Chapter 11

"What mission is that?" Vala asked.

"It's restricted for you to know," Thunder said. "I can't tell you."

"Then we'll beat it out of you," Vala said.

"What is it with you and attacking dragons you don't know?" Nova asked. "Not everyone has to tell you everything about themselves."

"Then why does everyone always want to know about my business?" Vala asked.

"What are you talking about?" Abrax asked. "We don't care if you tell us or not."

"Well my other friends do!" Vala said."It annoys me!"

"Are you sure about that?" Abrax asked. "Or is that your mind assuming what happened."

"WHAT?" Vala said.

"Vala, you have a tendency to twist words to make them something that you can comprehend," Abrax said. "I know this about you. You hear something one way and don't wait around to hear the whole thing, you just take that one thing and form your own story out of it."

"I do not!" Vala protested.

"Sure," Abrax said. "Then what was your reasoning again for leaving them and coming down here?"

"Well… that was just… it was a… Argh fine!" Vala said. "Maybe I do get things twisted sometimes," and then she accidentally stepped on her twisted claw and pain shot through her body. "OW!"

"Are you good?" Thunder asked.

"Why do you care?" Vala asked. "You barely know us."

"Yeah, but I did save you from those killer snakes," Thunder said. "Now let me see that claw."

Vala reluctantly let Thunder see her claw. It felt weird allowing herself to let her guard down for a random dragon that she didn't even know. Thunder inspected her claw before putting his claws in her's and Vala felt a shock go throughout her body and saw that the claw was no longer twisted. Vala went to put it on the ground but Thunder stopped her and started wrapping it up.

"It's no longer twisted but still needs time to heal," Thunder said and finished wrapping up her claw. "You have to keep this cast on for at least three days and please try to keep pressure off of it for those three days."

"Ok," Vala said. "How did you fix it by the way?"

"Uh, well, I'd rather not tell," Thunder said.

"Hmm, okay," Vala said and then started to try to read Thunder's mind but couldn't. Weird, she thought until she started hearing Thunder mumbling to himself.

"Should I have told her? Maybe, but no, I have to keep it a secret. I can't let anyone find out, especially my dad. Eugh, I don't want to think about that. About what would happen if he knew. I know they need someone but it can't be me, it just can't."

"Uh, Thunder?" Nova asked.

"Yes?" Thunder asked.

"What are you talking about?" Nova asked.

"What do you mean?" Thunder asked.

Nova rolled her eyes. "About what you were just saying. Keeping something a secret. Not wanting your father to figure it out? What on earth were you talking about?"

"Earth?" Thunder asked. "They're here as well?"

"What are you talking about?" Abrax asked.

"Uh, wait, what's going on?" Thunder asked. "What did I say?"

"Huh?" Vala said. "You didn't hear what you said?"

"No," Thunder said. "Why, what did I say?"

Vala saw Abrax motion for her and Nova to come over to him.

"Hang on, just wait there for one minute," Vala said and then walked over to Abrax and Nova.

"Oh, okay, I'll wait here," Thunder said.

"Ok that dragon is weird," Abrax whispered to them.

"Yeah, he's saying things that he doesn't recognize that he is saying," Nova said. "Vala have you read anything from his mind?"

"No, surprisingly," Vala said. "Nothing has come from his mind."

"Huh weird," Nova said and they all went to think. Abrax then came up with something.

"Maybe those are his thoughts!" Abrax said. "Maybe some of the things he says are his thoughts and he doesn't recognize that he is saying his thoughts out loud!"

"Really," Vala asked. "That would make some sense."

"Yeah," Nova said. "Weird though, how could a dragon be saying their thoughts but not notice?"

"I think he might have his own little world that he can be in sometimes," Abrax said. "I've heard about it before. Dragons talking out loud to no one, almost like they are talking to someone who isn't there. It's very rare and from what I know, it's caused by a traumatic experience throughout the dragon's life."

"But he doesn't seem like he's had any trauma in his life," Vala said. "He looks all happy."

"Maybe he just hides it very well," Abrax said. "Like how Nova hides her scars."

Nova shifted her wings to cover the scars on her body. "Please don't mention them," Nova said.

"Sorry," Abrax said. "Just trying to make a point. Anyway I think we could get something out of this."

"Like what?" Vala asked.

Abrax brought them closer before telling of his master plan.

"We still don't know a lot about this dragon," Abrax said. "But if we are patient, we could find out what we need to know."

"How do we do that exactly without violence?" Vala asked.

"We allow him to tell us," Abrax said.

"What?" Vala said.

"Yeah you lost us Abrax," Nova said.

"It's simple," Abrax said. "He says things out loud without knowing it. So if we have a conversation with him about his mission, he may then think about it and talk out loud about it without realizing."

"That is an amazing plan!" Nova said.

"Yeah… amazing," Vala muttered and put her head down.

"Vala what's wrong?" Abrax asked.

