Wings of Fire: Saguaro Legends

Chapter 14

      Gorge, Crimson, and Saguaro sat in the stands of the arena. They hoped that they could find a way to save Rouge if they were there.

       A voice echoed throughout the arena, "Here we have our prisoner, Rouge, thrown into his place for refusing to give information of the whereabouts of a runaway soldier to the queen!"

        As the rest of the crowd "booed" Rouge's actions, Saguaro saw Crimson freeze in a state of shock and self disappointment as the large doors opened to reveal Rouge. They found out about him.

         "And now, our champion who needs no introduction," the voice continued, "she's fierce, she's invincible, she is PERIL!"

         A small copper-scaled dragon came out to cheers from her doorway, the thin raindrops that had begun to fall instantly turning to steam on contact with her.

        She's only a dragonet! Saguaro realized. How could such a young dragonet like that even set foot in this  arena?

         "Are you ready?" the voice roared to cries of enthusiasm from the crowd, "LET'S BATTLE!"

         The dragonet lunged, digging her talons into Rouge's shoulder, wild crowd drowning out his wails of pain as Peril scraped her hind talons through his chest.

           "No!" Gorge yelled, "This is barbaric!" he pointed his horrified laurel green gaze to Queen Scarlet who was grinning in bloodthirsty pleasure at the spectacle from her own private viewing box, "YOU'RE BARBARIC, DO YOU HEAR ME?" but his voice mixed with that of the rest of the crowd.

     "That's enough!" Crimson screamed, lunging forward into the one-sided fight before Saguaro could realize what he was doing.

      "What's this? Another fighter has entered the ring in defense of Rouge! Dragons, this hs never before happened in our arena!"

       Crimson roared at the little dragonet clinging to his brother's side, her celeste blue eyes seemed to cut into his soul as she glared at him with hatred.

        Peril flung herself at Crimson, Saguaro had to do something to protect him.

        She blew out a thick jet of flame at the dragonet, which, somehow didn't kill her, distracted her for long enough for Saguaro and Gorge to get into the arena to assist Crimson in flying off with the limp, wounded, form of Rouge.