Summary

In Chapter 18, Clay arrives in the arena the next morning with no idea how to fight an unknown dragon. The guards drop an IceWing into the arena and an announcer introduces him as Fjord. Clay sees a MudWing in the audience and silently pleads for help and the MudWing looks away, apparently unable to watch or leave. The announcer introduces Clay as possibly one of the dragonets of the prophecy, pointing out that the prophecy will be unfulfilled if Clay dies in the fight. Clay feels good at being identified as “Clay of the MudWings,” even in this dangerous situation. Clay tries to talk to Fjord who is clearly only interested in killing Clay. Starflight captures Clay's attention, pantomiming just in time for Clay to avoid a killing blast of “Freezing-death breath” (132). The fight goes on and IceWing shrieks in anger that Clay...