I can't remember anything, Can't tell if this is true or a dream, Deep down inside I feel to scream, This terrible silence stops me! Now that the war is through with me, I'm waking up, I cannot see, That there's not much left of me, Nothing is real but pain now! "One" by Metallica


The sound of leaves and twigs breaking could be heard as Clay ran through the jungle frantically.

He scraped across the ground as he stopped quickly, taking in deep breaths, "STARFLIGHT!"

He held his breath, hoping for a response back, his chest hurting from the exertion... nothing.

He almost collapsed, looking like he already had before. Mud, dirt, bugs, and leaves stuck to his body, his frantic searching keeping cleanliness away from him.

He slowly stood back up straight, going to take another step forwards, but froze when he heard wings flapping from above him.

Clay started to growl lightly, "Finally..."

He bolted straight into the air, bursting through the trees with talons held out Infront of him.

The sight that he saw as he burst through the leaves shocked him. A Female SkyWing that glowed orange and red.

"PERIL!"

"CLAY!"

They both collided in the air, collapsing back down through the trees, Clay quickly grabbing hold of Peril, flipping himself over so Peril landed on top of him.

"Oomph," Clay groaned as he was sandwiched between Peril and the ground.

Peril gave him an amused look on top of him, laughing as she got off the top of him until she saw the state he was in, covered in filth, and like he was about to collapse "Clay?"

Clay groaned as he stood up, "Are you fine?"

Peril shook her head, "I should be the one asking you that, you look horrible?"

Clay noticed what she was talking about, he quickly tried to hide it by swiping some of the filth off of him, trying to stand up straight, "I'm fine, it's just that..."

Peril's heart almost broke, realizing that look on his face from the Sky Kingdom, "What... happened."

"Starflight got... captured," Clay said, looking as if he started to wilt.

Peril backed up, shocked, "Starflight, our Starflight?" she shook her head, "Do you mean that Starflight captured them, I didn't think capturing Starflight was possible?"

"They somehow managed to find a weakness, using really bright fire to cut through his shadows," Clay muttered, remembering it.

Peril slowly walked over to Clay's side, sitting down next to him.

Clay lightly leaned against Peril, sighing.

Peril closed her eyes, "Is that why you look like... this?"

"What do you mean," Clay asked, trying to not sound guilty.

Peril stepped away from him, "Clay, you look horrible, you're covered in leaves and bugs, you look like you haven't slept in forever!"

Clay remained quiet, looking down at the ground, "Where are the rest?" he muttered.

Clay didn't see Peril wince with his head still down.

But Peril also didn't see Clay close his eyes as he tried to get just a bit of rest.

"They are all still in the Sand Kingdom, finishing up the treaty," Peril explained.

Clay seemed to sag even more, "Damnit, I was hoping Anemone would be here soon."

"I can fly back to get her?" Peril said while trying to hide how much she really hoped he would say no.

Clay shook his head, "There isn't enough time," He went to stand up again but collapsed back down, this time falling, hitting the ground.

Peril ran over next to him, "Clay, you need to rest!"

Clay's eyes re-opened, "No, I have to find him."

"You need rest, I can help you find him after you wake up," Peril ordered with a no-nonsense tone.

"But-" Clay started weekly, but Peril cut him off.

"No, no buts," Peril said sternly. "We need to get you back to the village, you can't sleep out here."

Clay slowly nodded, getting off the ground.


Starflight kicked up dust off the floor of the tunnel as he was dragged through it by Morrowseer. Thumping off every corner as if Morrowseer was trying to hit them.

Starflight's mind was elsewhere, quietly panicking while trying to find a way to get of this situation.

He went to use his shadows again but the constant light from the lava around them cut it off so quickly it was like he never tried. It didn't help that Morrowseer kept them on the move and used his own blast of fire periodically. Cutting of the shadows every time right before they would connect.

Starflight was starting to hyperventilate, Morrowseer's mind radiating violence. Starflight was panicking so badly, he didn't even notice it when they reached their destination.

