Chapter 6

Vala couldn't feel a thing. She couldn't even tell where she was or if she was alive. It was just complete darkness and she saw nothing. She was trying to think back to what happened but everything was fuzzy and she couldn't pin her mind on anything. She couldn't even hear anything around her.

Where am I? Why can't I remember anything? There was a fight and then it was completely dark after that. I can't even seem to remember anything before the fight. It's just the fight that keeps replaying in my head.

She couldn't hear anything around her but one thing for sure though was that she was hearing something in her mind.

I wonder if she'll wake up. How did she get like this? And how is Nova here as well?

Nova. Nova! Vala shot herself awake at the remark of Nova's name. Everything was pitch black around her and it took a while for her night vision to kick in. When Vala finally looked around she saw a dragon standing in front of her. Even though she couldn't seem to remember much, she knew for a fact who the dragon was in front of her.

"ABRAX!" Vala yelled and ran to hug him but felt a sharp pain in her claw. She looked at it and it was twisted.

"Oh, that looks like it hurts," Abrax said walking over to Vala. "Are you going to be okay with it?"

Vala looked at it before looking back at Abrax. "Yes, I'll be fine. I… I… can't believe I'm here with you," and Vala felt tears start falling down her face.

"Yeah, well at least we're in the same cage together," Abrax said.

"Huh?" Vala said and looked around. Sure enough, they were surrounded by iron bars that caged them in. "When did we get in here?"

"Guards threw you in here about four hours ago," Abrax said. "Nova is awake but hiding in that corner over there. I don't know why."

Vala looked over and saw Nova shrunk in a corner, having her wings cover her body. She didn't seem to have her armor on and was almost trying to cover the scar across her face that Queen Helen gave her.

"Should I go talk to her?" Vala asked.

"Uh, yeah go, I need to go… get some rest!" and then Abrax walked away from her.

Ok that was weird but whatever.

Vala started walking over to Nova who started shaking the more she approached.

"Nova?" Vala asked. "Are you okay?"

"Stay away, stay away," Nova said. "Don't come closer."

"Hey we're all friends here, what's wrong?"

"Friends?" Nova asked. "Says the dragon who locked me up saying I was a traitor."

"You did what?" Abrax asked, who wandered over there to listen.

"She thought I was a traitor so she had her group lock me up," Nova said.

"Why would you do that?" Abrax asked.

"She had a note saying the location of our base!" Vala said. "You expect me to just let her go?"

"About that note," Nova said. "I was going to give it to someone else."

"So now you admit that you're a traitor?" Vala said.

"Let me finish," Nova said. "I was going to give it to Abrax."

Vala went dumbfounded. "Abrax already knows where our secret base is!"

"I actually forgot it," Abrax said. "I've been in this cell for three years, I wanted to make sure that the base didn't move over those years."

"Oh," Vala said and then felt completely stupid for thinking that Nova was a traitor. Of course Abrax would want to check up and make sure to know where the base is. When he escaped, he would go right there. "I'm sorry, Nova."

"Apology accepted," Nova grumbled and tried to cover her face more.

"Ok, what are you trying to hide?" Vala asked. "Just tell us."

"No!" Nova said.

"Come on, what is it?" Vala asked and tried lifting up one of her wings.

"Don't touch me!" Nova screamed and jumped up and smacked Vala across the cell. Vala staggered and landed on her twisted claw, sending a sharp pain through her body. When it subsided Vala looked at Nova and saw what Nova didn't want them to see. All across her body were scars and slashes that had healed over the skin. Vala could barely see the pattern of her scales, it was all just scars.

"Wha…" Vala said. She was speechless of what to say. She never saw a dragon with that many scars on her body for such a young age.

"What happened to you?" Abrax asked.

Nova brought her wings back down but opened them up again, probably debating that there was no reason to hide them now.

"After my family was executed, Queen Helen brought me back to a private room. There she slashed me all across my body, not enough to kill me, but enough to make sure they would heal as scars. That's why I keep the armor on, to hide this. I'm afraid of what other dragons will think."

"Well we aren't going to judge you," Abrax said. "We all have had rough lives."

"Yeah," Nova said.

"So how did you two get locked up in here?" Abrax asked.

