"So let me get this straight," Storm said, arching his eyebrows disbelievingly. "The queen sent a half-trained, incompetent assassin to kill the DRAGONETS OF DESTINY!?" 

"Hey! No need to shout." Chrystal was packing her wolfskin bags for the journey. She was excited. Chrystal had never been out of the Ice Kingdom before, and she wanted to know what "trees" looked like. "I was surprised too. And I am not incompetent. Even if I was, someone would think that someone couldn't do his job properly." Storm narrowed his eyes her. Chrystal clipped the metal cuffs around her front arms and loaded the throwing stars. She tied the pouched of weapons around her wings, thinking about the assignment. It was so exciting! A real mission! 

"Maybe I should do it instead. You heard about what happened to Scarlet." Storm tried weakly. Chrystal rolled her eyes. Storm was annoying, but always tried to be friendly. Only when his job was at stake, of course. 

"A bunch of baby dragonets aren't going to stop me. I'll search the entire continent if I have to." Storm snorted. 

"Fine," He flapped his wings at her. "Go! Get out of here!" Chrystal stepped back, bowed, and took off winging her way towards the Great Ice Cliff barely visible in the horizon. It took the whole day, but Chrystal finally made it to the edge of the Ice Kingdom and beyond the Cliff. She let out a startled gasp. It was so green. Plants, real plants were growing through cracks in the mounds of frozen dirt. She passed Blaze's fortress on her way towards the the desert. What a dumb place for a fortress. Chrystal rolled her eyes. If Blaze wanted to stay alive, she should at least try to hide her fortress. Chrystal didn't even understand Glacier had bothered to build the fort in the first place. It wasn't like Blaze was going to stay after the war was over. Chrystal checked her map of Pyrrhia, trying to figure out where the dragonets might be. The Sky Kingdom? Chrystal shrugged. Worth a look. Chrystal angled her wings towards the distant mountains. Jade Mountain loomed over her head as she flew by. Chrystal couldn't believe how up it was. And how green the whole world was. It was honestly amazing. Suddenly, as she flew over a large forest the smell of pine flew into her nose along with a painful rush of memories. Cold. Pain. Fear. Chrystal was on a training mission with her little sister, Borealis. Borealis was only two years old, but the expectations for her were high. The snow was howling like an arctic wolf. Borealis was shivering so hard her teeth were chattering.  

"Hhhhooww much further, Chrystal?" Borealis leaned trustingly into Chrystal's side. Chrystal placed her blue wings over Borealis. "I'mmm cold. Even for an IceWing." She mumbled. 

"I know." Chrystal said soothingly. "But the test is almost over. One night. One night in a blizzard and we jump automatically to the First Circle. Mom and Dad will be so proud of you."  

"Where's that cave Snowfall told you about?" Borealis looked around the barren landscape. 

"I don't know, but she said that it would be a great hiding place for us for the night." Chrystal didn't trust Snowfall at all, but if Chrystal and Borealis passed this ranking test, they would jump even ahead of Snowfall. Snowfall was being a good sport about it, telling them about this cave. 

"THERE!" Borealis suddenly shouted. A cave loomed ahead of them, just big enough for Chrystal to fit into. Borealis ran ahead and wiggled into the narrow opening, Chrystal right on her tail. Borealis slumped onto the ground as soon as they were safe inside. The cave wasn't exactly warm, but it shielded them from the snow and wind. The whole cave smelled like pine forests Chrystal had occasionally visited on ranking tests. It was dark and underneath the scent of pine, their was another, sharper scent. Something that smelled almost alive. Chrystal laid down on the floor and closed her eyes. Suddenly she heard claws tapping on the hard floor. 

"Borealis," Chrystal yawned and stretched. "What is it?" But Borealis was asleep on the floor. The claws were still scraping on the ground. Almost as if  someone else was here. Suddenly, a polar bear, the biggest one Chrystal had EVER SEEN, lunged out of the darkness, standing on its hind legs and roaring. This was a polar bear cave! Snowfall knew! She sent them their on purpose! To keep them from jumping her in the rankings. All these thoughts flashed in her head at once, momentarily distracting her from the polar bear. Borealis jumped to her feet into an attack position, facing the bear. Chrystal ran at the bear shouting, 

"Borealis! Hide!" Chrystal reached out with her claws towards the bear. But the bear had quicker  reflexes then Chrystal expected, and threw her across the cave with ease. Chrystal's head sang painfully as it collided with the cave wall. Her vision was blurry. Don't pass out. Don't pass out. She thought dizzily. Borealis couldn't possibly handle that huge bear on her own. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her head and the last thing Chrystal saw was Borealis lunging towards the bear. Then, sharp claws prodded her neck. 

"Wake up!" A cold voice said. Chrystal opened her eyes and found her mother's gaze latched onto her. Chrystal looked wildly around. She was lying in one of the beds in the Healer's tower back at the palace. Chrystal looked for Borealis, but the other two beds in the room were empty. Chrystal's eyes finally landed on her talons. 

"I failed the test." She said miserably. 

"You failed in two ways." Seal's eyes made Chrystal want to run and hide in a snowbank. "Because you failed the ranking test, you dropped down into the Fourth Circle. Wolf and I are very disappointed in you." Chrystal's mouth dropped open. She couldn't have possibly dropped so low because of one ranking test. Unless...

"And you failed in another way." Seal's words wavered just enough that Chrystal's heart pounded. "Your sister is dead. And it is all your fault." 

                                                                         *                   *                   *

Chrystal came out of the memory with a start, lurching backwards into a pine tree. She clawed at her face. 

"Stop it!" She yelled at herself. I have to get out of here. The dragonets wouldn't be here, when they just escaped, and Chrystal needed to get out of this forest. She opened her wings and shot out of the forest, flying away fast as her wings could take her. She flipped over a mental map of Pyrrhia, crossing off places right away. The Rainforest Kingdom. Nope. The Mud Kingdom. That would be bad for them. The MudWing's are on Burn's side. The Ice Kingdom. Don't think so. Kingdom of the Sea. Only one can breath underwater. The Kingdom of Sand. Possible. Maybe in the Scorpion Den. Chrystal nodded to herself. I'll check their. Chrystal angled her wings towards the far off desert. 

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Okay! Hi again! I hope you liked that chapter. Coming up is one of my favorite chapters! 

OMG, I don't know if you would agree, but Chrystal's backstory is so sad. Even I didn't expect that much sadness. But believe me it is going to get worse.