We arrive at the fortress, and evidence of the Arboc Owl attack is already obvious. Owls and Frogs lay scattered on the floor.

“Where are they? Can any of you see them?” I ask the others, especially Linton, as his owl species can see very well.

“Negative.”

“Ioannis?”

“You’re more likely to hear them before you see them.”

So, we listen for any scuffling. And, as if someone has stuck a song up my ears, I hear scuffling.

“Pah. Lucidious, none of us are going to bow to you.”

“Really... Ipzitch was it? The very owl who killed my master? You see, one of you has decided to betray me.”

“Really? Who? I’d like to see them.”

“Eric, come out if you please.”

And Eric flies out, and shakes off some dust, revealing a dusted out but clearly able to be seen as a symbol of the South.

“And now, we kill you. Kill him!”

Eric hesitates.

“Not as bloodthirsty as I thought? That can be dealt with.” and he swipes off Eric's head in one swipe.

“No!” I screech, and I break free of the wings and hands of the others.

I knock Lucidious down by surprise, and he blacks out. Meanwhile, the others come to loosen the ropes binding the others.

“This was sheer madness to come!” Ipzitchsaid.

“We found out Eric was an imposter so we came to warn you.” Ioannis explains.

At this, Lucidious wakes up.

“It’s you girl. You're more troublesome than your father. Mind you, you're a chip off the old block.”

“You...are...not..hurting...anyone..AGAIN!” I scream, kicking and scratching him, and each syllable comes with more hate. I think of Linton, Ethan, of my family and of Nicholas.

Stolen novel; please report.

And, with a toothy grin, he leaps out from underneath me, scratches me, and yells, “Come! To me! To the Island!” and he flies away with his army.

“We must get back!” Ipzitch said.

Agreed. We all turn to fly away, but something catches my eye. Cages. Hundreds of them. And in each one, is a living animal.

“Nicholas!” Linton yells. And there he was, in a cage. Dead.

“It seems they have killed all of these owls.” Ioannis said sadly.

“We must leave! The islands are under attack!” Ipzitch said.

We fly back, faster than ever. Trusting my instincts, we head in and out of caves, through the waves and return to the island. The unmistakable sign of battle ensues.

“Look, it's Amelia and Ipzitch!” says a soldier suddenly pointing to us.

Then we are separated, a sea of talons crushing us down. I see Ipzitch and Ioannis take to the sky, but Linton, carrying Ethan, falls down, blinded by the metal.

I dive towards them desperately, and an Owl stands in my way. I screech so loud, that he covers his ears and holds my claws out and takes off his head.

Swiping off the blood from my claws, I continue my descent. Linton regains flight, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Linton brings me closer!” Ethan says and Linton obliges, carrying him to another owl. Ethan jumps on between 5 owls and juggles between them, sticking their wings together, bringing them down. Linton barges into an eagle and it screams and falls down.

“Take that bird.”

“You’re a bird, Linton.” Ethan replies.

I, however, am searching for one target. And I found him.

“So, Ipzitch, we meet again.” he says, circling him.

“50 years. 50 years have passed.” Ipzitch replied.

Lucidious screeches as he lunges at Ipzitch. The attack is sidestepped and met with another.

Then they take up to the sky gracefully like two dancers in flight. However, there was a menacing attitude to the way they flew. Ipzitch nimbly strafed Lucidious’s heavy attacks, but a single blow, and Ipzitch crashed into the ground.

“So long, old man. The death flyer has returned. He lives, while I am to die.”

“ARRGH!” I screamed, biding my time, and I swooped in from the sky, blinding him. He laughs and flies out to meet me. I see a tear forming in Ipzitch’s eye, which is instantly replaced by astonishment when me and Lucidious meet.

We tumble to the ground like rocks.

I open my eyes. I’m not dead! But that means-

I look at where my claws are. They’re stuck fast in Lucidious half severed head.

I look horrified. And I am. I take my claws out and kick his body. But then he stands up behind me and raises his claws…

Ethan kicks him, his feet sinking into flesh, his face glazed with fury like I’ve never seen.

Linton lands, and looks triumphantly into his face and he laughs as he kicks him off the cliff, and into the crashing waves below.

Ipzitch limps towards me.

I looked horrified but reassured by my actions. I wipe Lucidious’s dirty blood off my claws, but he reassures us.

“Amelia, Linton and Ethan, you did what was right. And what you did was…”

“Exemplary.” I finished remembering Nicholas.

And so I had gained revenge.

The owls, seeing Lucidious' body fall, screeched and began to retreat. Applause, relief and happiness spread through the islands like wildfire.

“Now all that's left to do is free every side of the Forest, and kill Death Wing. Shouldn’t take too long. We’ll be back by the end of the week!” Ethan said, breathing hard.

Now I understand their fury. I understand all our anger. They took so much from us.

“And now, we take the war to them.” Ethan said grimly, wiping blood off his face.

Yes I thought. But first, a recount on what Linton did. Maybe this is when I seize the moment.

“Linton!”.

The others show enough tact to leave.

“From the beginning I thought you were cool. And now..”

He holds up a wing.

“No need.”

“You know?”

“Obviously. You’re going to say I’m good at fighting. Thank you.”

Seeing my blank expression, he pecks me on the cheek.

“Love you too.”