The Dragon's Seer (Wings of Fire fan fic)

Part 9 - Peril in the air

Just looking at the title, you can guess what's gonna happen... -B

Reef is a good guy, really, but you don't know a dragon until you see them fight. At least, that's what I gathered. I hope I don't have to see him fight, though, because that would mean we confronted someone after we escape or he's in the arena.

I really hope the second one never happens.

Scarlet's satisfied with the Horizon vs Frost battle, and I don't think there'll be any more fights until tomorrow.

You know, there's something that really gets to you when you're a prisoner. Besides the occasional terror, paranoia, and anger, there's also extreme boredom. Like, seriously. I have some leftover leather strips from my backpack, and although I set some aside so I can make more "shoes" in the future, I still made some stuff with them. I took the needle and thread from my backpack and made a necklace. I can't sew. Do you know how long it took me to put the thread through the needle? Anybody who sews deserves a serious pay raise.

I also made... uh... underwear. I had some cloth in my backpack, and I haven't changed clothes since I got here... don't question it. But I'm a growing boy, and instead of making a new shirt, I made a pair of tiny boxers. I didn't waste any cloth, so the boxers are a bit tight. I also made an undershirt, since my black shirt is very uncomfortable. I still keep on my other shirt, since it's cold at this frickin altitude, and my leather jacket isn't enough.

And of course, casual brainstorming how to get out of this frickin world.

"Jahmes?" Reef says suddenly. I jump, and still fall from the chain on my ankle.

"Huh? Reef, it's James, not Jahmes... What do you need?"

"What is that?" Reef asks. He points a claw at my backpack. "I mean, what is in there?"

I pull out the remaining things: there's two scraps of leather left, a bit of thread, my needle, and my pocket knife. There's also my water bottle, still three-quarters full from my time at the Claws of Clouds mountain, and leftover athletic tape.

"That's all I have," I groan. "Sorry."

"They didn't take it from you? The pack?" Reef tilts his head to one side. His claws anxiously drum on the bottom of his pillar.

"No- Queen Scarlet barely looked at me, I'm just a lowly scavenger," I say, spreading my arms.

"Do you- do you call yourselves that?"

"What?" I ask.

"Scavengers," Reef says slowly. "We call ourselves dragons, and we call you scavengers. But what do you call yourselves?"

I pause, confused. This is open-minded for the SeaWing prince. No other dragon, not even Clam or Rime, could be that... conscious.

"Humans," I say finally. "We call ourselves humans."

Reef nods slowly. He looks at me, his blueish green eyes vulnerable. "Hu-humans."

"Good job! First try!" Instinctively, I hold up my hand for a high five. "Oh, right, sorry. I forgot."

Even though Reef could tap my hand with his talon, he's on a whole different pillar than I am. So... It's kinda hard to get a nice high five.

I lower my hand slowly. Reef smiles softly. "Forgot you were a prisoner, didn't you?"

"Yeah," I say, slightly embarrassed. I shrug.

Then a fireball hurtles toward me.

"AAAAAHHHH!" I scream, stumbling backwards. The chain around my ankle doesn't let me go far, though.

On the (pillar) ground, I squint and cover my eyes with one hand.

"That's not a fireball," Reef remarks in an awed voice. "That's Peril."

I don't have time to register that when Peril lands awkwardly on my pillar, careful to not touch me or my chains.

"Hello, scavenger! Fear me!" she spreads her arms dominantly.

"Hello!" I wave politely. I smile 'happily', although I'm shaking on the inside. Besides the fact that she is a giant, smoking, scowling fire-scale, she is also a killer. At least, until Clay comes. I just want to be friends with her- she would be a bad enemy. Fake it till you make it.

"What are you doing?" Reef asks suspiciously. "She's the queens killer-"

"Shut up, SeaWing, your own mother wouldn't pay your ransom," Peril snaps, although she does look a bit guilty. She flicks her tail threateningly. "You've still got time for the arena."

Reef is quiet and sinks backwards, looking at me with a face of betrayal.

Peril turns to me. "Tell me everything you know," she demands.

I hesitate, my mind running frantically over every possible scenario. I can't tell her the truth- what am I supposed to say? Oh yeah, you guys are actually fictional characters in a book called Wings of Fire, and I am from the real world were the book was written. Oh yeah, she'd totally believe that. It's like telling her I'm a purple platypus with seven giant eyeballs.

Except for the fact that with animus magic, I technically could be.

"I read the book of NightWing prophecies," I say slowly, remembering my older origin story. "They're so cryptic. But I read it, after I was animus-touched. I learned many things, but not enough. I only learned a year in the future, though. I only got to read two chapters before the NightWings captured me."

Peril nods. "I will take that info to Queen Scarlet," she says. "What about the prophecies? What do they tell you?"

I pause. "The dragonets of prophecy will be captured by the Queen, and they will have multiple victories in the arena. Some of them even have hidden talents. But eventually, one by one, they will die in the arena. Then only two will remain. Those two will eventually be killed by Burn. Uh, Queen Burn."

"That's not a prophecy,"Peril said obviously. "That kinda makes sense. The dragonets in the queen's talons! Perfect!"

"Oh yeah, it's in prophecy form too," I say quickly. I scratch my shoulder and sigh. I suck at rhyming, especially on the spot. "Uh, it's like..." why is it so hard to make up prophecies? Then, something clicks. I'm conscious of a bright light in front of my eyes, but I don't know where it's from. My vision gets hazy, and I feel dazed. I begin to speak, words pouring freely from my mouth. They rhyme, too!

"Five are born, full of light, 

underneath the brightest night.

Captured by the scarlet queen, 

their talents will now become seen.

Alive from the arena victory,

although it's won by trickery.

However much they yearn to escape,

destiny is forever shaped.

A body sinks down through the mud,

stained the color of IceWing blood."

With the last words, I see Peril's eyes widen, and my vision goes black and I collapse.