"Vulture is in place and Savanna is hiding somewhere." That is what Rattlesnake had said before they went into Rainfall's room that night. Swordfish felt like someone had slapped him in the face with an eel. Nobody had really known where Savanna had been. The plan involved him hiding and coming out to stall for time with the killer while the rest of the dragonets got help, but Savanna wasn't hiding. It was he, Farseer, Flame, and Pronghorn who had been sitting in the room with their robes on, watching Frigid sleep.
Why? Swordfish thought. Why were they watching Frigid? What's the point to doing that? We didn't even know we were looking for the chest until the time we went in with Delta… So they were just doing that? Why? What could Frigid possibly have to do with anything?
Suddenly, Savanna began to speak again. "We have gathered off of schedule because of a revelation that has happened at Jade Mountain Academy." The crowd remained silent. "This world is one of many. There are other worlds that exist. There are worlds where things are very different. And with these worlds, comes a way to get to them. A way to break out of this world, and into one where things are different." The crowd muttered, like they didn't believe it. "Those are the Grandmaster's words." Savanna said, his drawl strangely gone when he talked in front of these dragons. "But I personally saw this happen in front of me. I saw two dragons, exactly the same dragon. Yet one of them was dead, and one was alive. The dead one was from this world, and the other was one from another world." Swordfish glared at Savanna, and Savanna snuck a glance at Swordfish. Swordfish couldn't see his eyes because of the hood. What concerned Swordfish more was how the Grandmaster slowly turned his head to look at Swordfish, and didn't break the look for a while.
"Furthermore, there are beings called demons, which control our world per order of things called visitors. These 'visitors' are gods from other worlds. They control the different worlds, but the demons are corrupt. But that doesn't matter for us!" Savanna said passionately. "Through these worlds, and travellin' through them, we can contact a variation of our King! Our savior from 3007 A.S.!" The crowd began to mutter again, but it seemed like excited muttering. "Through all the variations of this world, through the rifts, we will finally be able to find the King! The one who will save this world!" The Darkists cheered and raised their fists into the air again. "He will destroy the prejudice that each tribe has for each other! Unite them all under one ruler!" Savanna cried. Swordfish heard a snicker from Onyx next to him, but Swordfish was more focused on the Grandmaster, who hadn't broken his gaze.
Swordfish turned to look back at Savanna. Why would he do this? What's his motivation? He lied to me. He lied to all of us. He even lied to Rattlesnake, the dragon he's known and loves. What in all of Pyrrhia could the Darkists have to offer that would make him betray and lie to her. He even attacked us in Rainfall's room that time when we stumbled across them.
Unless… this is an external force making him do this. Unless he was hypnotized or something. Or… Cassriel made him do this in the Old World for some reason, and when I went to a world "exactly like that one", it carried over? But what reason would Cassriel make this happen? Swordfish closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It seemed that whenever one question was answered, it created ten new ones.
Swordfish thought to times with Savanna. He said on the first day of history class that he works for Queen Blaze after he left the Outclaws… Yet the Darkists are willing to kill Blaze and put her on the throne. Swordfish glanced over at Onyx, who looked bored. So either he's not loyal to Blaze, or he's not actually working for her at all, and he lied to all of us right away. Swordfish thought back to every time he had been with Savanna. He had interrogated him in the library that time, and Swordfish wondered if that was a skill he had gotten from the Outclaws or from the Darkists.
Then, Swordfish remembered that Savanna had been the one to point out Rainfall's chest when Delta took them to Rainfall's room in her excitement. Savanna had been looking at where Frigid had been sleeping. Only three days after Swordfish had seen him and the other Darkists in their hoods, looking at Frigid.
The last thing Swordfish realized is that "Justice, Security, Peace" had been one of the things that sick Nightwing in the Rainforest had screamed. They had found Truthteller wandering the desert, just east of here. What did he know? Was he a Darkist, feigning insanity for some reason? To get close to Glory? Does the Darkist agenda include finishing what the Nightwings started, and toppling the Rainwings? I have to warn Glory.
"Furthermore," Savanna suddenly continued. "We may have found our Keyholder, also at Jade Mountain." The crowd muttered again, excited and hopeful. "You all must recall Moonwatcher's final prophecy." Savanna said, reading off of the scroll the Grandmaster had given him. "Moonwatcher began to see what was going to happen after her death, right before Prince Winter came to kill her." The crowd fell silent again. "Fire consumes the city of hope, dreams of peace are gone. The amnesiac holds the scarred one's wish, the sister plays as a pawn." Savanna read. "Those are the last documented words of Moonwatcher. The Nightwing's first prophet in 2000 years. We are the only ones to know of this prophecy, as one of our own members grabbed the scroll Moonwatcher had written in from the ruins of Possibility. We have long interpreted the prophecy to refer to our Grandmaster when it says 'Scarred one.'"