"I was trying to save you by myself," Vala said. "Then Queen Helen attacked me, The Collective came to try to rescue me. We failed and I distracted the guards to have them escape but me and Nova got captured."

"Oh wow, you did that all for me?" Abrax asked.

"Yes, I heard that Queen Helen was coming over to you and I expected she was going to hurt you."

"Oh, I wasn't but that is a good idea," Queen Helen said, stepping out from the shadows. "Finally I have the three worst dragons that tried to revolt against me locked up."

"You don't have all of us!" Vala said.

"We will find your friends, it's only a matter of time," Queen Helen said. "But you could make it easier and just tell us where they are."

"Do you take me for a fool?" Vala asked.

"You did attack me by yourself with no backup," Queen Helen said. "I think that is pretty foolish."

"ARGH!" Vala yelled and tried to lash out at Queen Helen but the bars got in her way.

"Oh isn't that unfortunate," Queen Helen said. "You can't hurt me. Good, because this one already did," and Queen Helen pointed at Nova.

"When we get out, we will finish you off!" Nova said.

"You're never getting out of here," Queen Helen said.

Ha, wait until Queen Ash hears about this.

Huh? The thought flashed through Vala's mind, almost as if she heard the dragon say it. She looked at Queen Helen, wondering if that was what she just heard from Queen Helen's mind.

But how? How am I hearing dragon's thoughts? What is going on with me?

"Well anyway, I have to go," Queen Helen said. "Don't worry though, you three can keep each other company. Abrax, Nova, and Vala all locked up, how sweet."

"Wait, what did you just say?" Nova asked. "Did you say Vala?"

"Why yes I did," Queen Helen said. "Vala is that dragon right there," and Queen Helen pointed directly at her. "Now I'll see you all later. Stick around!" and Queen Helen left. Vala thought that maybe everything was going to be calm but she saw Nova furiously walking towards her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Vala asked.

"YOUR VALA?" Nova screamed. "YOU'VE BEEN VALA THE WHOLE TIME?"

"Why should I have told you?" Vala asked. "You didn't deserve to know."

"I did too!" Nova said. "You were my partner and it would have been helpful to know who you truly were! Abrax why didn't you tell me who Vala was?"

"Yeah, now that you think about it, Abrax, why did you keep me a secret from her?" Vala asked and both her and Nova started approaching Abrax.

"Hang on ladies, calm down I can explain," Abrax said.

"Pin him," Nova said and both of them pinned Abrax to the ground.

"Ow, can you let me go?" Abrax asked.

"Not until you tell us why you kept me a secret from Nova," Vala said. "Now why did you?"

"Uh, no reason," Abrax said. Nova started to squeeze his wing tighter, hurting him.

"Still want to be in denial?" Vala asked.

"Ok, ok, just stop please, I'll tell you!" Abrax said.

Vala motioned for Nova to loosen her grip on him.

"Ok now tell us," Vala said. "What is going on?"

"Well you see… I didn't want to hurt either of your feelings… because, you see… I, uh… I…"

"Say it," Nova said.

"I like both of you," Abrax said.

It went quiet after the statement. None of them spoke and Vala and Nova looked from Abrax to each other and then down at Abrax.

"How do you like her over me?" Vala asked Abrax.

"Look at her, she doesn't think before she acts!" Nova said to Abrax.

"She is obsessed with books!" Vala said.

"And she has trust issues!" Nova said. "I trust dragons."

"I trust dragons who aren't acting suspicious!" Vala shot at Nova.

"Yeah, was I really acting suspicious or did you just want to make sure nothing happened to your loved one? Well guess what, he was doing just fine without you."

"You don't know that!" Vala said. "Why would he tell you?"

"Because I stayed with him the whole time!" Nova said. "What did you do? Abandon him for a bunch of strangers."

"THEY AREN'T STRANGERS!" Vala yelled and leaped onto Nova and they both started kicking and rolling across the floor. Abrax had to separate them both.

"Hey, both of you calm down!" Abrax said. "You both are great, no reason to go at each other's throats!"

"Why do you care about her?" Vala asked. "You said you wanted me to be your girlfriend."

"Well, uh…" Abrax said, but Nova cut him off.

"Maybe back then but now that he sees this side of you, he won't want you ever again!"

