I am still amazed by the fact that people can read my story. As of now, thirty individual people have taken the time to read this and one even told me they love it. This is so cool.

Also, side note: I have tried to balance out all the tribes as much as possible so that one dragon is not better than another simply because of what race of dragon they were. I still managed to make them different from one another, what with the different skill-talents and best senses and different biological weapons.

Another side note: All claw and tail specialties of every tribe are toggleable, so they can be "off" at times. (For example, Heatwings in a crowded town "turn off" their stingers so that nobody is accidentally scratched.)

NOTE: In a few places the wording will be similar if not the same as the Sutherland books. This is done because a re-word would sound silly and the setting, plot, universe, and characters are distinctly different enough to not constitute an infraction of the "no posting the original work with thoughts thrown into the flow of the work" rule.

(In all chapters in books 1, 3, 7, 8, & 10: Where this note is not present, it was meant to be, but instead was forgotten.)

Cyclone watched, knowing that since he might have to fight Tempest, he should study her technique. He glanced at the other Dragonets and found that they were watching intently, too. Along with most of the prisoners above the arena.

The dragon to the queen's right leapt off the platform and swooped down toward the center of the arena. He landed and flapped his wings thunderously, stirring the sand in the arena, until the audience was quiet. He bowed to the Queen and announced, "After four wins, Horizon the Heatwing – formerly, and unwisely, a soldier in Blaze's army – has been challenged to a match with the Queen's Champion, Tempest." He looked up toward the queen, giving her an expectant look.

Queen Vulture stretched her wings, flashed the royal stripe underneath them, and waved her talons dismissively. "No changes. Thank you, Prince Condor."

So the two dragons next to her are the prince and princess.

Condor sprang out of the arena, leaving Tempest and the Heatwing facing each other. Horizon shrank back against the far wall, hissing.

Tempest stalked slowly toward him, tilting her copper wings to reflect the sunlight. Her long tail snaked across the sand. It still looked like yellow clouds were rising from her scales.

Horizon crouched, then suddenly leaped over Tempest's head and fled to the other side of the arena. He didn't try to strike her with his bacterial claws on the way past; he didn't even lash out with his poisonous tail. He just ran away.

Why is he so afraid of her? Cyclone wondered, almost jealously.

Tempest turned in an unhurried way and smiled at Horizon. His lava-red eyes darted left and right, searching for an escape.

Cyclone was glad that he was a Skywing at the moment; he was able to see clearly what was going on. He glanced at the other prisoners to find many squinting, but none of the Lightwings were.

Suddenly Horizon made a dash for the tunnel.

All at once Tempest was in his way, lashing her claws across his chest. It didn't look like more than a scratch from what Cyclone could see, but Horizon screamed in agony and fell back, scrabbling across the sand.

Tempest followed, slashing another scratch along his side. Horizon screamed again. His banded wings flapped desperately, as if he were still trying to fly. Calmly, almost gently, Tempest reached out and pushed on one of his wings, pinning it to his body.

Horizon's screams intensified into one long ear-shattering wail.

Cyclone couldn't understand it, she was only touching him, nothing more.

Then Tempest let go, and as she stepped back, Cyclone saw the scorched talon print on Horizon's scales. It looked as if she had branded him, shocking his scales without ever breathing lightning. Cyclone squinted and realized there was yellow smoke – the kind from an electric burn – rising from Horizon's scratches. Did Tempest have lightning in her claws? How could she? How was that possible?

He looked across at Anion's slumped form, wishing that the violet dragonet could explain to him what in three moons was going on here. He glanced toward Winter. She was hunched over in a sitting position with her wings close, watching the fight intently.

Suddenly Horizon attacked. He flung himself at Tempest, slashing at her eyes and jabbing his tail at her heart.

Tempest whirled, avoiding his claws, and knocked him to the sand. His barbed tail bounced off her scales with a spark, like miniature lightning. Yellow, electrical fire engulfed the poisoned tip, and Horizon howled in pain. Cyclone had never seen anything like it.

Horizon beat his tail against the sand, trying to put the yellow fire out, as Tempest feinted around him. She darted in to give him another scratch, but before she could dart away again, Horizon turned and grabbed her forearms in his talons. He threw his wings around her and buried his face in her shoulder with a high-pitched keening sound.

Tempest froze. Electrified clouds billowed off the two dragons and dark gold marks crawled along Horizon's wings until they started disintegrating into air. He crumpled slowly to the ground, and Tempest crouched with him, holding him up with her wings.

A violent shudder went through the Heatwing's whole body. He let go of Tempest and flopped slowly onto his side on the sand. Parts of his scales were missing, and his wing membranes were nothing but scorched scarlet strands between large holes. His talons had Skywing singe marks in the center of their palms.

Cyclone had a sudden, quick flash of memory. Kestrel had the same scorch marks on her talons. Had she fought with Tempest, back when Kestrel lived in the Skywing kingdom? How had she survived?

Tempest stood up, looking down at the dead Heatwing. A disappointed murmur was starting to spread around the stadium. Her copper wings wavered, and she turned to glance up at Queen Vulture.

The queen sighed and stood up, "Well, that was boring." She said. She raised her voice to address all the prisoners. "I hope some of you up there are braver than this pathetic creature."

Cyclone's confidence faltered, but then he remembered something: he was the Skywing Dragonet of the Prophecy – the "Wings of Sky". What if he and the other Dragonets of Fate weren't normal? What if he could be immune to electricity? He knew that each tribe was resistant to their own element, and the royals even more so, but memory told him that he could be even more resistant than royals; he'd enjoyed numerous shocked expressions from Kestrel. What if spending time up here in his element would amplify it? Then he could fight Tempest. But could he kill her?

Would he? There was something about Tempest that made him care. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He could kill. He was fine with it. But wasn't that the problem?

"Don't worry," The queen said to the crowd, shaking out her wings and interrupting Cyclone's thoughts. "We have a special treat next week. Something we've never seen before! Hopefully this time someone will at least try to amuse me, unlike some dragons." Queen Vulture gave Horizon's body a stern glare, turning her frown on Tempest as well. Tempest bowed her head and stared at the sand.

"Dismissed." Said the queen with a wave of one talon. She turned and swept away. Cyclone leaned out as far as he dared, watching Tempest disappear into the tunnel. He didn't know how to feel about her. She seemed like a nice dragoness, he might even like her if not for her murdering dragons for fun.

Maybe she was drugged. Maybe the queen had threatened her somehow. Maybe she was sick, or there was something else terribly wrong.

Peril was renamed to Tempest because "Peril" is a Nullwing name.

Another side note: To compare my universe with the original work, you could say "Akiran Seawing" to distinguish from Sutherland Seawings. What's the difference? My Seawings have the same mechanisms in their claws that box jellyfish do, so their claws can "sting". And their thick, powerful tails are also equipped with a coat of enzymes that thin blood and "liquify" matter - especially biological matter. (toggleable like usual). They can also breathe a jet of water-like liquid that causes pain and dissipates into the air like every other breath weapon. Their "smoke" is a mist of water vapor. Special breath is a secret.

So, basically, each tribe has a breath weapon, a special breath weapon, a "smoke", a claw specialty, a tail specialty, and a set color hue. But each of these are according to element &/or best skill. The above was just the "Sea" version of the aforementioned list.

Just for example.

Thanks for reading!