Morrowseer took ahold of Starflight by the neck, lifting him into the air and throwing him into the room across the lava.

Starflight went to stand up quickly but Morrowseer was already on top of him, towering over him with a menacing force. He quickly stomped Starflight back down into the ground, cracking a few of Starflight's ribs.

"What are you-" Kinkajou went to protest but was cut off when Morrowseer slapped her in the face with his tail.

Morrowseer snorted at the RainWing and looked back down at the now cringing Starflight, "Last chance traitor, tell us what we want and I might just kill you instead."

Starflight remained silent, shaking in fear but staring up at Morrowseer in defiance.

Morrowseer snorted in amusement, "Very well then..."

He tightened his grip on Starflight's chest, talons breaking through scales into flesh.

Starflight cried in pain.


Peril flew with Clay back to the village, letting Clay lead them. But, she was actually staying behind him to make sure he didn't collapse in the air.

Peril had never seen him like this, a crazed look in his eye while looking like he was about to collapse at any time. She followed him with her eyes but her mind was elsewhere.

Starflight had been captured, how powerful were these NightWings, actually?

The sound of leaves rustling broke around Peril and Clay, Glory appearing through the trees, "Clay, Peril!" She said happily.

Peril nodded back to her, "Glory, where is a place that Clay can sleep?" Peril asked concerned for his health.

Glory's eyes narrowed when she noticed the shape that Clay was in, "Here, follow me," she said as she turned around, Clay and Peril following her.

"Where are the rest?" Glory asked her.

Peril shook her head as she flew around a tree in the way, "They are still in the SandKingdom, I left to make sure you guys didn't need my help..." Peril shook her head again, "I should have went with you from the beginning."

Glory shook her head, "It doesn't matter now, but I did find Deathbringer."

Clay seemed to have suddenly jolt back into the land of the living, "Where?"

Glory shook her head, her tone turning to anger, "Oh no, you are getting some sleep," She said pissed, "I can tell by how you look that you haven't been sleeping, and Deathbringer is out of action anyway."

Clay seemed to deflate again, "Out of action?"

"He is asleep, he got hit by some RainWing venom," Glory said while cringing.

Peril saw the pavilion in the distance from behind Glory, making her sigh in relief.

Glory cleared her throat, getting both of their attention, "Oh and one other thing..." Glory started saying nervously. Both Peril and Clay noticing the tone, hoping it wasn't anything bad.

"I... kind of found someone..."


Starflight choaked in pain, Morrowseer ripping his talons out of Starflight's chest. Blood now leaking down onto the stone floor.

Morrowseer stood up, watching Starflight writhe on the floor in agony. Kinkajou saw the state of his wounds and started weeping.

Starflight's cries of pain started to slow down as he tried to gasp for air but screamed again as Morrowseer stomped down again, this time stomping on the bone to one of his wings, snapping it like a twig. The audible cracking of the bone making Kinkajou cringe like she was the one hurt.

"I keep telling you traitor, just tell me what I want and it will all be over!" Morrowseer roared with a cruel grin. The lava around them illuminating him in a way that made him somehow look even more cruel.

Starflight held in his screams as he slowly looked up, feeding Morrowseer a hate filled glare.

Morrowseer fake sighed, "It's a shame really... if I had soldiers half as loyal as you were... life would be PERFECT!" He roared, swiping his talons down the the wing he just broke, ripping through the thin wing membrane.

Starflight howled in pain, the pain being unbearable.

Morrowseer stepped of his wing, turning around. He knew their was no way Starflight would try to attack him in the state he was in.

"You're weak, without your powers... you're like every other dragon," said as if he was chiding Starflight as if he was a baby dragonet.

Kinkajou was silently bawling, the blood now starting to seep over to her corner, the lava keeping her from backing up even more.

"Sadly, I can't kill you... not yet," Morrowseer said as he went back into the door of the cave, grabbing a spear of the wall. Walking back inside, hovering the spear over the lava till the metal tip turned red.

