Torrent woke up to a sharp rap on his door. Was it Orca? He shuddered, suddenly remembering the events of last night. River was dead, at Orca's claws. He yawned slightly. It was early in the morning, much earlier than he preferred.

Torrent opened up the door, Angler stood there, looking worse than ever. No hint of a smile crossed his milky-green scales, and he looked as if he had hardly slept. His wings were hunched over his back, and his eyes strained to look at Torrent. Torrent wondered if Gill had heard about River's death, then realized that he wouldn't have: Orca's enchantment would have kept him from even remembering her. Looking at Angler's expression, maybe Orca was right and it was for the better.

I'm glad you're out of your room, Angler, Torrent flashed.

Angler shook his head, as if denying Torrent's statement. Did nobody tell you? he asked. Orca has challenged mother for the throne.

What? Torrent flashed in alarm. Orca? Challenging mother? What was she thinking, she'll get herself killed! Unless. . . We have to stop her! he shouted.

Angler shrugged, and sighed as he was pitying Torrent's hope, looking down on him in scorn. It's far too late. Coral accepted the challenge, and they're fighting at dawn on Orca's request. You might be able to make it to the arena if you hurry, but I wouldn't. One of them will have to die, and we'll have yet another dead family member. Just the dragon way. Angler looked pleadingly at Torrent, as if he wanted his younger brother to say something to make it alright, but Torrent didn't know what to say to comfort him.

I just thought you should know, since you were the closest to her, Angler continued. I'm sorry. Angler left Torrent's room, presumably swimming back to his own.

Torrent took a deep breath in through his gills. He knew how the battle would end, and it wouldn't turn out good for Coral. Orca had her animus powers, there was no way she could lose. Torrent looked around the room, and a flash of metal caught his eye. The dagger Orca had given him had apparently moved itself to his room, even though he had left it. Maybe that was Orca's game—if Torrent didn't kill her like she had asked, she would become Queen of the SeaWings.

Yet, Torrent knew he couldn't kill her. Orca was his sister, his best friend. He wouldn't kill her, no matter what. Even if she became some animus monster and decided to take over the Sea Kingdom. Then what could he do? Torrent would flee the Sea Kingdom. The MudWings were still allies with the SeaWings, he could stay there, and find a way to save Orca. Moorhen seemed to like Torrent, maybe she would let him stay with her, and it sounded like Mallard had even more scrolls than the ones she had given them to read, maybe one of them would tell him how to save Orca, or at least find a solution better than killing her. He glanced at the dagger. He wouldn't have to use it on her, not now, not ever. He kicked it away.

Torrent grabbed the scrollcase containing the notes on animus legends he had compiled with Orca, then a small satchel which in he stuffed a few salted fish into, along with a couple pieces of jewelry his mother had given him as presents. He didn't have many other belongings to take. As he left the room, the dagger started to rattle, slowly moving towards him. After he took a quick last look at his room, Torrent shut the door on it. Hopefully that would stop the pestering dagger, at least for a while.

Torrent swam down to the exit of the palace. It was even emptier than normal: only one guard remained, the rest of the guards and servants had swam to the arena in which the royal challenge was taking place. Torrent looked over to it. Was it really alright to leave the Sea Kingdom in the talons of Orca? But what other choice did he have, killing her? Hopefully she would be a good queen, at least until Torrent could find some way to stop her, or maybe even save her.

He glanced back at the palace in which he was raised. The Deep Palace stood, dark and ominous, various rooms scattered around the original palace nestled in the center, as if someone had dropped them from the surface of the ocean, letting them settle in the sand. Torrent wondered when he would see it again. Sure, he had left the palace plenty of times, but he'd only been out of the Sea Kingdom once, when he, Orca, and Griffin went to find Sunscorcher. Maybe one day, if he could help Orca, he'd return. He turned away, and swam towards the ocean surface far above.