"We have scoured all over the place, looking for the amnesiac, the keyholder, and now, I, Savanna of the Sandwings, have found him at Jade Mountain." Savanna said triumphantly. "He was in my own winglet. His name is Frigid of the Icewings!"
Swordfish had already began to guess that before Savanna said it, but this confirmed it. So… Frigid is important. That blank, empty-headed Icewing. This also confirms that there are now three amnesiacs. Vine, Frigid, and Mahogany. Well, Mahogany most likely just had brain damage from the war. Cedar did find him under a building. Also, all this time, and Frigid only mentioned to Savanna that he doesn't remember anything?
"He told me in a class one day, when I politely asked about where he came from. What his life was like. He said he had no idea. He said he remembers walking through the snow with his mother, attemptin' to get to the capital of the Kingdom of Ice, and they were ambushed by four strange dragons wearing metal things on their heads and cloth armbands and wearin' strange mechanisms on their right forearms. Frigid hid in a pile of snow, and he saw her attack one of the dragons after a conversation, but one of the dragons shot her with somethin' fired out of the mechanisms, and she died. Anythin' earlier than that, he doesn't remember."
Swordfish looked over to see Onyx looking back at him. "Well, does that answer your question?" She asked. "Yes." Swordfish said, but in his mind he added on, but it created new ones.
"Goin' back to what I said earlier, about the different worlds, none of that will come to pass unless we are joined by a friend of mine. Aqua, bring Swordfish here please." Savanna said.
Swordfish swallowed as Aqua, who had been behind him holding the chain, dragged him forward. She brought him up to the Grandmaster, whose hooded, masked face followed Swordfish until he was right there in front of him. She unhooked him, but the wires and cuffs stayed on. The crowd suddenly began lighting torches, and began whispering their creed's three values. "Justice, Security, Peace. Justice, Security, Peace. Justice, Security, Peace…."
"Swordfish of the Seawings, this is a formal invitation for you to join us. The pioneers of the new world. Darkstalker will bring forth a new golden age, and you have the power to find him. We will grant you a safe place here in the Lost City of Night. We ask you join, not because we could always use a new member, but also because you have ties to that demon Abyss and the other worlds and demons. Would you use that to help a great cause?" Savanna paused, and looked at Swordfish. Swordfish looked at him. "Swordfish of the Seawings, do you accept this invitation?" He asked, and the Darkists raised their torches, the light shining off of their golden armbands.
The wind began to pick up. Swordfish looked over at the Grandmaster, whose eyes were still hidden. Swordfish looked at the crowd, all holding their torches into the sky. Swordfish looked to the side to see Aqua smile at him, and Onyx looking at him intensely. He made eye contact with her. She held up her talon that was missing three claws, and she narrowed her eyes at Swordfish. Swordfish turned away, and he looked back to see Savanna, and Swordfish could see his eyes under his hood for once. It was definitely Savanna, and he looked… scared. Scared that I know the truth? Scared that I will refuse, and I'll be tortured in the same way Onyx was?
Or is he scared of the Darkists themselves? Scared of the Grandmaster? Either way, Swordfish had made up his mind. He drew in a shaky breath. "I… am not going to be your pawn. The answer is no, Savanna." He said shakily. You lying snake. He thought. Swordfish snuck a glance over at Onyx, who was smiling. You made the right choice. Her eyes said.
Savanna looked surprised. "Really?" He sputtered. The Grandmaster, who still hadn't sat on the throne, took an ominous step towards Savanna, who stepped back fearfully. "Please Grandmaster, give me some time alone with him. He… I know him. He just hasn't made the right choice yet. I'm confident he will join us and the cause." He said with his Sandwing drawl becoming more pronounced than Swordfish had ever heard it. The Grandmaster paused, and then stepped back, and nodded.
Savanna reattached the chain to Swordfish and pulled him away. When they were in a long corridor, out of earshot of the rest of the Darkists, Swordfish opened his mouth to speak, but Savanna spoke first, taking off his hood. "Look, I'm sorry it had to be this way, but it's for a better future." "Savanna, are you insane? Do you really think Darkstalker is going to solve all of Pyrrhia's problems? He'll just make them worse! We all know what he wanted, to take over all of Pyrrhia!" Swordfish argued. "That's just what the queens want you to think!" Savanna shot back. "They keep us separate from each other. They keep the borders nice and strict. Why do you think all of the problems we face happen? Because we refuse to be united under one glorious monarch. Also, Darkstalker knows the futures, can pick the best possible one for Pyrrhia to go down. He can read minds, and can weed out those who threaten our peace. And to top it all off, he's an animus who found a way to have unlimited power!" Savanna said passionately.
