see anything. The last thing she saw before closing her eyes was Hunter and Vala picking her up and carrying her out of the cavern.