Torrent burst out of the water, taking flight. He took in a breath of the salty ocean air. Seagulls called from afar, as if beckoning him to join the outside world beyond the ocean. The SeaWing prince glanced at the sun, just now rising above the horizon. Far below, Orca was just now engaging in a bloody combat with Coral. Torrent looked down to the shimmering surface of the waves, but saw nothing beneath.
Using the sun as his guide, Torrent headed south, towards the Mud Kingdom, when he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Torrent!" Griffin called. "Wait up!"

Griffin quickly caught up to Torrent. "Where are you going?" he asked excitedly, glancing constantly at the clouds above, just like a jittery dragonet.

"The Mud Kingdom," Torrent replied solemnly, "to Queen Moorhen's Palace. How did you get out of the Deep Palace? Did anyone see you?"

Griffin shrugged his feathered forearms. "Maybe? It's not like it really matters anymore, does it? If Orca became queen, I wouldn't have to live in hiding anymore, wouldn't that be great?"

"No, it would be awful," Torrent growled. "She's used too much magic. I don't know what she's going to do to the Sea Kingdom."

Griffin looked slightly hurt. "What if she's a good queen?"

Torrent thought for a moment. That was his hope, but it wouldn't be true. "She won't be. The Orca we knew died with River."

Griffin remained silent for a moment, his beak contorted into a twist of a frown. "Alright then. How are you going to sneak me into Queen Moorhen's Palace?"

"We're not," Torrent replied in exasperation. "I am. You're not going with me."

"What?" Griffin squawked. "What do you mean, not going with you? I mean, I could just stay outside the palace until you find a way to get me in, but that would get kind of lonely. . ."

"I mean you're not coming with me at all!" Torrent yelled, his claws twitching in anger. "I don't want you anymore!"
Griffin ruffled his feathers, clenching his talons. "You don't want me anymore? What do you think I am, some pet you can order around? Well, you know what, maybe I don't want you anymore!"

Griffin spat into the sea below, then turned tail, gliding off to the west. Griffin glanced back a few times to see if Torrent would fly after him, but Torrent kept on his course, not looking back. He didn't need Griffin, he didn't need anyone.

After a few minutes, Griffin was completely out of view. Torrent glanced back to the ocean far behind him, in the direction of the Deep Palace. Somewhere below, Orca would have just killed Queen Coral, and someone would be crowning her as the new Queen of the SeaWings.

Orca slowly swam in a circle, her mother at the other side. Orca tried to lock her eyes on Coral in determination, but Coral looked away in shame. Look at me, mother, Orca flashed, but got no response. This would be easy for Orca.

Coral, on the other claw, looked quite distressed. It was far too early for Orca to challenge her, and she knew that her daughter didn't stand a chance in combat. Whereas Coral had been well-prepared for her challenge and years older, Orca was just barely seven, and her combat training had been lacking at best. Coral nervously rubbed at her pearl necklace. She just didn't understand why Orca had bothered to challenge her, why now?

Orca lunged at her mother, claws outstretched, Coral deftly dodged, the decorative narwhal horn on her tail slipping through her daughter's claws. Even though she was much older than her daughter, the two were about the same size. Orca had gotten that from Gill.

After a short moment of hesitation, Coral came in for a strike, diving beneath her daughter and clawing at her green belly, but Coral's claws slipped off Orca's scales to no effect. Orca in return dove down and plunged her claws into Coral's backside, the queen's blood spraying into the ocean. The guards scanned the seas for hungry sharks.

You don't have to do this, Coral flashed. I can call off the match.

Coral nimbly swam up, pushing Orca off, then slammed her huge SeaWing tail into Orca's side. Although she was almost certain she had made contact, Orca came out from beneath it and grabbed Coral's tail, dragging her down. Coral attempted to claw at Orca, but to no avail, as Orca pulled Coral to a pillar of the Deep Palace and slammed her into it. A large sound reverberated through the water, and when Coral finally got up, a crack had formed in the pillar. Orca was winning.

