Wings of Fire: Darkness of the Light

Chapter 12

Infinity and the pack of GlowWings were flying towards the Palace in no time. She lead them down the same shortcut that her and Asteroid went the morning of their first space mission.

She could hear murmurings and scoffing as they passed the carvings of the SpaceWing version of history. Even she didn't respect it nearly as much as she did a couple of days ago. It was all lies, and the GlowWings walking behind her were living proof of that. The only thing keeping her from telling all of Saren that their supposed history was a lie was that she didn't want her Kingdom to fall apart. She wanted everyone to be united.

Infinity started to hear her heartbeat pulsing louder and louder in her ears as they turned to walk down the hallway that lead to Queen Nebula's Throne Room. Yes, she was nervous, but she had the courage to walk into that room and confront her lying Queen.

Dusk had caught up to her and gave her a nervous smile. She gave him one too in return.

The young SpaceWing inhaled deeply as she stepped into the Throne Room. The room was lined with light red rubies on the walls, with small moonstones glittering about the floor. Up above her was a skylight. Not much light poured in from overhead since the sun had barley risen.

There she was, the Queen of SpaceWings with her famous pure yellow glow. Infinity had only seen her a few times before, whether it was passing through the halls or observing meeting with her father and the Queen about Space Charters.

And just as she thought it, her heart sunk. There her father was, talking to the Queen about what she could only assume was her and Asteroid's space missions. Both of the large SpaceWings spun their heads towards her and the large number of white glowing dragons behind her, and not with the friendliest of looks. Queen Nebula stood up abruptly with a furious snarl.

"Infinity?" Orbit cried, his dark blue glow shining like a fire. Before Infinity could even explain herself, her father ran like a dart, sinking his claws into Dusk, the closest GlowWing to her, and threw him to wall.

"No!" Infinity screamed, holding her father back and spreading her wings out to separate him and the GlowWings. All the warrior and high ranked GlowWings behind her roared, teeth and claws outstretched, trying to get to Orbit. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Chief Howl run over to Dusk.

"I'm trying to protect you!" Orbit growled, throwing Infinity's talons off himself.

"You can't hurt them! All they want is to make peace!" she cried, finding it quite difficult to be a breathing barrier.

"Oh really," hissed Queen Nebula's voice. "Then why are they attacking innocent SpaceWings after hundreds of years of silence? That's not the best way to make allies." She glared over at the crowd of growling GlowWings, then at Chief Howl who was staring right back at her.

"We were only attacking to get a message across," he said carefully, standing up, "We are not a less evolved species that you can push under a rock while you advance greatly. Although, we are willing to put our dreadful past behind us if you agree to make a truce and give us back our forest in the West. For the first time, SpaceWings and GlowWings could live together in harmony."

Infinity fidgeted with her claws. The Queen didn't look too persuaded with that large frown on her face. She needed to benefit from this truce. "Making peace with them will only do good. They will share their culture and art with us, making for more knowledge to fill our library with and to bring more joy to the dragons on Saren. We can only advance onto the future if we come to good means with our past."

Despite the disgusted look on her face as she looked at the GlowWings, Infinity knew her Queen only wanted the best for the SpaceWings. She could tell from the entries on the scrolls her mother, Stratosphere, found.

"... Fine," the Queen said with a low growl after what seemed like eternity. "You and your... clan can live in the Western Forest and do as you please."

Infinity felt like the moons were lifted off her shoulders. She exhaled sharply, realizing she had been holding her breath.

"But," Queen Nebula said with a furious hiss, "If a GlowWing ever draws the blood of a SpaceWing, do not think I will hesitate to track all of you down myself, tear you limb from limb, and wipe your species off this planet for good." She directed the threat towards Chief Howl, who only nodded passively with hidden anger behind his eyes.

"May joy and prosperity spread over Saren from this truce," the Chief answered. "We'll head back to Gold Mountain and lead the rest of the clan to the forest."

Infinity smiled as she fluttered her wings. They had did it. They had avoided a war that wouldn't have ended well. She looked around the room; the GlowWings behind her we talking in commotion, discussing what life in the sun would be, while her father stood with his jaw dropped, still trying to comprehend what had just happened this morning.

Infinity brushed her wing against Orbit, reassuringly. "Don't worry, dad, this is all for the better. The GlowWings won't harm us as long as we promise peace."

Orbit ducked his head and whispered, "But honey... they are savages. They are not as evolved as us. They are unpredictable."

"No, they are not. They are dragons just like us. You have to learn to accept that," she whispered back, her snout scrunched. "Go get to know them before you decide what they are and what they are not."

With an embarrassing sigh, he made his way to the GlowWings, and started talking to them, aiming to make up for what he did to Dusk.

Howl helped Dusk stand back up. As soon as Dusk realized Infinity was looking at him, he stood up straight and acted like the bruises on his side and the gashes on his chest and shoulders were merely nothing. He walked over to her, keeping his head held high. "Nice start to our morning, isn't it?"

"You're hurt," Infinity said, gesturing to the drops of blood dripping down his chest.

"Oh this?" He gingerly brushed a claw to one of the spots of his shoulder where dark red flesh was exposed. "This is nothing. I'll get it wrapped later."

"I would think a big, strong warrior like you wouldn't need the help of others," she joked with a grin.

"Well, I'm not invincible," he ginned back at her.

Like a shooting star, everything happened so quickly. The sound of screams and roaring erupted from the GlowWings around her. Out of nowhere, a stone arrowhead attached to a gold necklace chain flew around the corner, into the Throne Room, and sliced across Chief Howl's neck. The necklace then fell to the ground, Howl following right after it as blood sprayed from his neck.