Chapter Text
There is no place in the world better than the Ice Kingdom, and there is no reason to leave it, neither in life nor in death.
This was what every IceWing in the Ice Kingdom believed. Hot sands and humid forests could never match the beauty of freshly-fallen snow. The palaces of other kingdoms could not possibly compare to the gift of splendor perched like a diamond at the continent’s crown. Theirs was the tribe that held magic in one talon and technology in the other, their cities gleaming with ancient ice and new steel, lit by moon globes and incandescent bulbs alike.
And when they died, they would enter the Underworld, as cold and perfect as the land above it, and join the ranks of the dead under Queen Glacier’s rule. Yes, the Ice Kingdom truly had everything a dragon needed to prosper, sheltered behind impenetrable walls that kept the rest of the world out.
It was no wonder, then, that few IceWings knew just how easy it was to leave.
—✧—
The two silver coins weighed heavily in Hailstorm’s palms. They were larger than normal currency and seemed colder than ordinary metal should be, as if they were mimicking the chill that radiated from every IceWing’s scales.
“We do not ask this of you lightly, Hailstorm,” Tundra said. “Considering Winter’s past failures in catching even simple prey, it’s clear he will need guidance, regardless of what tradition says. But your involvement in the task should be subtle.”
“I understand, Mother,” Hailstorm replied in an obedient tone honed to perfection through years surrounded by royals and nobles.
“Good. Icicle will need no assistance, skilled as she is with both claw and crossbow. But your brother has always been more receptive to your teachings than ours.” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “Don’t let him fail before he even has his chance to prove himself.”
Hailstorm struggled to keep his tone mild. “Of course. And Queen Glacier knows about this challenge?”
“Her Majesty has many matters to deal with, and the affairs of dragonets are of little concern to her,” Narwhal answered. “But of course she respects the act of proving oneself through competition. You of all IceWings should know this.”
Hailstorm curled his claws around the token in his right talon. “It will take a few days, but I’ll make sure he succeeds.”
“Excellent,” Tundra said, plucking the one on the left. “I’ll see you both on the Brightest Night.”
Narwhal waited until the sound of his mate’s talonsteps had receded down the hall. “Regardless of Tundra’s feelings, Hailstorm,” he muttered, “if Winter were not to return from such a dangerous hunt, for whatever reason… perhaps it would be more merciful.” The grim look in his eyes made it clear exactly what kind of mercy he expected.
Hailstorm said nothing, and rubbed a claw along the name embossed on the silver token.
—❆—
“A hunting expedition beyond the wall? Hailstorm, are you sure this is allowed?”
Hailstorm gave Winter one of those carefree smiles that was both teasing and sincere at once. “If it wasn’t allowed, don’t you think a soldier would’ve stopped us by now? But look, not a dragon in sight.”
Winter didn’t move. “I don’t know. This doesn’t feel right. Won’t Mother and Father be furious if they find out we’re leaving the kingdom?”
Hailstorm rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about them. No one is important enough to question the decisions of Glacier’s business protégé, not even Mother and Father, so he’s allowed to take his little brother hunting wherever he wants.” He pointed out past the wall. “Now come on!”
He was right, as always, but that didn’t ease Winter’s rising feeling of anxiety as he flew after Hailstorm over the Great Ice Cliff. The structure was as silent and peaceful as any regular wall, and made no move to stop them as they soared past.
Far ahead, Winter spotted the distant gleam of sunlight on metal. It must be one of Queen Glacier’s railroad lines running down to the southern parts of the continent. Winter had never seen one up close, much less an actual train. But Hailstorm was banking east instead, and Winter had to beat his wings a little faster to keep up.
Hailstorm did a sudden spin in the air, graceful enough not to disturb the heavy satchel slung over his chest. “Finally, we’re out of there! Only blue skies ahead. If we’re fast enough, we might be able to reach the edge of the Sky Kingdom by nightfall.”
Winter’s heart leapt. “The Sky Kingdom? Why in all the world are we going hunting there?”
Hailstorm glanced back at him sheepishly. “So much for the big surprise. You’ve always wanted to see a real scavenger den, haven’t you? I think we have time for a little detour on our big hunt.”
“Really?” Winter couldn’t stop his ears from perking up. “You think we can find a whole scavenger den, just flying around on our own?”
“It’s just a different kind of hunting, right? I’m sure we can track it down easily.” He grinned. “Trust your big brother—I’m good enough to find your scavengers and a big enough creature to bring back for the Royal Court!”
There was no dissuading Hailstorm once he got an idea in his head. If he wanted to do something, he’d always find a way, no matter what Winter said. But getting to see scavengers was never a bad deal. “Fine,” he said. “You’d better keep your promise.”
“That’s the spirit!” said Hailstorm. “And I even borrowed something that’ll make your scavenger-watching a bit easier.”
He leveled out next to Winter in a steady glide and extended his wrists. Two diamond-studded wristbands hung slightly loose around his talons. “This is the gift of stealth. With these, you can walk right up to a scavenger and wave your talons in front of her face, and she won’t even blink!”
