The Brightest Night (book)

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The Brightest Night is the fifth and final book in the first arc of the New York Times bestselling series Wings of Fire. The main protagonist is Sunny. The book was officially released on March 25th, 2014.

The Brightest Night is preceded by The Dark Secret and is followed by Moon Rising.

Summary

One will have the power of wings of fire . . .

Sunny has always taken the Dragonet Prophecy very seriously. If Pyrrhia's dragons need her, Clay, Tsunami, Glory, and Starflight to end the war, she's ready to try. She even has some good ideas on how to do it, if anyone would listen to her.

But shattering news from Morrowseer has shaken Sunny's faith in their destiny. Is it possible for anyone to end this terrible war and choose a new SandWing queen? What if everything they've been through was for nothing?

Buried secrets, deadly surprises, and an unexpected side to scavengers are all waiting for her in the shifting sands of the desert, where Sunny must decide once and for all: Is her destiny already written?

Or can five dragonets change their fate and save the world . . . the way they choose?

Quote on back of hardcover

It was Clay, with his wings shielding Starflight. Starflight's front talons were covering his eyes, and long burns were blistering along his scales. As soon as they reached the open air, he collapsed to the ground.

"Stay back!" Tsunami shouted ferociously at the dragons who were flapping around them.

"Starflight!" Sunny cried, feeling a stab of guilt. He's hurt. I never should have left my friends with Morrowseer. She jumped forward, trying to squeeze through the crowd of frantic dragons to get to him.

But suddenly talons wrapped around Sunny's snout and shoulders, and she was yanked backward into the dark trees.

Dedication

For Adalyn — may you be fierce and brave and sunny, and may you always choose your own destiny.

Plot

Prologue: Twenty Years Ago ...

The book began with a flashback to twenty years before the events of the first arc, right before the war began. Queen Oasis heard a noise in the treasury and went to investigate, running into Blister and Blaze in the hallway. Oasis noted how Blaze would be an awful queen but was a good daughter, how she and Burn had different interests but got along, and how Blister had always made her feel uneasy. She realized that scavengers had stolen some of the most important treasure in her possession, including the Eye of Onyx. Oasis went out to find and attack them and told Blister to get Burn for backup. Queen Oasis went out to eliminate the thieving scavengers but realized that she had forgotten to lock up the treasury. She thought about the possibility that that Blister might take something but resolved to punish her badly if she did. She reflected that Blister may not be getting Burn, but she saw that there were only three scavengers and decided to deal with them herself. She approached them, and the prologue ended with the foreshadowing, "After all ... what's the worst that could happen?"

Part 1: The Shifting Sands

Sunny fled from the Night Kingdom after Morrowseer told her that the prophecy was false and that her destiny was never real. She kept wondering what would happen to her and the other dragonets as she returned to the rainforest. She bumped into a NightWing and listened as Queen Glory began talking to the NightWings about what was expected of them. Two RainWings then dragged Mastermind forward, telling Glory he should be punished. Glory had him bound, but before anything else happened, Fatespeaker, Tsunami, Clay, and Starflight came out of the tunnel, escaping a massive fireball. Clay put Starflight on the ground, and before Sunny could get to him, she was dragged into the forest by three NightWings.

The three NightWings, revealed to be Preyhunter, Fierceteeth, and Strongwings, revealed their plans to use Sunny as a bargaining chip to win the NightWing throne. Sunny tried to derail their efforts by belittling herself but ended up feeling guilty about it. Preyhunter then revealed the Obsidian Mirror and used it to spy on Glory. In the image, Glory told Jambu to count all of the NightWings, but upon realizing that Jambu could not count, changed her mind and had Deathbringer do it instead. Preyhunter then called Deathbringer a traitor. Clay appeared in the image with an update on Starflight's injuries. Tsunami appeared and mentioned that Sunny was upset and said not to worry about her. When Glory asked why Sunny was upset and heard why, she got mad and started ranting at dead Morrowseer, promising to bite his head off, stuff him in a volcano, and kill him again. Clay and Tsunami belittled Sunny's faith in the prophecy, angering Sunny. The NightWings debated selling Sunny for a reward and decided on Burn. At that moment, Sunny bit Fierceteeth's tail and fled, being pursued by the three NightWings.

Sunny soon managed to get away from them, and when they gave up, Sunny decided to prove her friends wrong about her and followed the dragons. They stopped near Jade Mountain, and Sunny managed to steal the Obsidian Mirror leaving the NightWings a cryptic, threatening message on a large flat rock. Sunny left to find her friends, and used the Obsidian Mirror to spy on Blister along the way. She heard that Blister was planning to kill Burn, but was unable to figure out how. She then spied on the NightWings and heard Fierceteeth yelling when she realized the Mirror was missing. Strongwings was terrified by her messages, claiming that it must be the work of The Darkstalker, but Fierceteeth dismissed this. They soon decided to keep going without the mirror and Sunny followed them through the Claws of the Clouds Mountains. While following them, Sunny found the remains of a scavenger den. She marveled at the craftsmanship and wondered how the scavengers made the village. Sunny then continued to follow them to the desert. The three NightWings went to the Scorpion Den first, to send a message to Burn.

