The Talons of Peace

Chapter 4 - Assassins For Hire

AERIS: [sighs and waits for a moment] I got angry... and there wasn't anything else I could do. I thought scribbling what was on my mind was the best option, and... sorry. I want to hurt them.

REELA: Hurting them won't heal the pain. It will only make it worse. The dark, empty hole within you will only grow if all you're looking for is vengeance. You're a great kid, Aeris. You have a good heart, there's not a lot of that nowadays.

[Reela places the scroll aside, sitting there and looking at Aeris, who's turned away from her]

REELA: After all of this, you can-

[the door to the room swings open, revealing another SkyWing standing there. Reela and the SkyWing share a look, and the SkyWing nods]

REELA: Is it now?

[in the lobby of the building, Aeris is led toward a group of SkyWings by Reela. One of the SkyWings is revealed to be Queen Scarlet, who's wearing multiple jewelry sets around her neck and arms]

QUEEN SCARLET: There he is.

REELA: You're here, Your Majesty.

QUEEN SCARLET: [fixes her gaze on Aeris, who's standing behind Reela] You got the kid? He better be the SkyWing you told me.

REELA: I'm... sure of it.

QUEEN SCARLET: [crouches down and offers her talon toward Aeris] Come here, little SkyWing. I won't hurt you.

AERIS: Reela?

REELA: [saddened] You'll be fine.

[Aeris slowly approaches Queen Scarlet, raising his talon toward her. Queen Scarlet grabs onto his talon and tugs him closer to her. Aeris looks at Reela uncomfortably, trying to escape from Queen Scarlet's grasp. Reela turns away slowly, ignoring him]

REELA: [whispers under her breath] I'm sorry...

QUEEN SCARLET: You're mine now, SkyWing. I heard a lot about you... Aeris. [turns to Reela while speaking to Aeris] You said you wanted to hurt them, right? I can make your wish come true.

REELA: Your Majesty...

QUEEN SCARLET: No need to show your concern, Reela. He's not yours anymore, you don't have to worry about him. [turns to Aeris, who looks at her with a horror expression] You're not like the other SkyWings, aren't you?

AERIS: [shakes his head and trembles] N-no...

QUEEN SCARLET: You're special, and you'll have the chance to prove it to me. [stands up and turns to the guards] Guards, [forces Aeris over to the SkyWing guards] take him back to the camp. I'll return shortly.

[the guards nod, and they grab Aeris and bring him out of the building, leaving Queen Scarlet standing in the lobby with Reela and a few other SkyWings. Reela tries to hide her concern, seeing Queen Scarlet approaching and standing next to her]

REELA: You're sure he's gonna be fine?

QUEEN SCARLET: He will... as long as he is what you told me, he'll survive.

REELA: Survive? Your Majesty, you promised-

QUEEN SCARLET: [quickly stops Reela] Uh-uh. You know how it's gonna be, and I've given you time for it. You've ghosted me, and I've delayed countless meetings for you, and for him. You agreed to your role, so follow it.

REELA: But Your Majesty-

QUEEN SCARLET: No, no, no "but". Day by day, we're losing more SkyWings to them. Now there's rumor they're backed by the SeaWings, things are only going to get worse. You promised you'd bring me dragons.