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

Part 11 - Stained the Color of IceWing Blood

This chapter is kinda short, and pretty sad... I'm sorry, guys. -B

//James POV//

"James!" I awake with a gasp. My eyes turn frantically to the pillar on my right. Reef is struggling against two SkyWing guards.

"Reef!" I yell. I scramble to the edge of my pillar, ignoring the rush of dizziness of being so high up. "Reef!"

"They're taking me to the arena!" he shouts.

My eyes widen. One SkyWing clamps a talon over his snout and carries him down to the arena.

"Reef..." I say softly. I squint at the chained SeaWing. He looks so, so scared. Another dragon is carried down- an IceWing.

Peril's words to the prince ring through my mind. You've still got time for the arena. No, Peril... why? I sigh and lean my head backwards. What is Reef supposed to do? He didn't want to kill. He didn't want to hurt anybody. And if he's been here for a while... Well, he must've seen that Gill... his father... got taken away after refusing to fight.

You never really know a dragon until you see them fight. I just hope I get to see my friend after this battle, and if I do... I don't want to see a killer, just my friend.

Please beat him, Reef, make it quick, don't get hurt.

But I know my wishes, my pleads, they mean nothing in a real fight.

"Now, Snowdrift of the IceWings versus Prince Reef of the SeaWings!" Vermillion shouts. I see Scarlet swooping into her watching area, looking smug and satisfied. I want to kill her.

Snowdrift hisses angrily at Reef, spitting thin layers of frost onto the floor. She circles the dragonet and growls threateningly, but Reef doesn't move a muscle. Then, suddenly, the IceWing strikes. She stabs at Reef with her claw, but Reef sidesteps the attack and whips his powerful tail in a circle, hitting the IceWing twice.

Snowdrift stumbles backwards but doesn't fall. She opens her snout and charges her frostbreath.

Reef has no fire.

The SeaWing prince stabs at her with his claws, slashing her snout. But the movement opens up his chest, and Snowdrift flips him over.. She brings her arm backwards, but Reef is quicker. He slams his tail into her side, flipping her over. Her underbelly exposed. An easy kill, a quick kill.

But he hesitates. Snowdrift opens her mouth, breathing frostbreath over him. He dodges, but the fatal breath strikes his wing. He rolls off with a cry of pain.

"Reef!" I shout. His ears perk up. As Snowdrift leans in for the kill, he rolls onto her and stabs her in the chest. As she dies, she manages to slash his chest.

"We've got our victory!" Vermillion shouts. The crowd applauds and shouts. Scarlet looks... mildly pleased. Several SkyWing guards carry Snowdrift off. The pick up a panting Reef and bring him onto his pillar.

He's alive.

I look into the eyes of the kind SeaWing. I'm happy he's alive... but when I look in his eyes, there's no triumph. Only agony.

There is no victory for that arena battle. No dragon is going to live...

"I'm so sorry," I cry. "Hold on, Reef, you're going to be okay..."

"A body sinks down through the mud," he whispers. "Stained the color of IceWing blood..." He moves his arm with a wince of pain, and I see how covered he is in blood. Not only his red SeaWing blood... Snowdrift's blue blood, too.

"That's not you!" I shout. "That's not... That's not you..." I'm sobbing now, and I wish I could touch him, comfort him... But I can't. "You're not going to die..."

"Tell my family," Reef begs. "My brothers..."

"I'll find them," I promise, tears running freely down my cheeks. "I'll tell them... Turtle, Finn, Octopus, Cerulean..." That's all the names I can remember from the books, but I hope it'll comfort him...

"Thank you," he mumbles, closing his eyes.

"No!" I yell. Lowering my voice, I say, "don't give up hope, Reef, the dragonets are coming..."

I want to tell him he's gonna be okay, but now, I know how untrue it is. I can't lie to him, not now...

"Tell my brothers..." but his eyes are closed, his arms are limp. No more words can come from his snout.

Reef is dead.