When Sunny arrived at the Scorpion Den, she watched the NightWings try to gain entry. She decided to bury the Obsidian Mirror, to keep it safe, and when the NightWings were admitted, Sunny followed them. She was intercepted instantly by a SandWing who introduced himself as Six-Claws. Sunny tried to deny that she was following the NightWings, but Six-Claws did not appear to buy it. When Sunny gave up and said, "Yes, I'm following them because they tried to kill me," he gave her a tip, "When a dragon tries to kill you, run the other way." He explained about the Scorpion Den on the way to see Thorn. When they arrived, Thorn questioned the NightWings about Morrowseer and was told the NightWing prophet was dead. This angered her, and so she proceeded to kill Preyhunter, as she believed he was lying.

Thorn tried to get a more satisfying answer out of Fierceteeth and Strongwings, but they backed up Preyhunter's story. To save Starflight's sister, Sunny confirmed the tale. Thorn asked who she was and the two NightWings tried to ask for a message to Burn, but Thorn refused. Then Fierceteeth claimed that Sunny was the SandWing dragonet of destiny. Thorn dismissed the NightWings to "someplace unpleasant" and further questioned Sunny about her past. Thorn then revealed that she was Sunny's mother.

Soon afterward, a dragonbite viper was reported near an orphanage that had caught fire. Thorn left to confront the issue, leaving Sunny with Qibli but soon fell asleep afterwards. When Sunny woke up, Six-Claws was waiting for her so he could escort her to the party Thorn was throwing for her. However, Addax and some other SandWings appeared, holding Ostrich, Six-Claws' daughter, as a hostage. Addax explained that the dragonbite viper was simply a hoax to distract Thorn. He wanted Sunny so that he could give her to Burn in exchange for his return to the SandWing heir's army. Sunny told Six-Claws to make the trade, and he was forced to allow Sunny to go with Addax to Burn's stronghold.

Part 2: Burn's Stronghold

Sunny faltered while nearing the stronghold, smelling the rotting heads of decapitated dragons hanging on the walls. Sunny remembered where she had first seen Addax, at Scarlet's palace. Smolder, Burn's brother, took Sunny out of Addax's possession and escorted her to Burn's weirdling tower, where she would be held prisoner. Smolder told Sunny that three scavengers had killed Queen Oasis, and they encounter Scarlet and Flower, Smolder's pet scavenger. While there, she saw a white dragonet with no wings, only small buds were the wings were supposed to be, and it is conjectured that this might be a SilkWing. He apologetically chained Sunny to the upper level of the tower, promising to take her out for a walk later.

Smolder returned to unchain her. He let it slip that the Eye of Onyx was needed for anyone to be the next SandWing queen. During their walk, the stronghold was attacked by Thorn and the Outclaws. At the same time, Sunny discovered that Peril had come to save Queen Scarlet. Sunny convinced her to help, by making the Outclaws and Smolder's army stop fighting. Peril stopped the fight and Thorn along with the Outclaws starts searching for Sunny, but Thorn quickly dismissed the search as Sunny appeared in front of her. Thorn suggested touring the palace and headed to the library. Smolder then told Thorn that she had a letter from someone that was intercepted when he took them to look at it, he locked Thorn and Sunny in the library. Thorn discovered that Smolder was not lying about the letter, and it was from Sunny's father, a NightWing animus named Stonemover. When they escape, Sunny left for Jade Mountain where Thorn said her father lives. Thorn took care of the remaining Outclaws, while Peril freed Scarlet. When Sunny lands in Jade Mountain, she met her father, Stonemover. He admitted that he had built the tunnels between the Kingdom of Sand, the Rainforest Kingdom, and the Night Kingdom. He also confirmed the prophecy was a false statement and revealed that no NightWing has had telepathy or precognition in over a century.

Part 3: The Eye of Onyx

Sunny has woken up and was now ready to leave the cave. She informed Stonemover, but he did not want her to leave. Sunny decided on a plan and goes toward a scavenger den. She met two scavengers and names them Fluffy and Holler. They present her with their stolen SandWing treasure. The horde included a dreamvisitor, but not the Eye of Onyx. Later, she returned to the rainforest and reunited with the other dragonets and told them about everything that happened to her while she was away and her idea to end the war, which they all agreed to.

First, Tsunami and Sunny, guided by Ochre, fly to the Talons of Peace camp. They are greeted by Nautilus, Riptide, Avalanche, and an unknown SandWing and IceWing. The dragons notice a small, red SkyWing flying toward them, and Avalanche calls for Flame. The dragon, who happens to be Flame, replies, and dives for his mother. They embrace, and Riptide explains that Flame was taken from her while she was stationed at the SkyWing palace. Sunny and Tsunami ask Nautilus to send a specific message to Blister, and he agrees to do so.

Jambu and Mangrove go to the IceWings to get a message to Blaze. When the message through the IceWings fails, Sunny used the dreamvisitor to deliver the message to Blaze. Sunny hoped that Blaze listened, as she did not appear to do so.

