Wings of Fire: A Mage from Another World (PAUSED)

Ch. 38: A Familiar Spy

Blister threw the sea dragon down in front of Coral, in which the sea queen growled and towered over him. "Not just a Seawing. This is our tribe's biggest traitor!!" she hissed lowly, her tail lashing. Webs cowered before her, nervously backing up slightly. "P-please, your majesty. I beg for m-mercy.." "Mercy?? After what you've done?!" Coral snarled, then with a strong swing of her powerful tail she slapped Webs across the snout. "MERCY DENIED!!"

Webs landed back on the ground with a thud, and the queen seemed about ready to kill him herself. "No! Mother, don't!" Tsunami interfered, her gaze switching from her mother to Webs. "H-he might have information..." "Why would you save his life after everything he did to you?" Coral asked through a low growl. Tsunami couldn't get a word out.

"Perhaps what Tsunami means is that we can now find out just how he snuck into the royal hatchery." Blister stepped in, having a malicious grin as she stared at the pea green Seawing. "Clever dragonet. She must get her brains from you." Coral grumbled, glaring down at the smaller sea dragon. "I suppose interrogating him would be useful.." "My friends... they deserve to see him.." Tsunami said, looking worriedly at Webs. "He... he was their guardian too..." "If my friend's daughter insists, how could I object?" Blister turned to fly off back to her cave, with Coral following with. Soon enough, Tsunami, Anemone and Webs followed with.

At the cave, Webs laid on the ground and stared at each dragonet in surprise. "B-but the Skywings... I thought you were dead! How-" "We escaped." Glory said flatly. "No thanks to the Talons of Peace." Tsunami scoffed, all while Sunny was cheerful. "It was amazing! You should have seen us! We-" "We will tell you about it another time." Clay grumbled, keeping his wing over Permafrost. "We are all alive. It's all that really matters to us." Phoenix muttered, gesturing to Glory and Permafrost. Webs looked down with guilt, knowing he was also a part of the plan to kill the two dragonets.

"I was sure you were too cowardly to ever return." Coral growled. Webs kept his head down in shame. "I know I'm not welcomed, your majesty.. B-but I... I hoped-" "Why did you steal one of my eggs?! It could have been anyone's! So why mine?" Webs shrank back at the queen's tone, his ears and wings down. "The egg was so blue.. it had to be the one from the prophecy." he explained, closing his eyes and waiting for a possible blow to him. "I-I would never have betrayed you for anything else, but for peace..." "How did you get into the hatchery? I had guards posted at that door at every moment." Coral pressed on, her teeth bared. "I... drugged the guards. I-I knew someone who helped me. It wasn't their fault.." the male explained with slight hesitation. The queen lifted her head, keeping her gaze to Webs. "Well, I killed them anyway."

"As for that someone who helped you." Coral pretended to think for a moment. "Your wife, I assume?" when Webs flinched, Coral smiled slightly. "Of course. That's why she was reassigned from the kitchens to the front lines. Too bad that first battle was quite the bloodbath." Webs lightly sobbed, all while Blister grinned. The male Seawing sighed and turned his head slightly to the side. "Now that I know the dragonets are safe, you can do whatever you like to me.." "Oh, I will." Coral hissed, stepping closer to him in a threatening way. "We can start with you telling me where to find the Talons of Peace."

"But... why? Why do you want to find the Talons?" Tsunami asked, confused. "Revenge, dear." the princess didn't see much point to kill a group of dragons who want to end the war. "Don't you have more important things to do? I know the Talons are awful dragons, but they only want to end the war. Isn't that what everyone wants?" Blister laughed as if that was the most hilarious thing she heard. "We're not trying to end the war. We're trying to win it. I truly hope you can see the difference." Tsunami huffed, shaking her head. "Killing the Talons of Peace will not help with that!" "And they certainly saved Tsunami's life." Starflight added in.

