IllBeFine

Illbefine.Gillsaid,staringintothebeautifuleyesofhisqueen,andwife.Justbe
careful,youdontknowwhatmighthappen.Shereplied.CoralwasalwaysnervousbeforeGill
everleft.Shealwayssaidshehadvisionsofhisend,butGillthoughtbetterthantobelieve
those.Hissoldiersneededhim,especiallyonthistrip.Illbesafe,dontworry.Hesaidinone
lastattempttocalmher.ButIcanfeelitsomethingisgoingtohappenthistime!Shesaid
throwingherwingsaroundhim,wrappinghertrueloveinthetightesthugshecould.Please
dontgo..Coralcontinued,ButIhaveto.Hefinishedashepulledaway,givingheronelast
glance,Illbebackbeforeyouknowit.Hesaidquietly,justbeforethelockbetweentheirtwo
eyesbroke,andhedoveofftheedgeoftheplatformintheSummerPalaceforthefinaltime.He
splashedashehitthewater,shootingthroughthetunnelintotheopensea.Shealways
worriestoomuch..Hethoughtashecaughtthecurrentandmadehiswayintothedeep
blue.

Thejourneyfeltmuchlongerthaniteverdidbeforesomethingdidfeelwrong.Its
nothing.Gillthought,quitesurethatthismissionwouldgoasalltheotherslong,tiring,and
mostofall,boring.ThesoldiersweretomeethimonanislandjustsouthofTheSummer
Palace.Theyhadusedthatplaceforyearsduringthewar,neverbeingdiscoveredwhile
assemblingtheSeawingtroops.Butsomethingfeltwrongthistime,unlikeallthemanytimeshe
hadswamtheretomeethistroops,somethingjustwasntright.Gillhadswamforsometime,
anddecidedtotakeabreak.Heswamtothesurfaceandmadehiswaytoasmallisland.Its
sandybeachfeltgoodunderhistalons,butitcouldnotdrownoutthesickfeelingintheair.Its
nothing.Nothing.Hereassuredhimself.Buthestillcouldntfullyconvincehimself.After
catchingafewcrabsandfish,Gilldecidedtocontinuesohewouldntbelate.Themendont
likewaiting.Hethoughtasheonceagaindoveintothewater,catchingacurrentandspeeding
throughthewater,foronelasttime.

TheskywasdarkeningasGillapproached,andthefeelingjustgotworseandworse.He
hadtoadmit,thatmaybeforonceCoralsVisionsAsshecalledthemweretrue.ButGill
pushedthosethoughtsoutofhisheadasquickastheyappeared,Nothinghas

everhappened
beforesoitwonthappennowHethoughttryingtogetthefeelingtoleave.Butthatgut
wrenchingsensejustwouldnotgo.TheislandgrewbiggerandbiggerasGillapproached,and
hedidnotlikeit.ThepieceoflandthatGillwasheadedfor,wasbutasmallisland,almost
nothingintheBayOfAThousandScales.Acertaindetailsetthatislandapart.thetunnels.
Tunnelsarethesmalldetailthatsetthislittleoutcropoflandapart.Gillrememberedwhenhe
firstfoundit.Hewasjustrestingwithafewofhisofficers,checkingthesurroundingsasthey
traveledtothemainland.Oneofthesoldiershadstumbledtothebottomofthesmallcliffofthe
island,anddiscoveredatunneljustbigenoughtofitadragonortwowiththeirwingstuckedin.
Gillwasshownthistunnelandheexplored.Onlytofinditleadtoalargecavern.Thatseemed

tobedeepbelowtheoceanfloor.Anothertunnelformedashedelvedintothecavern,thatone
wentstraightintotheocean,rightoutsidetheisland.Andsoitwaschosenformeetingand
assemblingsmallgroupsoftroops.Thisislandhadbeenveryusefulduringthewar,andwas
neverdiscoveredbytheskywings,whoquiteoftenflewthisway.Gillturnedtowardsthe
underwatertunnel,slippinginside.Asheenteredthefeelingwasdrivinghimcrazy.Whenhe
exitedthetunnel,helookedaroundinthedarkness,hisnightvisionkickingin.Ashestepped
forward,histalonlandedonsomethinghardandcold.Heturnedhisheaddowntoseewhathad
landedinhispath.Onlytoseethelifelessbodyofoneofhisofficers,agoodfriend.Gill
understoodthefeelingnow.Hebackedup,lookingaround,morelifelessbodiesformingaround
him,deaddragons,deadSeawingsdeadfriends.