Morrowseer walked back over to the now violently shaking Starflight who was still attempting to hold his defiant glare but couldn't keep out the look of agony.

He pointed the red-hot spear over Starflight's bloodied wounds, "I'd say hold still so this doesn't hurt, HELL what am I talking about," Morrowseer lifted up the spear before bringing it down, "I want you to scream!"


"You found you mother!" Clay said in surprise.

Glory nodded smiling, "And you'll never believe who she is."

They all landed on the landing pad in front of the pavilion. The Rain Wing guards giving them a nod.

Clay started to get confused, "Well, who is she?"

Glory just remained silent, a smile forming on her face as she walked into the pavilion, Peril and Clay following her.

A voice broke out from the back of the pavilion, "Well, did you find him?"

Glory rolled her eyes, "Yes mom, I found Clay and one of my other friends,"

Clay saw the one who spoke from before and his jaw dropped when he noticed who it was.

It was the queen.

Clay looked back at Glory, shock written all over his face, "Really?"

Glory smiled, "I was suspicious at first but the time frames and the multiple dragons around here pretty much confirmed it."

Carinatus who hear Glory nodded her head, "Around seven years ago, I laid an egg that was stolen while I was sleeping, it is one of the only eggs we lost that year but the venom test is what really confirmed it all."

Peril cocked her head in confusion, "Venom test?"

The Queen stepped around her desk she was originally sitting in front of, picking a leaf off the roof of the pavilion, shooting her venom into the leaf. The leaf slowly started to sizzle until Glory added her own, the sizzling stopping altogether.

Clay fed them a questioning look.

"When two RainWing's venom cancels each other out, then that means they are close family," Carinatus explained.

Clay nodded in understanding.

"So how did you think to do the test?" Peril asked, not understanding why they would just do it randomly. Taking notice how Glory and Carinatus winced at the question.

"My son... may have accidentally hit your comrade "Deathbringer"" Carinatus answered guilty.

Peril and Clay both winced at that, having seen what the venom can do to a dragon, "So that's why he is out..."

Glory nodded her head in confirmation.

Clay sighed, seeming to melt with how tired he was.

Peril looked away from the MudWing, "Queen Carinatus?"

Carinatus nodded her head, "Your name is Peril, correct?"

Peril nodded her head back, "Yes your majesty, I was hoping to find a place for us to sleep?"

Carinatus nodded her head, turning to look down the pavilion hall, "JAMBU!"

The male RainWing walked in, looking guilty.

"Go and find these dragons a place to sleep for the night," Carinatus ordered.

Jambu nodded his head, leading the two out of the pavilion.

Carinatus sighed, sitting back down on her chair as she rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming along, "are the rest of your friends here as well?"

Glory shook her head, "Peril said they are all still back in the SandKingodm."

Carinatus groaned, "This week has been absolute hell to my head for me..."

Glory snorted, "It's been a crazy week for me as well," Glory said sarcastically, "Ended the SandWing war, find the rainforest burning, one of my best friends gets captured, and to top it all off I found my mother."

They botch chuckled at that.

Carinatus calmed down, "So Peril, you said she was the one that controlls fire, right?"


Starflight screamed as Morrowseer ripped the spear out of the now cauterized wound. Laughing as he did so.

"Gonna speak yet?"

Starflight while gasping opened his eyes, attempting to hold his glare on Morrowseer, shaking violently from all the pain.

Morrowseer's violent smile disappeared, turning to one of anger, "Fine then... you left me with no choice."

Darkness imprisoning me!

Morrowseer walked out of the tunnel, leaving Starflight alone with Kinkajou crying in the corner, the only sounds being heard was Starflight's gasp for breath and Kinkajous silent bawling.

All that I see!

Starflight slowly attempted to stand up but collapsed down onto the floor, the pain keeping him nailed down.

Absolute horror!

Kinkajou shivering in the corner noticed him moving, started hyper ventilating.

I cannot live!

