Chapter 7

That makes sense! That actually makes loads of sense! None of us ever thought anything about this place down here, we just always assumed it was up.

Vala realized that she may be able to find it down here, as long as she escaped from the cage with Abrax.

I don't care about Nova, she can rot for all I care.

All of a sudden, the world around Vala started fading out. Vala then appeared back in a cavern but she still wasn't in her jail cell. The place looked magnificent, it was huge, waterfalls fell from all the walls around her which made a lake all around her. She was standing on an island in the middle with enormous trees growing to the ceiling. Vala looked in front of her and saw f dragons in front of her, patiently waiting. One was a Webwing, two were Cavewings, one was a Drillwing, and the final one was, surprisingly, a Spikewing. Vala then noticed all her friends appear beside her. Flint, Hunter, Tulsi, and Prancer were all dazed and looked around confused before their eyes looked at Vala.

"Vala!" Tulsi said and ran up and hugged Vala. "You're here! You're here!"

"Where have you been?" Flint asked.

"We've been worried about you," Prancer said.

"Yeah," Hunter said.

"I've been through a lot," Vala said. "But guys, we have something else to figure out right now. Look in front of us."

Her friends turned and looked in front of them, confused at the dragons they were seeing, except Flint who was looking at the Cavewing.

"Queen Lennon?" Flint asked.

"Did you just say Queen Lennon?" Hunter asked. "As in one of the queens who found the artifact two hundred years ago?"

"Yes that's me," Queen Lennon said. "And this is my husband Nash."

"Hello everyone," Nash said.

"The Webwing is Queen Shelob."

"Hello," Queen Shelob said."

"The Drillwing is Queen Beta and the Spikewing is King Blade."

"King?" Vala and the rest of her friends said at the same time.

"Yes, Spikewings used to have Kings as the rulers but the latest ruler obviously decided to go against that."

"Queen Helen," Vala said.

"Yes, her," King Blade said.

"Hang on, where on earth are we?" Tulsi asked. "How are we here together and how are all of you alive? Aren't you all dead?"

"Physically, yes, we don't have a living body," Queen Lennon said. "But our spirits have been connected together by the one thing that has the power to do that."

"The lost artifact," Vala said.

"Yes," Queen Lennon said. "That artifact is what is keeping our spirits down here. We already told Flint about what truly happened but let us tell all of you."

So Vala and her friends sat down and listened to them as they talked about what truly happened that day when they found the artifact and how Dredge went crazy and killed them all. But before they died, they latched onto his animus magic and that is how they can communicate with them.

"So what did you send us all here for?" Vala asked.

"All of you have the power to defeat Dredge and set this continent free from his power," Queen Lennon said.

"The riddle," Queen Shelob said. "It was designed so that dragons who are pure in heart could solve it, no one else."

"About the riddle," Tulsi said. "It says four pathways but there are five of us here. How does that work?"

"It's simple," Nash said. "Four dragons get the pieces but the fifth dragon is the only one able to open up the door. This way Dredge's squad can't get the artifact because there are only four of them."

"Dredge, Granite, Queen Helen, and Cyrus," Vala said. "That's very smart."

"It was," King Blade said. "But something seemed to have shifted with them."

"What do you mean?" Tulsi asked.

They all took a deep breath before having a hologram of a dragon appear in front of all of them. It was a dragon that Vala never saw before.

"What is this?" Prancer asked. "Why does the dragon look like lava?"

"Like she is made of lava," Tulsi corrected Prancer.

"She is a dragon like no other," Queen Lennon said. "We had just recently seen her from Dredge's view and we can't exactly explain what she is. But we do know what her name is and from some cross talk from two Spikewings about a dragon like this in a book, we think we know the tribe as well."

"Well what's her name and where does she come from?" Vala asked.

"Her name is Queen Ash," Queen Lennon said. "And from what we heard, she is from the Lavawing tribe."

"Lavawing?" Vala and her friends all said at once.

"Yes," King Blade said. "Not a tribe that we've ever heard of. In fact, we are pretty sure the tribe she is in isn't even in Petonix."

"So she's from a different continent?" Flint asked.

"That's what we think," Queen Lennon said. "But we can't be sure. Just watch out for her. She seems to be working with Dredge and his group."

"Ok," Tulsi said.