"Like what's wrong with everything else, plans seem to get us into more trouble!" Vala shouted.

"No they don't!" Abarx yelled. "They have helped us out a bunch!"

"Then how come every plan I've been in has gone wrong?" Vala asked. "When me and my friends went to the Drillwing village, we had a plan to keep everyone safe but guess what? It went wrong!"

"So? You all are still fine," Abrax said.

"Yeah after I was locked in a cell for days!" Vala yelled. "Then what happens now? We had a plan to escape from the arena!"

"Which worked," Abrax said.

"But it then got us stuck down here!" Vala yelled. "Every plan has gotten me into more trouble than it was worth!"

"Hey Vala, you have to calm down," Nova said, stepping in front of her.

"No!" Vala shouted. "Why am I always the dragon being blamed for everything?"

"We're not blaming you," Nova said. "But we think you need to start having some common sense. And how to use your head to make plans."

"I… DON'T… NEED… A PLANNNNNNNN!" Vala screamed, shaking the whole cavern and getting Thunder to look over to them.

"Hey, is everything alright over there?" Thunder asked.

"Yes, we're fine," Abrax shouted back. "Don't worry about us."

"Ok," Thunder said and went back to pacing around the cavern. Abrax then turned back to face Vala.

"Vala," Abrax said.

"Yes?" Vala asked, still heated.

"I'm sorry but eventually you're going to need to learn to use your brain," Abrax said.

"But…. but,"

"No buts," Abrax said. "In order to succeed, you need to start using your mind more than your actions. Only then can you truly see the way in life." And then Abrax walked away with Nova to Thunder, leaving Vala there alone to ponder what Abrax had said to her. It was too much for her to handle at the moment.

ARGHHHH! WHAT IS GOING ON? One day everyone is on my side, the next everyone seems to have abandoned me. Why, what did I do wrong?

Vala paced around the cavern until she decided to go to where they were talking to Thunder.

Fine, you don't need me and I don't need you. I've always been better by myself regardless. I'll just be with you two for now and then leave after we're out of here. Obviously they don't want me but I know some dragons who do want me by them.

"So how are we getting out of here?" Vala heard Abrax ask Thunder when she got close to hear them.

"Out of here?" Thunder asked. "I don't know. Why would you need to get out of here?"

"Uh what do you mean?" Abrax asked. "Isn't that what you are trying to do? Get out of here."

"Oh yes, I… guess," Thunder said. "Well the only way I've seen to get out of here is up through that hole in the middle of that lake behind us."

"Seriously?" Nova said. "Is that the only way out?"

"Well as far as I know… yes," Thunder said.

"Great!" Abrax said. "Some help you are, weird yellow dragon."

"Hey, be nice to him!" Vala said, stepping in front of Thunder. Abrax staggered back a little bit, probably not expecting her to stand up for a dragon she doesn't know.

"Nice?" Abrax said. "Like how you were nice to Nova by throwing her behind bars?"

"What? How did you know that?" Val asked and then saw Nova smirking. "You!"

"You did throw me behind them, unjustified," Nova said.

"It was an accident!" Vala said. "I apologized for it!"

"Did you?" Nova asked. "Or did you just 'apologize' because your boyfriend was around?"

"No, it was genuine!" Vala said.

"Vala," Abrax said, stepping closer to her to look into her eyes. "Be honest with us. You only said that because of me."

"No!" Vala said. "I… I… I meant to…"

"Exactly," Abrax said and went back to Nova. "I don't hate you, Vala. I just want you to see how poisonous your mindset has gotten in our relationship. You'd be willing to kill an innocent dragon, all because they may pose a threat to me."

"No Abrax I wouldn't!" Vala said and felt tears start to roll down her eyes.

"Vala, we both know that is true," Abrax said. "While I like the protection, I can't have innocent dragons in danger because of you."

"Abrax!" Vala said and felt herself crying heavily. "Please!"

"Vala," Abrax said, turning to face her one last time. "I think this is the best for both of us if we're not together anymore. I'm sorry," and then Abrax walked away to go take a nap. Nova went over to the lake to get a drink, leaving Vala there, broken down and crying on the floor with Thunder standing behind her.

"Wow, that seemed rough," Thunder said. "I don't know how long you two had been together but it must have hurt for him to leave you like that."

Vala didn't respond to Thunder. Her whole body felt broken, like a rock that had been cracked into hundreds of pieces with no way to put them back together. Everything she had done in her life was for Abrax, everything. Not one moment went by without her thinking of how her and Abrax could be happy. Her whole life she gave into making Abrax happy, only for him to take it all away from her in one day. Why her? Out of every relationship, why her? Did she not give every inch of her body to make sure that Abrax was fine. She never asked for anything in return and what does she finally get?

A breakup with the one she loves the most.

Vala just wanted to shut everything out of her life and she closed her eyes only for her to wake up back on the island.

