"I'll be fine." Gill said, staring into the beautiful eyes of his queen. His wife. "Just be careful, you don't know what might happen." She said. Coral was always nervous before Gill ever left. She always said she had visions of his end, but Gill thought better that to believe these. His soldiers needed him, especially on this trip. "I'll be safe, don't worry." He said in one last attempt to calm her. "But I can feel it, something is going to happen this time!" She said throwing her wings around him, wrapping her true love in the tightest hug she could. "Please don't go….." Coral continued. "But I have to." He finished as he pulled away, giving her one last glance, "I'll be back before you know it." He said quietly, just before the lock between their two eyes broke, and he dove off the edge of the platform in the summer palace for the final time. He splashed as he hit the water, shooting through the tunnel into the open sea. "She always worries too much….." He thought as he caught the current and made his way into the deep blue.

The journey felt much longer than it ever did before, Something did feel wrong. "It's nothing." Gill thought, quite sure that this mission would go as all the others- long, tiring, and most of all, boring. The soldiers were to meet him on an island just south of The Summer Palace. They had used that place for years during the war, never being discovered while assembling the seawing troops. But something felt wrong this time, unlike all the many times he had swam there to meet his troops, something just wasn't right. Gill had swam for some time, and decided to take a break. He swam to the surface and made his way to a small island. It's sandy beach felt good under his talons, but it couldn't drown out the sick feeling in the air. "It's nothing. Nothing." He reassured himself. But he still couldn't fully convince himself. After catching a few crabs and fish, Gill decided to continue so he wouldn't be late. "The men don't like waiting." He thought as he once again dove into the water, catching a current and speeding through the water, for one last time.

The sky was darkening as Gill approached, and the feeling just got worse and worse. He had to admit, that maybe for once Corals "Visions" As she called them were true. But Gill pushed those thoughts out of his head as quick as they appeared, "Nothings ever happened before so it won't happen now" He thought trying to get the feeling to leave. But that gut wrenching sense just wouldn't go. The island grew bigger and bigger as Gill approached, and he didn't like it. The piece of land that Gill was headed for, was but a small island, almost nothing in the Bay Of A Thousand Scales. A certain detail set that island apart, the tunnels. Tunnels are the small detail that set this little outcrop of land apart. Gill remembered when he first found it. He was just resting with a few of his officers, checking the surroundings as they traveled to the mainland. One of the soldiers had stumbled to the bottom of the small cliff of the island, and discovered a tunnel just big enough to fit a dragon or two with their wings tucked in. Gill was shown this tunnel and he explored, only to find it lead to a large cavern, that seemed to be deep below the ocean floor. Another tunnel formed as he delved into the cavern, turns out that it went straight into the ocean, right outside the island. And so it was chosen for meeting and assembling small groups of troops. This island had been very useful during the war, and was never discovered by the skywings, who quite often flew this way. Gill turned towards the underwater tunnel, slipping inside. As he entered the feeling was driving him crazy. When he exited the tunnel, he looked around in the darkness, his night vision kicking in. As he stepped forward, his talon landed on something hard and cold. He turned his head down to see what had landed in his path. Only to see the lifeless body of one of his officers, a good friend. Gill understood the feeling now. He backed up, looking around, more lifeless bodies forming around him. Dead dragons, dead Seawings. Dead friends.

Gill was still trying to realize what had happened, but he had to get out of there. Faces, faces of his friends were materializing before him. He turned and bolted for the tunnel, only to be stopped by a voice. "Gill…. Run…" It was Gills main officer, Neptune. His friend…. His brother. "Neptune?" Gill said quietly, grief setting in. "Is… Is that you?" He turned to see Neptunes face appear, across the cavern from him. "Run…." Neptune said too Gill as he fell forward, giving his last breath. When he fell, Gill turned and bolted for the tunnel, only to be blocked by a Skywing, who seemed to appear out of nowhere. Gill only just missed running into the Skywing, and after ducking under his claws, made for the other exit, dodging all of the bodies. Where Neptune was standing before, there was now another Skywing, and he blocked the other exit. Gill knew that the only way out was to fight, so he did. Gill lunged at the skywing in front of him. As he flew through the air, something big hit him in the side, "Another Skywing," he thought, Gills head throbbed as he hit the cavern wall, and as he tried to get up, the Skywing stood over him. "Welcome to hell" Was all that Gill heard before everything went black.

The sun blazed down on Gills face. "Where am I….." He tried to say, but was cut off by a deep raspy voice of a Skywing who was circling him. "What?" Gill said, trying to catch what the dragon said, but he was dizzy and had no clue where he was. "I said shut up!" Gill heard, this time louder. "What happened…." Gill tried again, only to be shot down another time. "No questions!" The dragon said as Gill watched a large chunk of cooked something thrown in front of him, "Welcome to hell." Were the final words that the dragon said before flying off, leaving Gill all alone, or so he thought. "Welcome to hell…" Those words rang in his head. Then he remembered the cave, all of the dead dragons, his brother. What had happened that night? Gill couldn't piece together how their meeting place had been discovered or how they managed to kill all of his soldiers. So many questions, but no answers, except one, where he was. As his vision cleared, The bewildered Seawing looked around, only now noticing that he was on a tall tower sort of thing. Then, the situation dawned. He was in Queen Scarlets arena.

