(Well before I begin this I would like to thank all of those who have read this so far, also to say that I have had trouble figuring out the ideas for this chapter until recently. Oh, I've figured out a solution for the Skywing names; use them all, or at least the ones of choice. So with that being the case, I do not own the names Firebeam and Hawk (from secret), Leo (from neo), Rust and Cardinal (from starflightthenightwing), however, I do own Peregrine (gets a glare from the Skywing), okay maybe not own, but I created her. (ducks from Peregrine's outstretched claws) "Stop, you'll bruse a scale!")
Chapter 5- trial for fire
Fatespeaker insisted the Thorn and the others to give the Skywings a proper burial despite what they did. So they did, although Thorn didn't feel they deserved it.
"So, uh, now what? If things like this are going to happen again, I think I'll be better off back in the rainforest." Jambu said sheepishly.
"I hope not, the fighting again, that is. I hope these guards acted out of Ruby's will, we don't need any more fighting." Fatespeaker replied, letting her tail sweep the ground nervously.
"That means we should go to the new queen to discuss this." Riptide said, already pointing himself in the direction of the palace.
After a brief discussion about what to say to Ruby, the six dragons flew to the Skywing Palace, hoping to get answers. Unknown to them, they were being watched by a Skywing, hidden in some shrubbery. And so the six dragons made their way to the palace, with the Skywing following them from a distance. Once they arrived at the palace, they were stopped by a couple of guards.
"Halt! State your name and business!" Ordered the first guard.
The second guard took a better look at the group and then turned to his companion, "Uh Leo, I think we are in the presence of the new Sandwing Queen."
Leo turned his head towards the second guard, "Wait, what?" He then noticed the Eye of Onyx dangling from Thorn's neck, "Oh sorry, Queen Thorn, what brings you and those others to the Skywing Kingdom?"
"We need to talk with your queen, Ruby." Thorn replied, though on her inside, she found it a tad bit humorous about the situation; just about a month ago, she was an outlaw leading outlaws, but now she was one of the seven most powerful dragons in all of Pyrhhia.
"Well, Hawk, why don't you bring them to Her Majesty?" Leo's eyes then spotted Peril among them, "Wait, what is she doing here?"
"She's with us. As a friend." Thorn replied.
"Alright, follow me." Hawk said, gesturing with a talon.
Hawk led them through the palace, and eventually into the throne room. Ruby was in there; she resembled Scarlet before Glory's attack, but with some differences.
"So we have guests, what do you want." Ruby said, noticing the group.
"We had a run-in with two of your soldiers, they tried to attack us." Thorn explained.
"Was their names Rust and Cardinal? I have been searching for them for days. They went out to patrol up north and haven't reported in since." Ruby asked curiously.
"We don't know their names but the two Skywings who attacked us, well, we had to kill them." Thorn said, almost casually.
"Come again?" Ruby growled.
"Listen, Your Majesty, we were flying this way looking for a strange dragon; this dragon, Magiah, has powerful magic, far beyond any animus. We were intercepted by those two, and we had to kill them after they attacked us." Riptide spoke up.
"It's true!" Called out a Skywing entering the throne room, this female Skywing walked into there with a slight look of disdainfulness.
"And who are you?" Ruby called out, growling.
"My name is Peregrine." Peregrine said, wiping some dirt off her scales, "I was following these six around here and saw them get attacked by two other Skywings; those two were saying that Thorn and the others couldn't come to the palace. Then they tried to kill Thorn but were stopped." Peregrine looked at the Skywing Queen with a look that said she was right.
Ruby relaxed, only slightly. "I do not know what is going on here, but we have had mysterious occurrences, I hope whoever this Magiah is at fault. If Rust and Cardinal are the ones who attacked you, did you give them a burial?"
"Yes, we did just that." Deathbringer replied.
"I told you guys so." Fatespeaker beamed triumphantly.
The Skywing queen gave the Nightwing dragonet a curious look, believing Fatespeaker had a vision. She then noticed that someone was hiding behind them. "Who's behind you?" Ruby said, ordering them to reveal who it was. Ruby gasped when the dragons moved out of the way to reveal Peril, whom was uncharacteristically hiding. "Peril? Guards!" Ruby roared.
Several Skywings rushed into the throne room. But Thorn swept her tail to keep the guards from being at the range to use their weapons. "She's with us." Thorn said.
