Tempest watched, in numb shock as Seaglass's sizzling scales smashed into the waves, his body disappearing beneath them with a soft sigh. And she just stared. And stared. Her limbs shook, and she could feel the hot tears running down her chin. But she didn't falter her hover. Not until a menacing hiss sounded from Snowfall's throat.

That hiss turned into a thundering cry. One of such rage, heartache, regret and bitterness that Tempest could feel her soul stirring.

Snowfall continued his cry of anguish, balling his talons and flaring his wings as frost swirled up them. He then lunged for the lead dragon, eyes slits and talons poised to kill. But the Lightingwing simply sneered and whirled around, nailing him in the chest and sending him sailing at his two comrades. The other Lightingwings quickly grabbed Snowfall, who's rage had died down to nothing but a soft whimper.

Tempest didn't jerk away as one of the others snatched her in their grip, only looking on solemnly as Snowfall hung his head and gave quiet sobs. Her happy demeanor was replaced by something much more dull, much more grim. The event of the day met her like a mountain to the face. What were they supposed to do now?

She glanced over at her friends, and even Potent had stopped struggling as ropes were wrapped around his once free tail and arms. His face was slack in shock. The sturdy material they were tying them up with had been wrapped around each Lightingwings neck before they used it to tie up Tempest and her friends.

"We're taking these six to the Queen." Hisses the leader, glaring at the dragonets with annoyance and a hint of sickening pleasure. "She'll decide their fate."

The other female tying up Artemis paused, looking at the leader. "What about..what about Ozone? And Sheer?"

Their lead dragon gave a dismissive flick of his tail. "Collateral damage." The quivering dragoness proved this to be wrong.

Tempest watched with a heavy heart as a strand of foul smelling rope was tied around her snout. But she didn't want to fight, anyway. From the looks of it, nobody else did either.

~~~~~~~~

Tempest's tired wings scraped the walls as she and her friends were led to seemingly inevitable death. She hoped the Queen might have a little mercy, but the charred russet walls of the place stated otherwise. The mostly dark grey palace was strangely empty, only filled sickly looking servants, guards, and a few skittish civilians. It was partially decorated, with gold lighting bolts hanging from the ceiling like a crazed spiderweb.

The cobblestone floors were dirty and neglected, years of fights and destruction evident in the grooves. Zap's palace was as bland as the ash-like trees in the outskirts of the Storm Kingdom. The rest of the trees were green and lively, yes, but their vibrancy was outweighed by all the grey. Even the sky was cloaked in a misty pebble color. Speaking of the trees, they looked remarkably tall. But, not nearly as tall as Zap's looming palace.

Zap's palace was nothing like the villages around it, due to Lightningwings cleverly building tree-house like structures in the branches of all their dead and living pine and maple trees. It wasn't their only way of shelter, though. Tempest counted nearly a couple hundred huts widespread across the territory.

But like the palace, it was still. Only filled with neighbors, family and friends walking or flying alongside one another. Not like the hustle and bustle Tempest was used to seeing. The whole kingdom was dull and depressing. Being snapped into reality by a fierce jab to her side, Tempest's head shot up in alarm at the scene before her.

Two purple-blue guards were posted at the entrance, each armed with big, metal spears thats top twisted into a lighting bolt. They sidestepped immediately for the lead dragon, bowing their head as an act of respect before he jerked Artemis in by the rope around her throat. He payed no mind the deathly glare Mamba gave him as Artemis let out a strangled cough. But Tempest was still too numb to give a reaction. Casting a quietly mournful look at Snowfall, she noticed how his head hang and his shoulders slumped. He wouldn't meet her eyes. He blamed himself.

"We all do." She thought with a twinge of hurt.

They found Zap stretched upon a scratched up plain spire of marble. She was bigger than Diamond, but not impressively so. Zap was a dark grey mottled with lighter spots. She wore no jewelry except an obsidian armband; but she did have armor. Silver plates cascaded down her neck, covered her chest, head, and tail. They were smudged with crimson and told tales of fights with dark talon marks scored down them. Zap's electric blue eyes were sunken, and she had a thin, wiry frame. She held a regal posture despite it all.

"General Blast." She said with a curt nod, her horns sparkling with blue lightning for a split second as she assesses the scene in fron of her.

Blast pulls Mamba and Artemis into a swift bow, despite the hissing from the red and black Rainwing under him. He grins at the cry of anger he receives, glancing up at Zap while still holding his toothed smile.

"So.." Zap glares coldly at him, her eyes like ice. "Why have you brought me these strange dragonets?"

"Remember that warning Solar issued?" He shook Artemis. "These don't belong here. Why else would they be circling our territory?"

Zap looked interested now. "I see.." She crawled down from her spire, approaching the general. Taking Artemis's snout in her talons, she lifts her head up so they lock gazes. "I'm assuming you're the leader, hm? The others seem compelled to herd around you."

Artemis gives a muffled hiss, and Tempest can see it's taking all of Potent's willpower not to attack. Smoke is drifting from his nostrils and his eyes dart across each of the dragons in the room, his tied tail slowly coiled.

"You don't look like much." Zap mused, dropping Artemis and circling the rest of them. She eyed Tempest with particular interest. "You.." She trailed off, staring intently at the tribrid's slighting bolts. "Odd." She smiled as Potent growled at her, the ropes tied around his snout splintering. "I'd keep that snout shut, sandy." Zap chuckled. "Dragonets don't speak until told to. Unless you'd like to loose your tongue.."

Potent's growls ceased.

"I honestly don't see why Solar is worried so much about these six. She could squish them with one step."

Tempest cringed.

"They won't be a problem anymore, though." Zap's horns sparkled with lighting again. The lighting crackles and rides down her neck and body before gathering at the end of her tail. She then turned to Blast, raising her snout. "Get the fireproof chains. They're going into exile."

The pale blue male from before frowned disapprovingly. "Exile?"

"Yes, you imbecile." Blast snarled. "Broken-Tail Barren Lands."

"If the exhaustion and heat won't kill them-" The other female added slowly. "the Desert Rouges surely will. The Queens have been exiling and executing prisoners this way for centuries. It always works. Brilliant, your majesty."

Zap eyed Tempest and her friends. "But if that doesn't work, me and Solar will track their half dead bodies down and kill them ourselves." Her tone turned icy. "They won't be interrupting our plans. We need this."

"I doubt we'll be unsuccessful, your majesty." Blast bowed before turning to his comrades. "You heard the queen! Get them sedated, chained up, and ready for exile."

Tempest barely had time to process what was happening before a sharp pain rockets across the base of her neck. The now blurred form of her guard steps back, holding a thin, needle-like object.

"Where did those come from?" She thought, dazed. Tempest stepped forward but her legs did otherwise. She was sent crashing to the ground, a numbness washing through her body. Her eyelids drooped like weights had suddenly been added on top of them. She tried to lift her head, but nothing happened. It wasn't long before she felt herself slip into darkness yet again.