"Regardless of this, we all have decided something," Queen Shelob said.

"What's that?" Prancer asked.

"It seems like something terrible is brewing and if something isn't done, then it may be the end for all dragon kind," Queen Shelob said. "So we've decided to train you ourselves so that you're ready when we give you the pieces to find the artifact."

"Really?" Vala asked. "Are you sure we're ready?"

"You're not there yet," Queen Lennon said. "But each of us will be assigned to one of you to help train you up."

"I will help you, Prancer," Nash said.

"And I will help you, Queen Tulsi," Queen Beta said.

"I will help Flint," Queen Lennon said. "And Queen Shelob will help Hunter."

"Which means that I will be with you Vala," King Blade said.

"This all may be tough for you but don't worry," Queen Lennon said. "We will be able to train you so that you can win against Dredge and his group."

"Thank you all for this," Tulsi said.

"Your welcome," Queen Lennon said. "We'll start you training tomorrow at the same time. Just remember to fall asleep so that we can pull you in here in time."

"Ok," Tulsi said. "Before we go, is it okay if we talk to Vala?"

"Sure," Queen Lennon said. "Just don't dottle."

"Ok, thank you," Tulsi said and walked over to Vala. Vala felt herself starting to back up, not knowing what Tulsi was going to do.

"Uh, Tulsi?" Vala asked. "What are you doing?"

Tulsi got close to Vala and then stopped. She then threw her wings around Vala.

"I've missed you here," Tulsi said. "Where have you been?"

Vala backed out of the hug before answering. "I went to save Abrax and I guess you could say I got myself into more trouble than I could handle."

"Oh great, what happened this time?" Tulsi asked.

"Well to size it down for you, I got myself captured and I'm locked in a jail cell."

"Are you okay?" Tulsi said.

"Yeah, for now," Vala said. "There is more that is happening but I'll tell you the rest later. Also if you're wondering where Sundew is, she came down with me to the Spikewing territory. Don't worry though, she is still safe and not locked up."

"Ok good," Tulsi said. "That takes a load off of my mind. Thank you Vala, we will do our best to help you."

"You already are," Vala said. "By all of you still being my friends."

Tulsi smiled and then Vala woke up in the cage with Nova and Abrax. She looked at her claw and it was still chained to the wall, courtesy of Abrax. She saw Nova and Abrax both sleeping but she didn't feel like sleeping again so she decided to ponder in her head.

At least I know my friends trust me that I didn't kill Queen Obsidian and Queen Aurora proved that to them. But who is this ally Dredge is working with? Queen Ash? Lavawing? Why do things have to keep getting more and more complicated. Why can't any good thing go our way?

Oh I wonder if I was too harsh on her.

Vala scratched at her brain trying to get this new thought out of her mind but to no avail. She decided to sit back and allow the thought to go through her mind.

I can understand why she would get so defensive, she has wanted him for so long.

Wait, is this what I think it is? Vala thought, looking at Nova.

I just… I don't know, I thought that she didn't care about him because she had left but maybe that was me just pushing too hard on Abrax.

Argh mind stop this! I don't want to hear these mushy feelings! STOP HEARING OTHER'S THOUGHTS HOWEVER YOU ARE DOING IT!

Vala threw her head against the cage, trying to shake the thought out of her mind, but she just hurt her head instead and woke up Abrax and Nova.

"What was that?" Nova asked.

"Vala, are you okay?" Abrax asked.

"Yes," Vala said, pouting. "Can you please take these chains off of us? I'm sick and tired of them."

"Yeah, my claw is falling asleep," Nova said.

"I don't know," Abrax said. "Are you two going to continue to try to kill each other?"

"No," they both said in unison.

"I'll take your word on it," Abrax said. "But any sign of fighting and I will be displeased."

"Okay we get it," Vala said. "Just please unlock the chains."

Abrax walked over to Nova and unlocked her chain. He then went over to Vaa and unlocked her from the chain as well.

"Remember girls, no fighting," Abrax said.

"We understand," Nova and Vala said.

"Good, I'm going back to sleep," Abrax said and went back to his sleeping spot. "I don't want to hear a peep from either of you!"

"Got it," Nova said.

Abrax then went to sleep, leaving Vala and Nova there, beside each other, unchained.