The wristbands were ornate and elegant and clearly sized for an older dragon, but Winter couldn’t help but stare at them in awe. Hailstorm really was the best brother ever, wasn’t he? And if he promised they could bring back enough prey to make Mother and Father happy, there was really no reason to doubt him.
He did his best to ignore his misgivings as they flew further into unfamiliar territory, past a wall no IceWing should ever want to cross, where dangers beyond his imagination could lurk in any shadow.
—✧—
Hailstorm dipped his talons into the stream and splashed water onto his face, sighing with relief as the droplets ran down his snout. The forest at sundown might be cooler than flying beneath the midday sun, but it would only be comfortably cold once it got dark.
They had been traveling for two days now. Last evening, they’d encountered a few wooden structures in the forest that were clearly too small to be dragon-made. Winter’s eyes had shone like moons when he saw them, and even though they were clearly abandoned, he’d spent a few hours inspecting the primitive buildings, sketching with charcoal and excitedly rambling about woodland scavenger construction behaviors. It had taken forever to convince him to move on, but Hailstorm had never seen Winter smile quite so wide.
Today hadn’t been quite as lucky; not a single trace of a scavenger anywhere along their path. Winter was disappointed but still agreeable enough as they traveled, though the heat was definitely making him a bit grumpy, and he kept acting like someone was going to jump out of the trees and attack them in the night. Hopefully the prey they’d caught earlier would settle his nerves a bit.
Hailstorm found himself walking a bit quieter through the darkening woods towards their lantern’s flickering light, just bright enough from here to softly illuminate any stray roots or hanging branches he might get caught on. There was no danger out here, but it was still better not to stay away from each for too long.
“Winter, you’d better have left some of that deer for me!” Hailstorm called as he pushed his way through the shrubs around their campsite, ducking to avoid a low-hanging pine bough trying to snag the branched tips of his horns.
But Winter wasn’t eating. Instead, he was staring at something in his palm with a perplexed expression and Hailstorm’s satchel lying open by his feet.
“This… this is a Diamond Token, isn’t it?” Winter said in a faint voice. His eyes flicked up to meet Hailstorm’s, wide with worry. “And it has my name on it. Hailstorm, why do you have this?”
One simple question, enough to erase years of elocution and etiquette lessons. Hailstorm found himself tongue-tied for the first time in his memory. “Winter, I… it’s just—”
“Did Mother and Father give this to you? Why didn’t I know?”
He wasn’t supposed to find out so soon. Hailstorm should’ve just thrown the stupid coin away when he had the chance.
“Winter, you have to understand,” he pleaded. “Mother and Father aren’t doing this to help you. It’s all a ploy to improve Icicle’s standing as a Queen candidate and get rid of you at the same time. I couldn’t stand by and just let it happen.”
“The scavengers… the hunt… was any of it true?”
Hailstorm lowered his gaze. “I had to get you out of there somehow. They’d given me the perfect excuse already, sending me to guide you on your Grand Hunt before the Trial. I studied the guards’ schedules and found a window where we could slip past the wall.”
He took a step closer to Winter, even as the dragonet bowed his own head. “Once we get far enough into the Sky Kingdom, you can vanish into one of those mountain villages. And then I’ll go back to the Ice Kingdom myself and tell them you died on your Hunt.” His voice shook for a moment. “It’s the only way you can survive this Winter, I’m telling you.”
Winter was silent for a moment. Then he looked back up at Hailstorm, blue eyes full of anger. “You want me to run away like a coward. You don’t believe in me at all, do you?”
“This isn’t cowardice—”
“Of course it is!” Winter snarled, and Hailstorm had to fight the urge to take a step back. “That’s why you had to trick me, isn’t it? How noble, the great Prince Hailstorm throwing his poor, Sixth Circle little brother out before he messes up again, since he can’t possibly prove himself!”
“Prove yourself?” Hailstorm almost laughed. “Do you think this is really about rankings and reputation? After all these years, do you actually still believe Mother and Father want you to succeed?”
“Maybe they do!” Winter blurted out, claws curling tight around the Token. “Maybe this is finally my chance to be a real IceWing, and they’ll finally stop looking at me like I’m a disappointment when I win the Trial!”
“This isn’t a game, Winter! The Royal Court is a pack of wolves, and you are a wounded deer. You will die if you enter the Diamond Caves, and that’s exactly what Mother and Father want.”
A strange light entered Winter’s eyes. “Death? What’s death to an IceWing, anyway?” He raised his head high. “If I die in combat, I’ll serve honorably in Queen Glacier’s Underworld like a real IceWing should. I’m not afraid!”
“Are you even hearing yourself?” Hailstorm hissed, feeling his neck spines begin to rise. “Do you think I want to watch you get murdered?”
“How should I know what you want, after you lied to me?” Winter retorted. He laughed suddenly, a short and humorless sound. “For all I know, maybe you actually want to get rid of me too! You’ll be Queen Glacier’s ideal business partner without a dead weight dragging you down!”