Gillwasstilltryingtocomprehendwhathadhappened,buthehadtogetoutofthere.
Faces,facesofhisfriendswerematerializingbeforehim.Heturnedandboltedforthetunnel,
onlytobestoppedbyavoice.Gill.RunItwasGillsmainofficer,Neptune.Hisfriend.
Hisbrother.Neptune?Gillsaidquietly,griefsettingin.IsIsthatyou?Heturnedtosee
Neptunesfaceappear,acrossthecavernfromhim.Run.NeptunesaidtooGillashefell
forward,givinghislastbreath.Whenhefell,Gillturnedandboltedforthetunnel,onlytobe
blockedbyaSkywing,whoseemedtoappearoutofnowhere.Gillonlyjustmissedrunninginto
theSkywing,andafterduckingunderhisclaws,madefortheotherexit,dodgingallofthe
bodies.WhereNeptunewasstandingbefore,therewasnowanotherSkywing,andheblocked
theotherexit.Gillknewthattheonlywayoutwastofight,sohedid.Gilllungedattheskywing
infrontofhim.Asheflewthroughtheair,somethingbighithimintheside,AnotherSkywing,
hethought,Gillsheadthrobbedashehitthecavernwall,andashetriedtogetup,theSkywing
stoodoverhim.WelcometohellWasallthatGillheardbeforeeverythingwentblack.

ThesunblazeddownonGillsface.WhereamI..Hetriedtosay,butwascutoffby
adeepraspyvoiceofaSkywingwhowascirclinghim.What?Gillsaid,tryingtocatchwhatthe
dragonsaid,buthewasdizzyandhadnocluewherehewas.Isaidshutup!Gillheard,this
timelouder.Whathappened.Gilltriedagain,onlytobeshotdownanothertime.No
questions!ThedragonsaidasGillwatchedthehimthrowalargechunkofcookedsomething
infrontofhim,Welcometohell.Werethefinalwordsthatthedragonsaidbeforeflyingoff,
leavingGillallalone,orsohethought.WelcometohellThosewordsranginhishead.Then
herememberedthecave,allofthedeaddragons,hisbrother.Whathadhappenedthatnight?
Gillcouldntpiecetogetherhowtheirmeetingplacehadbeendiscoveredorhowtheymanaged
tokillallofhissoldiers.Somanyquestions,butnoanswers,exceptone,wherehewas.Ashis
visioncleared,ThebewilderedSeawinglookedaround,onlynownoticingthathewasonatall
towersortofthing.Then,thesituationmadeitselfclear.HewasinQueenScarletsarena.

AsGilllookedaround,hecouldseemanyotherdragonsaroundhim.Allonatowerlike
structurelikehis.Allconnectedwithwires,andtheirwingsbanded.Hehadheardofthisarena,
anditwasn'tgood.Most,ifnotalloftheprisonersdiedhere,fightingtothedeath.Therewere
someSeawingsonthetowersaroundhim,actually,thereweremany.Thecaptivesweremade
upofSeawings,Sandwings,andevenafewIcewings."AmIsupposedtofight?"Gillthought,as

theguardscameflyinginhisdirection.AsthefirstSkywingapproached,Gilldecidedtotry
talkingagain,WhereamI?Hetried,astupidquestion,buthewashopingtogetany
response.TheSkywingsallcircledaroundhim,thenbegantotakeoffhisbindings.Whats
happening?Hetried,notreallycaring,forheknewalltoowell.Hewasgoingtofight.The
guardssaidnothing,astheyflewhimtothearena.Butwhentheydroppedhimontothehot
bloodstainedsand,Oneoftheguardssaid,Putonagoodshow.Andthenflewaway,
laughingevilly.ThestandshadalreadyfilledbythetimeGillwasdumpedinthearena,and
everyoneshushedasallattentionwasturnedtoabalconyonthefarsideofthearena.Ashe
watched,theQueenherselfwalkedontotheprivateviewingstandandthenaddressedallofher
subjects.MyfellowSkywingsandallies,welcometothedailybattle!MayIintroducethis
specialcontender,Gill,KingofTheSeawings!Thecrowdroaredwithexcitement,whenScarlet
saidthis,andthenallwentsilent.AllattentionwasturnedtoGill.AstheQueenwasintroducing
herlatestplaything,theguardshadflownuptoadifferentplatformandhadretrievedanIcewing
fromalloftheprisoners.Ibethedoesntwanttofighteither.Gillthought,MaybeIcantalk
himoutofit.hecontinued,hopingbeyondhopethatthesedragonsstillhadabitof
themselvesleft.