Her mind kept repeating, "Is he going to do that to me, Is he going to do that to me!"
I cannot die, Trapped in myself!

Starflight groaned in pain as he tried to speak, Kinkajou noticing him, her crying stopping to listen to the NightWing.

Body my holding cell!

" He will not harm you... as long as he is paying attention too me..." Starflight groaned out.

Landmine, has taken my sight!

Kinkajou gave him a horrified look, "but you don't deserve this!" she cried, "Nobody deserves this!" She collapsed back into the floor, "Why would anyone deserve this?"

Taken my speech!

Starflight quietly shook his head motioning her to stay quiet with a talon to his mouth. Hearing the violent thoughts of Morrowseer making its way back to them..

Taken my hearing!

Morrowseer walked back into the cell, this time carrying a small stone bowl, he placed it down on the floor. Just staring down at Starflight with satisfaction written on his face.

Taken my arms!

" It's a shame really... you could have been the hero the NightWings have been needing for generations with you being the only one being able to read minds and with your powers," Morrowseer said in jealousy.

Starflight groaned, "The hero they needed... maybe," Starflight said while nodding his head, he brought his head up to use up almost all of his energy to glare at Morrowseer, "The hero that YOU wanted... no."

Taken my legs!

Morrowseer shook his head, grabbing the stone bowl off the floor, "Last chance traitor," he dipped the bowl into the lava, filling it.

" Give me what I want..." he ordered, now staring at the NightWing in anger.

Starflight, despite being in the state he was gave a smirk back at Morrowseer, "Burn in hell!"

Morrowseer roared, "Oh someone will be burning, but it won't be me!" he took the bowl of lava and walked back, standing over Starflight with a hate filled violent smile on his face. Hovering the bowl over Starflight's face.

Taken my soul!

Starflight started to frantically shake his head, but froze when he caught Fatespeeker staring at him in horror from the doorway to the cell. Tears running down her face.

Morrowseer roared, "stop moving!" he stomped on Starflight's neck keeping him from moving.

" Let's see how you hold up after this."

Left me with life in hell!

He tipped the bowl.


Glory sighed as she headed to the place where her mother told her to sleep for the night, walking into... what was supposed to be her room.

She eyed the hammock as she walked through the door, a thought running through her head.

Is this where I would have slept if I grew up here?

She laid down with a sigh but couldn't sleep. Her mind elsewhere.

Here she was... she found her mother, she was here with some of her friends, but Starflight had been captured...

She sighed, "Why can't life just be easy?"

"Then it would never be any fun," A voice joked from the darkness, making Glory almost fall out her hammock in shock.

Glory looked at the dark shape in the room, realizing who it was.

"Deathbringer!" She said as she jumped out of bed, running up and hugging the NightWing, shocking him.

"Are you all right?" she said as she backed up from him.

Deathbringer nodded his head, "Partially, the places where I got hit are sore but its nothing too bad."

Glory sighed in relief, "I'm happy that you're here."

She didn't see the small blush on Deathbringer's face in the darkness, his black scales blending in.

He cleared his throat, "I saw them take Starflight into the Night Kingdom, I wanted to break him out but there was no way I could with that many guards on him."

"So he is still alive then?" Glory said hopefully.

Deathbringer nodded his head, "For now he is, we need to get him out of there before anything happens," He said seriously, "Morrowseer wouldn't keep him alive as long as he has unless he wanted something."

Glory nodded her head, "Do you know how they found Starflight's weakness?" she said desperately.

Deathbringer shook his head, "No, but to be fair, his seemed the easiest with him using shadows."

Glory didn't like it but she agreed.

"We need to wake up Clay, we need to get to the Night Kingdom as fast as we can, I need to tell my mom as well!"

Deathbringer nodded his head, "Meet me near the clearing where we met up at."

Glory cocked her head, "Why?"

"That's where the Night Kingdom is," Deathbringer said with a smile.

Fatespeeker walked into the cell, horror written on her face as she stared at the state of the NightWing in front of her.