“That doesn’t even make sense!”
“I don’t care anymore!” Winter shouted. “I don’t want to go another step further. I’m not wasting my life outside the Ice Kingdom with inferior dragons and their strange gods. Even if you think it’s better for me.”
Hailstorm felt a strange sadness wash over him. “Waste your life?” he repeated. “Aren’t you tired, Winter? Don’t you want to be free of their expectations, do what you want without an entire kingdom muttering behind your back?”
He ran a claw along the chain around his neck, and the single circular pendant that hung from it. “Even I’m tired of the rankings, sometimes. But the Royal Court needs me, and I don’t have it half as hard as you.” His frustration rose again. “You might be the first royal IceWing in two thousand years who can actually escape, and you’re so stubborn you’re just throwing your chance away.”
“You can’t make that choice for me. I’m an IceWing, and the only place I should ever be is the Ice Kingdom.” Winter huffed angrily, lashing his tail. “I’m done talking to you. When was the Trial supposed to happen, anyway?”
“On the Brightest Night,” Hailstorm said. He took a deep breath, trying to get his temper back in control. “Which, if you haven’t noticed, is tonight.”
Winter grabbed the satchel. “I have my Token. If I leave now and don’t stop flying, I can make it before the day after tomorrow, and then me and Icicle can still fight.”
“You don’t even know which way to go.”
“Well, it’s a good thing someone helped Her Majesty put railroad lines all over the continent, leading directly to the Ice Kingdom!”
Hailstorm seized the satchel’s other strap. “I’m not letting you go back.”
Winter glowered at him. “Good thing I’m not asking for your permission.”
He wasn’t sure which of them moved first. There was a flash of pale blue, and suddenly Winter was clawing at Hailstorm’s chest while his own talons held the dragonet back by the shoulders.
“Will you stop it?” Hailstorm growled. He aimed a downward swipe at Winter’s head, but Winter somehow dodged beneath him as he reared upward, swiftly climbing onto Hailstorm’s back and digging his claws into the sensitive skin of his wing joints.
Surprisingly nimble, Hailstorm thought even as he roared with pain. Maybe he’d give Icicle a little trouble after all.
He threw himself into a forward roll that tossed Winter over his head, and the two of them tumbled over and over until they crashed into the base of a pine tree. Hailstorm slammed his talons down on Winter’s chest, pinning him in place.
“I really don’t want to hurt you,” he said. “Please, Winter, just stop!”
“LET GO OF ME!” Winter roared, struggling to escape Hailstorm’s grip, but he simply pressed down a little harder, gritting his teeth. He could hold Winter here all night if he really had to.
But then he heard a sound, faintly, from somewhere above. He shifted a talon to Winter’s mouth, muffling his growling. “Shut up and listen!”
Winter went still, and the noise became clearer: wingbeats overhead, growing louder by the second.
Hailstorm released his brother and scanned the trees around them. They had rolled into an exposed clearing in the forest, brightly illuminated by the light of all three full moons. There was nowhere to hide, and whoever was coming was approaching fast.
Excerpt from A Complete History of Animus Gifts, Second Edition, written and maintained by the historians of the Royal IceWing Library:
The Diamond Trial, also known as the gift of vengeance, was enchanted by Queen Diamond II during her Reign of Vengeance (2982–3056 AS). It was the last animus-enchanted gift granted by a queen to the IceWing tribe, before a new bloodline ascended the throne and divinity could only be wielded by a reigning queen.
The Trial would take place within the Diamond Caves located in the far northwest, a system of ice caverns only accessible to challengers via two Diamond Tokens. Once the Trial was fixed, these large silver coins would display the names of the two competing dragons and allow them access to the two separate entrances into the Caves. It is unknown what the true nature of the Trial is, but a single champion would need both Tokens to be able to exit the Caves.
For dragonet challenges only, an adult with a close relation to the dragonet would be allowed to request a Trial on their behalf, but the dragonet would have to officially accept. It was also permitted for a close adult to remain in possession of the dragonet’s Diamond Token up until the start of the Trial. A Token with a challenger’s name on it could not be thrown away or destroyed by any other dragon—it would simply return to the challenger if an attempt was made. In fact, the only way to cancel a Trial was for a competitor to turn down the challenge directly, or be disqualified due to serious injury or death.
At some point, a tradition known as the Grand Hunt was created to take place alongside the Trial, transforming the event from a private, somber ceremony to a more exciting courtly affair. Before going to the Caves, both competitors would hunt dangerous, impressive beasts to be enjoyed by the victor and the Royal Court during a Victory Feast immediately following the Trial’s completion.
In its early years, the Diamond Trial was primarily used as a method to swap the positions of two dragons or dragonets with an unbridgeable gap in the rankings, i.e. several Circles apart. Later, it was a popular method for potential heirs to eliminate each other, decreasing their competition for queenhood. Nowadays, the Trial is rarely needed, though any champion today would likely still be regarded as a highly successful warrior by the First Circle and the Tribe at large.