"DIE!" Vala said and got out of Abrax's grip and tackled Nova. Nova staggered but got up and smashed Vala into the cell and attacked Vala's twisted claw.

"Oww! That's it!" Vala said and slammed her claws down at Nova as Nova swung her claws at Vala. They both hit each other's opposite wings so hard that the bones in them both sprained and they both had sharp shots of pain throughout their body. They both stopped fighting for a moment, allowing Abrax to separate them and using a chain that he got a hold of, chained up one of their claws to the cell on opposite sides of each other.

"Ok, can we all stop fighting and work together?" Abrax asked.

"NEVER!" both of them screamed.

"Oh this is going to be a long day," and Abrax went to lay down.

"Abrax, don't just leave us like this!" Vala said.

"No," Abrax said. "We all need to work together to get out of here and I can't have you two killing each other over my feelings for both of you," and then Abrax fell asleep.

"Abrax!" Nova said, but Abrax didn't wake up.

"Great," Vala said and looked over at Nova. "This is all your fault."

"Yeah totally, says the dragons who ran in without a plan," Nova said.

"I don't need a plan!" Vala screamed.

"And look at where that got us," Nova said, pointing to the cage that they were stuck in. "Good job."

Vala didn't feel like talking to her anymore. She was the worst dragon she ever met, almost as bad as Queen Helen. Trying to take her love away from her, what kind of dragon does that? Abrax wouldn't like her regularly, so she obviously did something to make Abrax like her. Vala decided to go to sleep, trying to get as comfortable as she could with her claw being chained up. Her sprained wing shot pain through her body but she tried to ignore it and get some rest.

Vala opened up her eyes and she wasn't in the cell anymore. In fact she wasn't even in a cave anymore. She was somehow on the surface and in front of her she saw the Drillwing village.

What? How am I here? Wasn't I just in a cage? What's going on?

Vala felt something swoop by her and she looked up and saw Tulsi flying through the air. Vala jumped into the nearby bushes before anyone was able to spot her.

How am I back here? What is going on?

Vala saw Tulsi land on the ground and Prancer flew up to her.

Oh great, I better not hear them talking about me.

"So how's everyone doing?" Tulsi asked.

"Better," Prancer said. "The Drillwings are starting to become very organized and efficient at hunting. I wish that Vala was here, she would be an amazing teacher to them."

"Yeah, I know," Tulsi said. "I'll send out another patrol to look for her, she has to be here somewhere."

Tulsi felt a presence to almost go out there and tell them that she was there but she stayed still and watched. She saw Flint and Hunter land beside them as well.

"Any sign of them?" Tulsi asked.

"Nope, Queen Tulsi, sorry," Flint said.

"For the last time, you can just call me Tulsi," Tulsi said.

"I think adding queen is catchy," Flint said.

"I'll call you whatever you want," Prancer said.

"Thanks," Tulsi said. "You know, even with Queen Glory's help, being queen isn't easy."

"Don't worry, we'll help you through it," Hunter said.

"Yeah I know," Tulsi said. "I just wish Vala was here."

"Yeah but mostly everyone here thinks that she killed Queen Obsidian," Prancer said. "Would it be safe for her here?"

"Yes it would!" Tulsi said. "I may have had doubts before but I believe that Vala didn't kill Queen Obsidian. Do you all believe that she did?"

"No," they all said.

"Good," Tulsi said. "We know for a fact that she is being set up. I wouldn't even need any proof to prove that she is innocent, I would believe her by her word alone."

Wait, you would really mean that Tulsi? Vala wondered.

"Yeah, she's sacrificed too much to do something like that," Flint said.

Vala's mind was on a spin. Maybe I didn't think this through. It looks like my friends were ready to back me up no matter what evidence was thrown against me. I guessed I judged them too soon. But is this even real? What am I watching? Are they actually saying this or is this my mind playing tricks on me.

Vala thought she heard another thought appear in her mind and it sounded like the dragon was mad that something was missing but Vala couldn't pay attention to it because Vala saw Gimlet flying down to her friends.

"Attention your majesty," Gimlet said. "There is a Webwing flying this direction with some guards around her."

"Huh, what does this Webwing look like?" Hunter asked.