Morrowseer just left, not being able to get any answers from a dragon that was half dead.

Starflight had passed out the moment the lava made contact with him, but Morrowseer kept going anyways! Continuing to pour lava all over Starflight.

His scales were melted in different places, showing bare flesh in others.

She collapsed down at Starflight's side, crying. Kinkajou joining her as she sat down at Starflight's side.

"Why would they do something so horrible to him?" Kinkajou asked, tears running down her face.

Fatespeeker remained quiet. Would have they done the same thing to me as well if I was actually a dragonet of destiny?

" I don't understand, there is nothing a dragon could do to deserve this!" Kinkajou cried, she stared back at Fatespeeker, "We need to help him!"

Fatespeeker snapped out of it, "How, he is so injured, there is no way he could walk out of here!"

The scales around his eyes were melted shut, his wings were broken and shredded, his legs had so many cuts that had been cauterized back shut, and who knew how many injuries were internal...

"Could we carry him?" Kinkajou asked.

Fatespeeker shook her head, "It will just hurt him even more.

Kinkajou looked down at all the injuries on his body, "I don't think we could hurt him anymore that what he is now, he needs help as soon as possible."

Fatespeeker shot up, turning around. Trying to hide her hyperventilating from Kinkajou. Could she do this... they would probably hurt her in the same way if she was caught.

Nobody deserves this...

She turned back around to face Kinkajou hesitating, she nodded her head.

Fatespeeker walked back over to Starflight, trying to pick him up.

Starflight whimpered in pain, cracking noises being heard as he was picked up.

Fatespeeker winced at hearing the noises that came from his body, placing the NightWing on her back.

She turned to look at Kinkajou, "You can turn invisible, right?"

Kinkajou nodded her head, turning invisible right in front of Fatespeeker, blending into the wall behind her.

"Take the front and warn me if anyone is coming..."


Glory ran into Clay's room, "Clay, Peril wake up!"

Both of the dragons groggily woke up, staring at her form where they were sleeping.

"Deathbringer is awake and we are heading for the Nigh Kindom, I already told my mom and she will meet us there!" Glory said as she ran back out the door.

Clays eyes shot open, a glare already forming on his face as he jumped out of the bed. Peril following him out the door.

They all launched off the pavilion, following behind Glory.

"So where is the NightKingdom?" Clay asked her.

Glory remained silent as they flew into a small clearing not that far away from where they were, multiple other dragons there waiting for her.

"What are we doing here?" Clay asked confused, they didn't hardly go anywhere.

Deathbringer stepped forwards from the group, "Follow me."

Clay just shook his head as they all walked forwards into the jungle.

They all stopped in front of a tree, Deathbringer looking up the trunk of the large tree, "Here it is..."

A horrible feeling came upon them all as they stared at a large hole in the tree, a black mass seeming to form in the center.

Deathbringer stared at the hole with a glare, "Years ago, when Stonemover was just a dragonet, he was tasked by the queen herself to make "bridges" all across Pyrrhia to the NightKindom..."

"This... is one of them."

"So you're saying..." Clay paused before continuing.

"On the other side of this hole is the NightKindom," Deathbringer confirmed.

The night was silent after that, everyone hesitating.

Until Clay took a deep breath, immediately jumping into the hole, ignoring the cries of protest from everyone around them.

Everyone started jumping around, they all started panicking, Carinatus got pissed that he would just go through without waiting for the others. She stomped on the ground to get everyone's attention.

"Let's go, we can't just let him go in on his own!" She ordered the group.

They all nodded their head, jumping into the hole as well. Deathbringer leading the way in.

They all shivered as they went through the black hole, the wrong feeling from before seeming to envelop them like warm water.

When they came out on the other side, it didn't seem to leave when they stared at a sight that was like if it was out of a horror scene.

Clay was on the ground wailing as he stood over Starflight.

Starflight looked like he was a corpse surrounded by two other dragons as the world around them burned like the fires from hell.