Clay and Sunny used the dreamvisitor to tell Queen Moorhen of the MudWings to send a message to Burn. They learned of the MudWings' plan to eliminate the IceWings and beg the queen to abandon that plan. The queen agreed to tell Burn their message and hoped that she will not have to attack the IceWings.

At Burn's stronghold, the three sisters meet. Blister offered Burn a gift, to "reunite the family." The gift happened to be a box containing two dragonbite vipers. Burn ripped off the top, seizing one of the vipers, but she was unaware of the second one. The second viper leaped from the box, biting Burn's ankle. She stomped on the viper, killing it, but it is too late. The venom quickly killed the eldest and strongest of the sisters, and Burn's dead talons fell open, releasing the first viper.

The viper slithers about, reaching for Starflight and Sunny. Clay knocked them out of the way but was bitten in the process. Peril, denying Clay's imminent death, burned out the venom. She left a gaping hole in his thigh that would scar, leaving him limping, but this saved his life.

Blister then challenged Blaze to a one-on-one fight, only mere steps away from the throne. Mid-battle, Flower led Sunny to the grave of Queen Oasis, which was where the Eye of Onyx was hidden. Sunny decided to give the Eye to Thorn, declaring that Thorn should be the new SandWing queen. Out of rage, Blister revealed that she planned everything — from her mother's death to Burn's, and snatched the Eye out of Thorn's talons. The enchantment on the treasure reduced Blister to a pile of ash, leaving only Blaze left, who accepted Thorn as the new queen. Sunny then declared Thorn to be the queen of the SandWings, and thereby ending the war.

Epilogue: One Month Later ...

Clay, Sunny, Tsunami, Starflight, Glory, Fatespeaker and Deathbringer were planning out a intertribal school for young dragonets. Sunny looked out over Jade Mountain and asked her friends to picture a school there and whether or not it was perfect. The group agreed and pitch in their ideas about what to do with the school and who should attend it. Deathbringer mentioned Mightyclaws and Moonwatcher, a NightWing dragonet whose mother hid her egg in the rainforest. Sunny told Starflight that she does love him, but as a brother and that he should be with Fatespeaker, who does love him. Clay mentioned that Scarlet went missing after Peril rescued her. Tsunami thought that she could get both Anemone and Auklet to attend the school but in the end, only Anemone did.

The dragonets call the fulfilled prophecy "The Last Prophecy," and take to the sky.

Special Edition

A special edition of The Brightest Night was released on October 7th, 2025. It includes a never-before-seen sketch of the Smolder and Rose art, and a Q&A with Tui.

Mistakes

• On the English cover, Sunny's tongue is not forked and is pink. Neither SandWings nor NightWings have pink or non‐forked tongues.
• On the summary of the hardcover book, there was an editor's mistake with "waiting" spelled "wailing."^{[citation needed]}
• The SandWing guard from the Scorpion Den is first referred to as female then male.
• Queen Scarlet's palace is mistakenly referred to as Burn's palace.
• Smolder mentioned losing "[Sunny] and Scarlet in one fell swoop," although Peril had not rescued Scarlet yet, and he hadn't been with Sunny and Peril to know what Peril was going to do.
• Vermilion is misspelled as Vermillion in the title of Smolder's letter "A Letter from Smolder of the SandWings to Vermillion of the SkyWings on the Challenges and Joys of Scavenger Pet Ownership."
• Qibli says "we make sure those what have too much are convinced to pass some along to them with nothing." The correct grammar would be "we make sure those that have too much are convinced to pass some along to those with nothing."

Trivia

• There was a Barnes & Noble exclusive edition with a tear-out, foldout copy of Smolder's letter to Vermilion regarding scavengers. This letter later appears in the last pages of Winter Turning.

Gallery

Click here to see the cover gallery.

International Releases

• Chinese: 火翼飞龙. 预言龙和屠龙蛇的生死之战 (July 2016)
• French: Les Royaumes de Feu. La Nuit-la-plus-claire (September 2016)
• German: Wings of Fire. Die letzte Königin (March 2017)
• Italian: I Regni del Fuoco. La Notte Delle Tre Lune (September 2017)
• Russian: Драконья сага. Трёхлунная ночь (December 2017)
• Polish: Skrzydła ognia. Najjaśniejsza noc (January 2018)
• Czech: Ohnivá křídla. Nejzářivější noc (November 2020)
• Korean: 불의 날개와 예언의 밤 (March 2022)
• Finnish: Tulisiivet. Kirkkain yö (October 2022)
• Dutch: Vleugels Van Vuur. De helderste nacht (September 2023)
• Turkish: Ateşten Kanatlar. En Parlak Gece (November 2023)
• Hungarian: Tűz Szárnyak. A legfényesebb éjszaka (2024)

References

cs:Nejzářivější Noc de:Die letzte Königin fi:Kirkkain yö fr:La Nuit-la-plus-Claire ko:불의 날개와 예언의 밤 nl:De helderste nacht (boek) pl:Najjaśniejsza Noc ru:Трёхлунная Ночь uk:Найяскравіша ніч