As Gill looked around, he could see many other dragons around him. All on a tower like structure like his. All connected with wires, and their wings banded. He had heard of this arena, and it wasn't good. Most, if not all of the prisoners died here, fighting to the death. There were some Seawings on the towers around him, actually, there were many. The captives were made up of Seawings, Sandwings, and even a few Icewings. "Am I supposed to fight?" Gill thought, as the guards came flying in his direction. As the first Skywing approached, Gill decided to try talking again, "Where am I?" He tried, a stupid question, but he was hoping to get any response. The Skywings all circled around him, then began to take off his bindings. "What's happening?" He tried, not really caring, for he knew all too well. He was going to fight. The guards said nothing, as they flew him to the arena. But when they dropped him onto the hot blood stained sand, One of the guards talked. "Put on a good show." Is all that he heard. Then the guard flew away, laughing evilly. The stands had already filled by the time Gill had been dumped in the arena, and everyone shushed, as all attention was turned to a balcony on the far side of the arena. As he watched, the Queen herself walked onto the private viewing stand and then addressed all of her subjects. "My fellow Skywings and allies, welcome to the daily battle! May I introduce this special contender, Gill, King of The Seawings!" The crowd roared with excitement, when Scarlet said this, and then all went silent. All attention was turned to Gill. As the Queen was introducing her latest plaything, the guards had flown up to a different platform and had retrieved an Icewing from all of the prisoners. "I bet he doesn't want to fight either." Gill thought, "Maybe I can talk him out of it…." he continued, hoping beyond hope that these dragons still had a bit of themselves left.

The Icewing was dropped onto the sand, and as he did, he lashed out at his captors, scratching the nearest one before he could get away. "Stupid Icewing" is all that Gill caught before they all took off back to their posts. The Icewing regained his footing and took to his battle stance, glaring at the confused looking Seawing at the other end of the arena. But what this new opponent did not know is that this "Confused Seawing," was anything but, and what happened next would send shocks through all of the prisoners. As silence flooded the crowd, a Skywing flew down into the middle of the arena, and began to talk to the entire crowd. "Welcome! To Queen Scarlets Arena! Today we have a special battle for you, On the left, Three time winner, Chill of the Icewings. And on the right, a special contender, Gill, king of the Seawings!" And with this the crowd cheered, not for him, but for his death. The Skywing continued, "Claws up, ready, Fight!' And with that he flew out of the arena, leaving Gill with the Icewing.

The snow blue dragon started to inch forth, growling as he approached. Gill kept his posture, hoping to talk the Icewing out of fighting. So he began. "Chill, was it?" The Icewing ignored him, advancing even more. "Do you really want to fight? I bet you have a family that you want to get back to, I know I do." He tried again. "Yes, I do. And to get back to them, I have to kill you." The Icewing returned, coming even closer. "Do you? Do you need to kill me? We could not fight, and we could both live…." Gill continued, once again receiving a reply. "If we do that, Scarlet will kill us." The Icewing returned. The crowd had begun to start booing now, and even the queen seemed annoyed. Gill started once again, "Will she? I bet none of these dragons want to fight, and if we don't what will she do?" He finished, hoping it was enough. "I guess your right. But if not, you're dead." Chill said, and with that That, he stopped, looked down at his talons and sat down. "Kill him!" All of the spectators yelled, hoping for a show. "No." Was the only response they got. The entire arena, even the dragons on the towers went silent, "No." Gill said again, "No fighting." This put Scarlet into a blind rage, "Get them out of there!' She yelled, "Get rid of that Seawing, get a new opponent for the Icewing, I'm not missing the fight today because of him." Then, as if by magic, guards appeared around Gill, grabbing and dragging him back to his tower. "No more funny business," Said one, "Or you'll be punished." He finished, then simultaneously they all flew to a different tower, and retrieved another Seawing.

Gill didn't recognize this new opponent, but he was a Seawing, all the same. The Seawing was dropped onto the sand, opposite of Chill, and once again the Skywing landed in the middle and spoke. "Sorry for that slight misunderstanding. But we have a fresh opponent. On the right, two time winner, Tide of the Seawings. And still on the left is Chill of the Icewings! Claws up, ready, fight!" With that, the Skywing bolted out of the arena, leaving the two fighters all alone. They hesitated at first, just circling. Then, Chill said something Gill couldn't catch but after it was said, both dragons sat down in the blood stained sand and did nothing. This threw Scarlet into an even larger rage. She jumped up and even lashed out at one of her own soldiers. "Get them out of there!" She screamed. "And that one." She glared at Gill. Even from that distance he could feel her gaze. "No water for him until I say otherwise." And with that she turned and stormed off the balcony and disappeared. The guards returned the other prisoners to their towers, and when the provisions were brought to the captives, all received water and drink, except Gill, who received nothing that day. as the soldiers left, the sun began to fade over the horizon. Gill lay down on his small platform and gazed at the sunset, the distant glitter of the sea could be seen, his home. As golden light faded, a single tear fell and landed by his talons. "Don't worry Coral. My queen. My wife. My... Love. I'll be home soon, you'll see." Those were his last words before he fell into a dark and somber sleep.