Yes, I do, Orca replied, her expression emotionless.

Coral rushed towards her daughter, claws outstretched. Orca attempted to dodge, but Coral was too fast, and the SeaWing queen's claws grabbed onto Orca's neck. Yet, they slid right off her scales, and Orca slammed her tail into Coral's neck, throwing her through the water.

Coral cringed in pain; she was almost certain Orca had broken something. She tried to swim up through the water back into the fight, but a sharp pain rattled through her spine. Orca took advantage of that, and swam straight towards her mother, claws wide open and ready to kill.

Coral curled up, and braced for the impact, curling her tail up defensively. She closed her eyes in resignation. This would be the end of her reign. The Sea Kingdom would be fine, Orca had been well prepared for the throne. So would Gill. He would be hurting, but he would get through it. Maybe he would find a new mate. Coral hoped that for him, he deserved to be happy.

She thought about what she had done during her reign. Not much, truly. The Sea Kingdom was much the same as it was before, except now she had brought them into a world war. Orca would finish the war her mother had started, and Coral would be forgotten within a century or two. Not that it mattered much now; whether or not Coral got a place in the history scrolls, she would be dead.

Suddenly, Coral felt a large jolt on her tail, painfully jamming it back into her spine. The queen yelped in pain, but Coral wasn't dead. The SeaWing queen opened her eyes to see her only daughter impaled on the narwhal horn that was decorating Coral's tail. Orca's blood started to spread, staining the surrounding water red. A few of the guards around the fight looked around cautiously, ready to fight off any sharks who wanted a free meal. Coral stared in surprise. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.

Evidently, Orca hadn't suspected this either. She glanced at the small golden band on her wrist, then at the narwhal horn sticking through her. Suddenly, Orca laughed. The enchantment had protected her from Coral, yet it was Orca who had accidentally impaled herself. She had trusted her magic to let her win, but in the end, it had betrayed her. I did this all wrong, she flashed to herself, silently laughing in the water.

Orca tried to free herself from the narwhal horn, but to no avail. Why? Coral asked. Why couldn't you have waited longer? You could've been a strong queen, you know, the best the SeaWings could've ever hoped for. No other heir of mine could ever be like you. Small tears started to form in the corner of Coral's eyes, quickly being washed away by the salty currents.

Orca smirked, remembering that Coral wouldn't ever have more heirs. It would be awhile before she could see her mother in whatever hell they were sent to. She shook her head. You're going to rule forever, aren't you, Mother? You should thank me, no one can stop you now.

Coral wrapped her forepaws and wings around her daughter, wanting a final embrace. Orca tried to push her away, but she was unable to, her vision was fading. She thought about making a final enchantment, something to save her. She glanced at the narwhal horn, and opened her mouth, but instead of words, blood flooded her mouth. She retched at the sickening taste, just causing more blood to spurt up.

She was getting dizzy. This was what she had wanted, anyways. Torrent wouldn't have to kill her, she had accidentally done it herself.

She wondered where Torrent was right now. Was he watching? It was too late to care. Death was approaching quickly, and she welcomed him with open wings. Maybe she could apologize to River. Orca was sorry for killing her sister, she hadn't really deserved it. The unhatched dragonet in the egg the statue had broken, too. Along with the rest of the dragonets the statue would kill in the future. Wow, Orca really hadn't been a good sister, had she? Well, it could've been worse. There was Albatross, he had ki—

Orca tried to breathe water into her gills, then air into her lungs, but there was too much blood. Her body started convulsing, desperately trying to get more air and repair itself, but even with all her animus magic, Orca had no chance.

Her body slid off the narwhal horn, down to the ocean floor below. Coral stared, watching her final daughter fall to the frigid depths of the ocean, just like Coral's own mother had done, so many years ago, and how Coral's body would one day fall in front of one of her own yet unborn daughters. But today was not that day. Coral had lived to be queen, and Orca had not.