"Well she has gold rings around her horns like you, is wearing some jewelry, and has a type of crown that was woven from a web on top of her head."

"Oh no, that's my mom!" Hunter said.

"Wait, your mom is Queen of the Webwings?" Gimlet asked.

"Yes," Hunter said. "I have to hide, I can't let her see me."

"Too late," Queen Aurora said, landing down beside them with her guards.

"Hi… mom," Hunter said.

"Hello son," Queen Aurora said before looking around at the rest of the dragons there. Vala felt the urgency to rush out there to be with her friends but she stayed put in her bush.

"Now mom, I know this looks weird but hear me out," Hunter said but Queen Aurora shushed him.

"I don't have much time but I need to tell you something." Queen Aurora then looked at Gimlet. "Can you please go away, this is private."

"Oh ok," Gimlet said and flew away, leaving Flint, Tulsi, Prancer, and Hunter there. Vala still didn't move from her hiding spot.

Queen Aurora issued her guards to stand down and made them leave for the time being. "Now does everyone here have a skyfire?"

"Yes…" Hunter said. "Wait, how do you know about them?"

Queen Aurora thought for a moment before showing a white rock that was attached to her necklace. "I got one from Queen Obsidian when she died."

"You know Queen Obsidian is dead?" Flint asked.

"Yes," Queen Aurora said. "You see me and Queen Obsidian were actually friends and wanted to end the war between our two tribes."

"Then why didn't you?" Prancer asked.

"I think we all know the answer to that question," Queen Aurora said.

"Dredge," they all said in unison.

"Yes and his mind control," Queen Aurora said. "If we ever tried to plan a way to end the war, he would mind control us and force our actions until we had the thought out of our mind. Over time, we just decided to stop trying because there was no point in stopping him. That is the reason this war is still going on, because he has control over the royal families and is able to control their actions."

"Wait, that means he can control me!" Hunter said and was panicked.

"I don't think so," Queen Aurora said. "If he was able to control you then I would be able to tell but for some reason he has never done it. Either he doesn't want to or you somehow aren't able to be mind controlled by him."

"That's still terrible that he can mind control you anytime he wants," Tulsi said.

"I know, but there is nothing we can do about it," Queen Aurora said. "Anyway, listen to how I know Queen Obsidian is dead. I was going to our secret hiding spot that we agreed to meet once a month to theorize ideas on how to get rid of Dredge."

"So what happened?" Flint asked.

"Well when I was getting close it started getting hotter for some reason. I slowed down and peered inside and I saw Queen Obsidian dead on the floor and a dragon over her."

"Who was the dragon?" Tulsi asked.

Hopefully she doesn't say me, Vala thought.

"I don't know who the dragon was exactly," Queen Aurora said. "She looked weird, her scales almost seemed to be made out of igneous rocks that are made by lava. And she was doing something weird with Queen Obsidian's body."

"What was she doing?" Hunter asked.

Yes, what was she doing? Vala thought.

"She was spreading spikes all over her body. Do you dragons know of the Spikewings?"

"Yes, we have a friend who is one," Tulsi said.

"Where is she?" Queen Aurora asked.

"Uh, well she isn't here," Hunter said.

"Ok then," Queen Aurora said. "Anyway she was spreading spikes over her body and kept saying this thing like, 'They all will believe Vala did it.' Who's Vala?"

See I knew I was set up! But who is this dragon she is describing? It doesn't sound like Queen Helen.

"Vala is our Spikewing friend," Hunter said. "The reason she isn't here is because everyone else believed that she killed Queen Obsidian so she must have ran away. But us four never believed that and are trying to find where she is to bring her back. And now we know for sure that she was set up by this dragon. But who is this dragon?"

"I don't know," Queen Aurora said. "She disappeared before I was able to get a closer look and I wasn't able to find her. I went to Queen Obsidian's body and found a note written to me, telling me to wear the necklace she has on if she died and to go find the group of dragonets who seem like they want to end the war. So now here we are."

"So what does this mean?" Hunter asked.

"Well you see me and Obsidian were theorizing some things, one of them being where the artifact could be. We think we may have an idea of where it is and why it hasn't been found yet."

"Where do you think it is?" Tulsi asked.

"The one area that no one has ever looked," Queen Aurora said. "Down in the Spikewing territory."