Wings of Fire: A Game for Glory

Chapter 18: The Robbery

"Is it nightfall yet?" Newt whispered as he tugged at the large chain links that were larger than his own claw.

"Hmm.." Envy hummed as he paused for a few more quiet, awkward seconds. He then snapped his talons together. "Now it's nightfall."

NightWings had the ability to instinctively know when night comes and dawn arises, even if their sleep schedule is wonky and not going by the average NightWing's sleep cycle, sleeping in the day and awaking at night. Envy didn't know if it was either his natural in-body 'clock', which regulated the timing of periods of sleepiness and wakefulness throughout the day, or if it was just an instinct all night dragons have. Plus, it's in the name. Night Wings.

Envy inhaled deeply and began to shoot flame at his chains. The metal links brightly glowed a red-orange, before brightening into a gleaming bright orange. The metal was beginning to melt, dripping onto the stone floor. Envy then roughly lunged back, instantly snapping then weakened chains. "Come on, Newt! We need to hurry!"

Newt blasted his freezing vapor onto his own chains. Ice crystals blooming and crawling across the links, only layering onto each other as Newt continued to breathe the vapor. When Newt tried to snap the chains, nothing had happened. "Damn," the IceWing grunts. 

"I have an idea." Envy bolted to one corner of the catacomb, before leaping onto the wall. The claw on the thumb of his wing latched into the weak, crumbling wall as he began to climb the wall, eventually clinging to the roof of the pit, like some huge gray bat. His claws dig deep into the burnt and disintegrating bricks before he began to claw at the loose patches of rocks, until decent-sized stones dropped to the ground, upon impact it echoed loudly throughout the cavern. "Use that to smash the chains open. I think your ice breath wore out the metal."

As Envy climbed down from the walls, he watched as Newt slowly grasped the rocks. The ice dragon's muscles strained as he lifted the rock up, before he slammed it across the frost bitten chains. Starburst cracks ran across the chain's links, and repeatedly, Newt slammed the rock against the chain until it finally snapped off.

Envy didn't mind the iron collar on his neck. Even with the small bit of chain links dangling from it, it probably would't hit anything else and make too much noise. The NightWing flicked his tongue as he walked up to the entryway of the pit. The enormous boulder didn't look like it was going to budge with a few pushes and shoves, sadly. 

But before Envy could come up with a more quieter solution, he heard a hiss come from Newt, followed by a large beam of ice shooting from the IceWing's jaws, shattering the boulder as if it was merely a pebble. Envy yelped as he covered his face with his wings, protecting his face from the freezing pellets of rock that showered onto him. 

"You idiot! That was so loud!" Envy hissed as he lowered his wings.

"No need to thank me," Newt grinned slyly as he trotted out of the cavern.

 Envy looked skyward as he stretched his wings. Shimmering stars illuminated the moonless, jet black sky, as if to remind him that even in darkness there is still light. The air was still and heavy, thick clouds covering half of the sky. A cool breeze brushed over him.

"I think I still remember which shop the sword was in," Newt says as he walked down the steep, grassy hill. He occasionally tripped over rocks and stepped in ditches that were hidden in the darkness, but Envy knew that flying wasn't the best option, and Newt had the brains to know that too. 

Envy easily climbed over the towering walls of the scavenger den, and he landed onto the cobblestone road. There was barely anyone outside, except for a few guards who looked as if they were sleeping while standing upright. The tall wooden streetlamps cast soft glow onto the streets below, illuminating fallen leaves in garish yellow-orange light. The flame inside of the lamps flickered and sparked, as if threatening to be put out by the softest of winds.