TheIcewingwasdroppedontothesand,andashedid,helashedoutathiscaptors,
scratchingthenearestonebeforehecouldgetaway.StupidIcewingisallthatGillcaught
beforetheyalltookoffbacktotheirposts.TheIcewingregainedhisfootingandtooktohis
battlestance,glaringattheconfusedlookingSeawingattheotherendofthearena.Butwhat
thisnewopponentdidnotknowisthatthisConfusedSeawing,wasanythingbut,andwhat
happenednextwouldsendshocksthroughalloftheprisoners.Assilencefloodedthecrowd,a
Skywingflewdownintothemiddleofthearena,andbegantotalktotheentirearena.
Welcome!ToQueenScarletsArena!Todaywehaveaspecialbattleforyou,Ontheleft,Three
timewinner,ChilloftheIcewings.Andontheright,aspecialcontender,Gill,kingofthe
Seawings!Andwiththisthecrowdcheered,notforhim,butforhisdeath.TheSkywing
continued,Clawsup,ready,Fight!Andwiththatheflewoutofthearena,leavingGillwiththe
Icewing.

Thesnowbluedragonstartedtoinchforth,growlingasheapproached,butGillkepthis
posture,hopingtotalktheIcewingoutoffighting.Sohebegan.Chill,wasit?TheIcewing
ignoredhim,advancingevenmore.Doyoureallywanttofight?Ibetyouhaveafamilythatyou
wanttogetbackto,IknowIdo.Hetriedagain.Yes,Ido.Andtogetbacktothem,Ihaveto
killyou.TheIcewingreturned,comingevencloser.Doyou?Doyouneedtokillme?Wecould
notfight,andwecouldbothlive.Gillcontinued,onceagainreceivingareply.Ifwedothat,
Scarletwillkillus.TheIcewingreturned.Thecrowdhadbeguntostartbooingnow,andeven
thequeenseemedannoyed.Gillstartedonceagain,Willshe?Ibetnoneofthesedragons
wanttofight,andifwedontwhatwillshedo?Hefinished,hopingitwasenough.Iguessyour
right.Butifnot,you'redead.AndwiththatThat,Chillstopped,lookeddownathistalonsand
satdown.Killhim!Allofthespectatorsyelled,hopingforashow.No.Wastheonlyresponse
theygot.Theentirearena,eventhedragonsonthetowerswentsilent,No.Gillsaidagain,No
fighting.ThisputScarletintoablindrage,Getthemoutofthere!Sheyelled,Getridofthe

Seawing,getanewopponentfortheIcewing,Imnotmissingthefighttodaybecauseofhim.
Thenasifbymagic,guardsappearedaroundGill,grabbinganddragginghimbacktohistower,
Nomorefunnybusiness,Saidone,Oryoullbepunished.Hefinished,thensimultaneously
theyallflewtoadifferenttower,andretrievedanotherSeawing.

Gilldidntrecognizethisnewopponent,buthewasaSeawing,allthesame.The
Seawingwasdroppedontothesand,oppositeofChill,andonceagaintheSkywinglandedin
themiddleandspoke.Sorryforthatslightmisunderstanding.Butwehaveafreshopponent.
Ontheright,twotimewinner,TideoftheSeawings.AndstillontheleftisChilloftheIcewings!
Clawsup,ready,fight!Withthat,theSkywingboltedoutofthearena,leavingthetwofighterall
alone.Theyhesitatedatfirst,justcircling.Then,ChillsaidsomethingGillcouldntcatchbutafter
itwassaid,bothdragonssatdowninthebloodstainedsandanddidnothing.ThisthrewScarlet
intoanevenlargerrage.Shejumpedupandevenlashedoutatoneofherownsoldiers.Get
themoutofthere!Shescreamed.Andthatone.SheglaredatGill,evenfromthatdistancehe
couldfeelhergaze.NowaterforhimuntilIsayotherwise.Andwiththatsheturnedand
stormedoffthebalconyanddisappeared.Theguardsreturnedtheotherprisonerstotheir
towers,andwhentheprovisionswerebroughttothecaptives,allreceivedwateranddrink,
exceptGill,whoreceivednothingthatday.asthesoldiersleft,thesunbegantofadeoverthe
horizon.Gilllaydownonhissmallplatformandgazedatthesunset,thedistantglitterofthesea
couldbeseen,hishome.Asgoldenlightfaded,asingletearfelldownhisface,Dontworry
Coral,myqueen,mywife,my.Love.Illbehomesoon,youllsee.Thosewerehislastwords
ashefellintoadarkandsombersleep.