"WHAT?!" Coral snarled, turning to the Nightwing. Starflight jumped on the spot. "W-well, if you think about it... he- Webs took her egg before the assassin could get it." "And so the Talons technically saved her life. She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them, despite how awful they are... r-right?" Phoenix took a step back under the queen's glare as he added to the explanation. Tsunami processed all that, looking at her friends then to the egg. "They... are right.. the Talons saved my life. All these fantasies of me growing up here, of me living alongside my mother and father and within my tribe." she then shuddered. "None of that would have happened. I would have died right in my shell, just like my little sister today..."

"Your majesty! We have found a suspicious dragon lurking outside! He must be working with Webs." one of the guards rushed in, and so Coral looked to the entrance. "Bring him to me." the initial guard nodded then turned to the others, who threw in another Seawing. Riptide. "Oh no!" Tsunami had to defend him quick before Coral hurt him, too. Webs stepped in for his son. "He had nothing to do with this!" he yelled, and Tsunami helped too. "It's true! Riptide was not here with Webs! He's been helping me with my Aquatic!" "Whirlpool is the tutor I assigned you." Coral stated, glaring at Riptide. Tsunami huffed softly. "Whirlpool is the worst tutor! Just as well as a barbacle. Please don't hurt Riptide. He has nothing to do with the Talons of Peace.." "Throw him into the dungeon with Webs. I'll deal with them later when I'm feeling more violent.." Coral ordered while snarling deeply at the two Seawings who were taken away.

Blister then forced a relieved sigh as the two now disappeared over the edge. "Well, now that they're taken care of, you can return the egg." Coral nodded in agreement, and turned to Sunny who pulled the egg away. Tsunami stepped in front of her friend, spreading her wings. "I'm not letting the egg be taken to the hatchery. I don't know who or what is killing my sisters, but they must be getting into the hatchery through a secret tunnel." "I'm sure it'll be fine. I'll put all my guards on it." Coral shrugged. "Besides, an egg needs to be where it is warm. And by the looks of it..." she glanced at Sunny's talons, where the egg was wiggling. "It's about to hatch."

Tsunami clenched her teeth, thinking of how she can get her mother to let Riptide and Webs go. She then got something. "I'll stay with the egg until it hatches." she said, and Coral raised a brow. "All night?" Tsunami nodded, walking over to Sunny. "Yes. I can like... bring in some food or-" "Oh, no no no." Coral interrupted, turning her head away. "Food is not allowed in the hatchery, it can attract unwanted pests, especially sharks if blood is spilled." The princess sighed, standing tall and facing her mother. "If I catch the one killing the dragonets, you have to let Riptide and Webs go." "Ha! No. Webs has too much to answer for." Coral stated, then Tsunami pressed on. "Even if I save your last heir?" the queen shook her head and held her talon up. "You won't have to. I already caught the assassins." "So it's an easy bargain. Besides, I'm sure Gi- father would want that."

Coral took a breath, knowing Tsunami wouldn't be backing down. "Alright, but my guards will be keeping a close eye on those two." Tsunami noticed Blister smirking. She must want Webs dead. "Tsunami no! If you're down there, and we're up here, then that means we won't be able to protect you! We need to stay together!" Clay said with worry, and Phoenix agreed. "He's right. You're on your own down there, and we wouldn't forgive ourselves if anything happened to you." "You know that whoever's down there will be more than happy to kill you, right?" Glory mumbled, her frills flattening back. Tsunami nodded. "Yes, but I won't let that happen. I will catch them first."

Starflight then gestured to Tsunami to get closer to him, and so she did. He began to whisper something in her ear, and her expression changed. Eventually he stepped back. "Bring armor with you." he said, and the Seawing huffed nervously. "Got it." she then grabbed the egg from Sunny and flew off of the cave, a determined look on her face.

Glory glanced at Starflight with a curious expression. "Just what did you tell her?" she asked, and he hummed while looking at the edge of the cave. "Just something important for her to successfully save her sister and figure out who the assassin was." "Was? Don't you mean is?" Clay was puzzled, but the Nightwing chuckled lightly at him. "I meant what I said, Clay.."