This is it, I can take my revenge! Vala thought but then dismissed the thought from her head, ashamed that she would think that because she would be going against Abrax which she didn't want to do. Vala also heard the same thought from Nova but she also dismissed the thought as well.

Maybe both of us aren't so different, Vala thought. Maybe I should forgive her.

"Um, Nova," Vala said.

"Yes?" Nova asked.

"I'm… I'm… I'm…"

Nova put her claw on Vala's claw.

"How about we say it at the same time," Nova said.

"Sure," Vala said. "In three, two, one…"

"I'm sorry for being a jerk to you," they both said in sync.

"I'm sorry for calling you a book dragon," Vala said.

"I'm sorry for my initial thoughts on you," Nova said.

"We've both been through similar situations," Vala said. "We should be helping each other, not at each other's throats."

"Yeah," Nova said and then looked over at Abrax. "So what are we going to do with him?"

"I don't know," Vala said. "He likes both of us but I don't see how he can pick one over the other without hurting one of our feelings. That's why he tried to keep me a secret so that he didn't hurt your feelings."

"Yeah," Nova said. "It's a hard situation he is in. Maybe we will figure something out."

"Yeah, maybe," Vala said. Vala was thinking about what would happen. There were a few things that could happen, Abrax could choose one of them over the other and break the other's heart. He could also not want to pick between the two and they both would be his girlfriends. I don't know how me or Nova would react to that though. A third option is that he just doesn't have either of them as his girlfriends so that he can't break their feelings. But that isn't fair to him, Vala thought. We shouldn't be in his way of living his best life. But he doesn't want to choose between us either, so what are we going to do?

Vala didn't know but there was no time to think because at that moment, Queen Helen walked into the room. Nova woke up Abrax and Vala went over to where they were.

"Ah hello, I see my prisoners have gotten a great sleep," Queen Helen said.

"You're a sicko," Vala said.

"Thank you," Queen Helen said. "But I am here for some other reason. I can see that you and Nova both have a sprained wing."

Vala looked at her wing that was still sprained and was still sending pain through her body. She then looked over at Nova who had the same injury.

"What about them having that?" Abrax said, standing in front of them to protect them.

"Oh well you see, it's how they got them which is interesting," Queen Helen said. "From what my guard said, they fought each other because you care for both of them right?"

Abrax gulped and shut his mouth.

"That's what I thought," Queen Helen said. "So I am going to do you a favor. You obviously don't want to hurt their feelings and can't choose one of them so I have a way for you to pick one."

"You better not!" Abrax said.

"We have them fight to the death in the arena!" Queen Helen said. "It will be so exciting! Personally I have my bet on Nova because I want her as my personal executioner, but then Vala being a dragon to catch other dragons for me can work as well. It will be an amazing battle whatever way it turns out! And you have to fight each other or I will have Abrax executed in front of both of you. Your fight will be the main event tomorrow, I can't wait for it!" and Queen Helen then left the room.

The room was silent as they processed what Queen Helen just said to them. Finally Vala broke the silence by punching the ground and hurting her twisted claw.

"Are you okay?" Abrax asked, running over to Vala and holding her claw.

"Somewhat," Vala said and then Nova started talking.

"The nerve of that dragon to put us against each other!" Nova said. "We aren't going to fight each other!"

"But you heard what she said," Vala said. "If we don't then she will have Abrax killed."

"Well then we have to escape!" Nova said.

"How?" Abrax asked. "There is no way out of this cell."

"We'll think of something, I promise," Nova said.

"Hey, quiet in there!" the guard said from outside the cage. "No planning anything!"

"Oh don't worry, we aren't," Nova said.

"You better not," the guard said and then turned back around.

Nova dropped her voice into a whisper. "These dragons as so dumb."

"I know," Vala whispered back.

"So what are we going to do?" Abrax asked.

"Maybe we can help," came a whisper from the opposite side of the cage. Vala went over there and saw Sundew hiding in the dark.

"Sundew!" Vala whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"We heard what was going on," Sundew said. "And we came up with a plan to get you out of here. But it can only happen once you are down in the arena."

"Ok, got it," Vala said. "Now get out of here before you're seen."

"On it," Sundew said and disappeared into the darkness.

"So we have a plan," Nova said.

Yes we do. "Yes," Vala said. "We have a plan."