Winter was led down the red and gold halls of the Sky Palace. The palace was stunning. The Ice Palace had always seemed cold and ridged, while this palace was warm and open. Winter was starting to wish he had been born a SkyWing instead of an IceWing. The two SkyWing guards, who Winter had learned were Rockslide and Eagle, led Winter into a bare room with white stone walls. The guards nod their heads at Winter, before quickly leaving. Winter looked around for any clue to why the guards had brought him here. But before he could find anything, Queen Scarlet with a copper SkyWing, who Winter knew was Phoenix, the flamescales. Winter bowed yet again before looking back up at the queen.
"Champion Winter, as you have yet to learn the ways of the SkyWings, you will be staying here with Phoenix," his queen stated. Winter looked over to Phoenix and realized she had blue eyes.
Winter watched as Queen Scarlet left the room, leaving the two Champions alone. His eyes darted back to Phoenix, it was the first time Winter had gotten a good look at her. She had bright coppery orange scales that had a hint of red and gold. Winter could see her veins under her scale, for they glowed bright gold. She was the incarnation of fire and flame. It was no worry how she got the name Phoenix. And of course, her eyes, which, like Winter's, were bright blue, but instead of blue like an icy sea, were blue as the sky at sunhigh. She was beautiful, and deathly all at the same time.
Winter walked over to the window and sat next to it so the cool air brushed against his scales, because Phoenix's flamescale were heating up the room. She seem to understand he was just trying to cool down because she said:
"There's a pool in the next room. You could probably use your frostbreath to make it colder." Winter looked at the room she was pointing at and headed in.
He walked in and saw that the pool was big enough for two full grown dragons. Winter summoned his frostbreath and sprayed the edge of the pool. Once he was done, he entered the cold pool. It felt amazing on his scales. The cold water rushed into his wounds and Winter could feel his wounds starting to heal properly. Winter turned around and saw Phoenix standing in the doorway.
"Thanks for telling me about the pool. It feels amazing on my scales," he told her. She smiled and responded:
"No problem, I figured you needed some icy water to help with the wounds. Queen Scarlet told me how IceWings heal faster when they are in snow so I thought the water might help."
"It does, thank you. Out of curiosity, why did Queen Scarlet say that champions always age out of the job?"
"Oh, simple. SkyWings can't join the army until we turn seven so once champions turn seven, they usually leave the job and join the army."