"She can't be here; she is a danger to anyone who gets close to her." Ruby argued.
"That may be true, be she is still our friend." Fatespeaker replied. Peril perked her head up at this, still not being used to having friends.
"I still don't trust her." Ruby then seemed to think about something.
Suddenly Peril called out, "I call upon the Champion's Shield. I'm sure you remember what this means."
Ruby was stunned for a second and then smiled, "So you wish to win a battle to earn your freedom. Very well, you shall have your fight."
"Peril, something isn't right, she knows you can't be touched, so why would she set you up a fight." Deathbringer thought curiously.
"A fight? Uhh, I think I am going to have sun time right now." Jambu said sheepishly and flew off out of the palace.
"Well, I'll figure it out, as I always have done." Peril said confidently, but Deathbringer's words stuck in her mind, what was Ruby planning? Peril walked outside and flapped her wings to fly down to the arena, where Ruby was waiting.
"Are you ready? Come meet your opponent." Ruby clapped her talons together, ordering the guards to bring down a prisoner.
It was a young Skywing, he wasn't much younger than Peril. "Please don't kill me; the queen doesn't like me much."
"What did you do?" Peril whispered.
"Only just pulled a prank on several of the guards, it wasn't too serious but Ruby still didn't like it. I'm Firebeam." The young Skywing answered.
"Okay Firebeam, I don't want to hurt you, but I'm trying to figure out just why Ruby allowed this." Peril whispered. Peril thought it over; this young Skywing was no match for her and Ruby didn't want Peril because she was too dangerous. So why would she grant Peril the opportunity to return by fighting a battle she couldn't lose? Then it hit her, if she killed Firebeam, then that would prove that Peril was not a safe person to be with and Ruby would have good reason to declare Peril and enemy. Ruby wanted Peril to prove herself right, so all Peril had to do was prove Ruby wrong, that she could be lived with.
"Come on already, the Skywing is all that stands between you and freedom." Ruby crowed out to Peril and the crowd.
Peril whispered to Firebeam again, "I've figured it out, all I have to do is give you mercy."
"You mean that you aren't going to kill me?" Firebeam said happily.
"Yes, but I'll will have to hurt you, but only slightly." Peril looked into the younger Skywing's red eyes with regret.
Peril dashed forward, touching Firebeam with a talon, causing him to cringe. Peril kept her attacks light so they wouldn't hurt much. After a slight display of combat, Firebeam had several scratches smoking and Firebeam was doing all he could not scream, knowing that Peril planned to end this.
"Okay, I need you to act like I'm about to hit you and then fall back. I won't actually do it but you will feel the heat from me. Just keep holding on." Peril instructed to Firebeam, and then looked up at Ruby, her expression unreadable.
Peril quickly thrust her talons forward in a punch, but stopped short, just inches from Firebeam's chest, and to everyone else, it appeared as it Peril's punch connected and Firebeam let himself fall onto his back and spread his wings out.
"Well, you have him at your mercy; finish him off if you want to return." Ruby ordered.
Peril stepped back from Firebeam and gave him a look that said thanks for holding out, "No!" Everyone else than the two gasped, Ruby more than the others.
"What are you doing Peril?" Ruby wondered if she was figured out.
"You want me to kill Firebeam here, and from that you would have proof that I couldn't be trusted. Well guess what? I've changed; I won't kill anyone if I don't have to." Peril announced at the top of her lungs.
Ruby gave off a look of surprise, "I guess you've succeeded, nicely done. You've passed my test, so now I grant you a full pardon and you can now come to the Sky Kingdom anytime you like.
Peril looked back at Firebeam, "Are you alright?"
Firebeam got back on his talons, "Yeah, thanks for figuring out for the queen was up to."
"Well, it would have cost both of our lives not to." Peril smiled slightly.
Ruby, Thorn, and the others came flying down to the arena floor, and Ruby spoke once more, "Well, good job. Find this Magiah and make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble. Rust and Cardinal were two of my most trusted friends and soldiers, so promise me you will succeed." They promised, and Ruby then let them go on their way, hoping that Magiah's plans would be stopped.
(so what did you think of my little teaser for Peregrine? I will accept any comments and/or concerns you may have about it, also lesson of the day, don't upset a dragon)