Great, I don't want this right now, Vala thought but then decided that it might be a nice distraction from what's going on around her. She walked up and went to find King Blade who was talking with Queen Beta.

"Ah if only we both had an alliance with each other," King Blade said to Queen Beta.

"We had the workings of one," Queen Beta said. "But we both never got to sign it before you know what happened to us."

"Yeah," King Blade said. "I tried but she was just too strong."

"Yeah, he also was too strong for me as well," Queen Beta said. "But don't beat yourself up for it, you're still perfect in my eyes."

"No, you're perfect," King Blade said and leaned in closer to Queen Beta.

"Uh, what are you two talking about?" Vala asked.

"AH VALA!" King Blade said, quickly backing away from Queen Beta. "I didn't expect you to be here this early."

"Uh huh," Vala said. "What was just going on between you two?"

"Uh well you see," Queen Beta said. "We both are… uh…"

"Were in love with each other?" King Blade said, questionably.

"You two were what?" Vala asked.

"Not officially!" Queen Beta said quickly. "We never got married but after my husband died and his wife died, we felt lonely."

"And we knew each other very well," King Blade said. "We were secretly trying to get an alliance between our two tribes."

"Well what happened?" Vala asked. "Why couldn't you make the alliance?"

"Well you see, we both weren't really in power at the time," King Blade said.

"So you were trying to do it behind your tribes back?" Vala asked.

"No!" Queen Beta said. "Other dragons from our tribe wanted to help but then…"

"The leaders found out I guess," Vala said.

"Yes, kind of," King Blade said. "The Drillwings never found out but the Spikewing Queen did."

"Wait did you just say Spikewing Queen?" Vala asked. "As in…"

"Queen Helen," King Blade said. "Yes, she found out."

"Wait," Vala said. "That must mean…"

"That she was my daughter," King Blade said. "Yes, and I only wish now that she never hatched."

"Wow, getting killed by your daughter doesn't sound great," Vala said.

"Wait, who got killed by what?" Vala heard a voice behind her and saw Tulsi walking up.

"Hey Tulsi!" Vala said and went to hug her.

"Wow, since when were you the hugging type?" Tulsi asked.

"I've been through a lot today, I'll explain later," Vala said.

"Ok," Tulsi said. "But what are these two dragons talking about?"

"They love each other," Vala said. "But it isn't official."

"What?" Tulsi asked.

"But they have more to it," Vala said. "They wanted to make an alliance between our two tribes."

"Oh that's great," Tulsi said. "But uh, why didn't that happen?"

"Queen Helen," Vala said.

"Oh," Tulsi said. "I see."

"Yes, Queen Helen killed me," King Blade said, "but she also had some backup."

"Cyrus, the one I gave the bloodline to, betrayed me and killed me," Queen Beta said.

"Why am I not surprised by that?" Tulsi asked.

"Because they're both evil?" Vala suggested.

"Yeah, that's probably the reason why," Tulsi said.

"Anyway yeah, that is what happened," King Blade said. "And luckily Dredge came by after our deaths which allowed the other dragons in here to tether our souls to the lost artifact. So that is how both of us are here as well. Argh, if only we got that alliance together then maybe we could have worked together and not have this war be going on."

"Wait, didn't you say that you had it all ready but you weren't able to sign it?" Vala asked.

"Yes," King Blade said.

"Well what if we are able to sign it?" Vala suggested. "WIth Tulsi being Queen of the Drillwings, she could definitely sign it."

"True I could do that!" Tulsi said.

"Yeah but it also has to be signed by whoever is leading the Spikewings," King Blade said. "And we all know who that is right now."

"ARGH I really hate Queen Helen!" Vala said. "I want her to have a slow and painful death for all the pain she has caused!"

"Hey we all want that," King Blade said. "But we can't just rush into things like this. Why don't you first off tell us why you are here early Vala?"

"Ok, fine," Vala said and told them what had happened to her.

"Interesting," King Blade said. "Well at least you all are okay."

"Yeah but with this weird dragon called Thunder that looks weird."

"Hmm," King Blade said and had a hologram of Thunder appear in front of all of them. "He does look like a weird dragon. Almost weird as her," and King Blade brought up the hologram of Ash.

"Two different dragons who don't seem to be from any tribes we know," Queen Beta said. "Something weird seems to be going on."

"Yeah but what?" Vala asked. "Who is this Thunder dragon?"

"I don't know," King Blade said. "I can't get much out of this but I'll keep my ears open to figure out if I hear anything of interest."

"Ok thank you," Vala said.

"Your welcome," King Blade said. "Know what brings you here early Tulsi?"

"Uh well I was wondering if you had any ideas on what to do if dragons from a tribe you are at war with approached your village."

"Huh?" Queen Beta said. "What are you talking about?"

"Three Spikewings are approaching the village, my scouts have said," Tulsi said. "And in between them is Sundew. I think they've captured her."