Swamp? It took a while for Peaceflyt to comprehend. He couldn’t even form the thought for a few seconds. It was SWAMP? Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. Swamp? Was it really not anyone else? Was it really Swamp? He was trying to stay invisible, but it was hard to focus on doing that when he was in a cold sweat.

Swamp? The one Swamp? My friend Swamp? He's dead? Color flooded back through Peaceflyt as he closed his wings and laid on the floor.

“Peaceflyt?” Walnut asked, concerned, fading back into color as well. “Are you okay? What's wrong?”

“Swamp,” Peaceflyt whispered. “He’s dead.” He couldn't bring himself to cry, not right now. He was still in a state of shock.

“Swamp?” Pelican exclaimed in surprise. “The one from school?”

“Yeah,” Peaceflyt said.

“How do you kno- oh,” Pelican said, noticing the skyfire on the ground next to Peaceflyt’s arm.

“They also said it,” Peaceflyt managed.

“I didn't hear them-”

“They were really far away when they said it.” Peaceflyt’s chest heaved in sorrow. “I’m sorry. I have to take a break.” He walked over to the lake and dove in. There, he could have more time to himself and his thoughts.

He’s my friend! Why did he have to die? He never did anything to deserve that! He was always super nice! All the MudWings at Jade Mountain are nice! Why would someone kill one of them? That idiotic murderer, don't they know they just killed an innocent dragonet? This train of thought continued for a while and he let himself cry. But eventually when he felt better, he decided to go back up to the surface.

“Are you okay?” Pelican asked as rose out of the water.

“Yeah,” Peaceflyt lied. He looked at his arm and realized that his skyfire was still off and he was subconsciously listening to his friends’ minds. From what he could tell, Walnut and Pelican were distressed about Swamp’s death. They weren't as close to him as Peaceflyt but still knew him. Meanwhile, Atacama, Pyramid, and Sparrow were mostly just surprised, as they didn't really know him well. But the news of his death brought to their attention Peak, and if she was still alive.

Oh yeah, Peak, Peaceflyt thought, momentarily distracted. He picked up his skyfire and put it back into his pouch, muting everyone's thoughts. I really really hope she's still alive. I don't want there to be two deaths. How will I deal with that? He stood still for a second, thinking about that, when he overheard Sparrow say something.

“Where even is Peak?”

Oh, yeah! Peaceflyt thought, an idea striking his mind. I could use my location rock. Why didn't I think of that? Maybe it would help. He reached inside his pouch and pulled out the rock, which was under a few other animus-touched objects. It still had the engraving on it from the first time he asked it where Peak was. I’m glad no one stole it, he thought. Then they’d know where Peak was. They probably wouldn’t know who Peak is, though. But still.

“Erase,” he said. The message on the rock promptly disappeared. Then he put his mouth up close to the rock and ordered, “Tell me where Peak the SkyWing is right now.”

A second or two passed, and then a new message began etching itself in the rock. “Peak the SkyWing-NightWing hybrid… is currently in the middle of the ocean… between the Sea Kingdom and the Sky Kingdom,” Peaceflyt read as the message appeared. “Obstacles have kept the exact location hidden.”

Obstacles? Peaceflyt thought. What obstacles? Can't this work through anything? Did I not enchant it right? Unless this prison is more high-tech than I thought.

He walked over to where his friends were standing and extended his arm so they could see the rock. “I kind of found out where Peak is. Again.”

Everyone's heads immediately turned towards him. “Really?” Atacama said excitedly. “Is it any different?”

“It’s just worded different,” Peaceflyt explained. “But there's a little bit more info.”

“I gotta see this,” she said excitedly, running up to Peaceflyt. He held the rock up so Atacama could read it.

“Peak the SkyWing-NightWing is currently in… the middle of the ocean… between the Sea Kingdom and the Sky Kingdom,” she read slowly.

“So basically the same as last time,” Pyramid observed. “That helps.”

“Wait, there's more,” Peaceflyt said. “It says ‘obstacles have kept the exact location hidden.’ Isn’t that weird?”

“Well, if it can get through anything, yeah,” Pyramid said.

“See? I thought it could get through anything! It's enchanted!”

“Hopefully it’s nothing too serious,” Walnut interjected.

“What if the dragon who made the prison made it protected from animus magic?” Pelican asked.

“Then they'd be dangerous,” Sparrow said. “They'd have to be an animus dragon.”

“Or they kidnapped one and forced them to enchant it,” added Pyramid with an extremely concerned face.

“That would be bad,” Peaceflyt said.

“We do know that she's still in the same place, though,” Walnut said optimistically. “Last time it also said she was between the Sea and Sky Kingdoms. So at least we know she isn't being moved.”

“That’s true,” Pyramid said. She looked around for Atacama, but realized she wasn't next to her anymore. “Atacama?”

“We gotta go,” a voice behind Pyramid said. Pyramid whipped around and saw Atacama impatiently waiting there.

“What are you-”

“We know where Peak is. The middle of the Sea and Sky Kingdoms. So we should go! Come on!” She flew up in the air and hovered there, waiting for her friends to join her.

“That makes sense,” Sparrow said, and she and Pyramid both took off and flew over to her.

Atacama looked expectantly at Peaceflyt, Walnut, and Pelican. Walnut looked at Peaceflyt and said, “I mean, she has a good point.” She joined them as well.

“Yeah,” Pelican said. “Why not? Let's go.”

Peaceflyt nearly felt an anxiety attack coming on. We're going to the ocean. We're getting close. WHICH IS GOOD. But that means I'm closer to death than ever. I might die. While trying to help a dragon in a prison. Maybe I should just fly back from here-

DON'T think that way! Don't think like a coward! Don't be selfish! Your friend’s life depends on you! Multiple of your friends’ lives depend on you! He looked at the faces of Atacama, Pyramid, Sparrow, and Walnut hovering in front of him. If he left now, they might get killed by something in the Sea Kingdom Peaceflyt could easily protect them from with magic. No matter how much he wanted to abort the mission, he knew it was too late. Plus, looking into his friends’ eyes, he knew he would do as much as he could to prevent their deaths. And that meant going.

Peaceflyt took a deep breath. “Ok, I’m ready.” Pelican gave him a reassuring smile, and they took off north with Walnut, Atacama, Pyramid, and Sparrow.

Sea Kingdom, here we come.