"Darkstalker may have wanted for all tribes to be at peace, but we all know he tried to seize the Nightwing throne from Queen Vigilance. He wants peace, with Nightwings on top. You think that will go over smoothly? Peacefully? Look, even your Grandmaster is a Nightwing. He started this cult, but have you considered he's only in it for his own personal gain?" Swordfish argued. "Not to mention, you lied! You lied to me, you lied to all of us!" Savanna looked away from Swordfish. "You even lied to Rattlesnake." Swordfish said, a mixture of sad and angry. After a moment of silence, Savanna spoke again. "I did lie… but I did it because I knew none of you would react well, especially her. I planned to tell all of you. At… some point." He muttered.
"But that's not why we're here right now." Savanna said after more strange silence. "We're here because you have to join. Or they'll torture you." Savanna said pleadingly. "I… I don't want them to do to you what they did to Onyx. But if you don't join, they'll do it to you!" Savanna took a strange breath. "And you don't have as much value to you as Onyx does. They might kill you for knowin' too much."
"Come on, I know you've had your fair share of unpleasant experiences with other dragons. That's uh… why… I suspected you of bein' the killer. Imagine if all of that could be fixed." Savanna said desperately. Swordfish didn't want to, but he began thinking about Urchin and the plans he made with Cerulean. About Cedar and Anemone, two crazed killers. He thought about Cassriel and Adnachiel, and all they had done. "This could be the path to fixin' everythin' wrong with Pyrrhia." Savanna said quietly.
"I-I can't." Swordfish stuttered. "That can't be the only way to achieve peace." "YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO ME SWORDFISH!" Savanna suddenly yelled. "I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU!" Swordfish didn't speak. "Fine." Savanna said after more awkward silence. "I-I'll t-take you back-k to y-y-your cell." He said, and he sounded scared. He suddenly yanked the chain and began walking back to the throne room. "Just… do me a favor and don't talk. Don't make it worse." Swordfish reluctantly nodded.
When the dragonets made it to the throne room again, the Darkists turned to look at them. "So?" A voice from the crowd asked, and Savanna paused again before speaking. "He… refuses." The Grandmaster flared his wings, and with the strange silence that followed such loud body language was so unnatural, Swordfish had to look away, and noticed many Darkists doing the same. There was something… unsettling about the Grandmaster. He made Swordfish feel the way similar to how Cassriel made him feel. Adnachiel, Abyss, the other Darkists. They didn't have the same effect on Swordfish.
The Grandmaster suddenly raised his right arm. The one with the armband. He pointed at Swordfish. Swordfish froze. He looked under the hood that had changed position with the sharp movement. He caught a glimpse of the Nightwing's eye. All he saw was black, glinting in the sun and torchlight. "Yes Grandmaster." Said Aqua, who was coming forward. She took the chain from Savanna, who remained slightly shaking, as the Grandmaster turned his hidden gaze to him. He's going to be punished for bringing me here because I didn't join. Swordfish realized with a jolt. Savanna gave Swordfish one last horrified look as Swordfish was led away before two hooded Darkists came to either side of him, and he put his hood back on.
Aqua took Swordfish to the side with Onyx again, and then the group of six Darkists began to lead the two of them away again. "Hey, already? The meetings not even done!" Onyx cried. "Well, maybe things are different today." One of the Darkists growled. Swordfish and Onyx were led back down to the dungeons, and thrown into their cells again. Swordfish was shaking. They're going to torture me. They might kill me, right now. And poor Savanna is misguided and might be tortured too and I may never get out of here and Adnachiel will kill all of my friends.
"Sure, the pain is pretty bad at first. That Seawings pretty good at her job, but is three claws really worse than becoming their pawn for control? You made the right choice." Onyx said. "We're going to be down here forever anyway, so better to resist as much as we can and be a thorn in their sides that they can't ever get rid of rather than help them achieve their goal of awakening that monster." Swordfish was silent. "We need to resist them. Don't give in to them. They consist of the evil, the misguided, and the stupid." Onyx said, flaring her wings, her diamonds shining in the low light.
Suddenly, a strange noise sounded from the top of the stairs. He heard someone start to talk. "Hey you! Stop-." And then there was silence. And then…
A hooded Skywing fell down the stairs, unconscious. Swordfish and Onyx stood up, wondering what happened, when suddenly, a Rainwing appeared in front of Swordfish's cell.
"VINE!" Swordfish cried. "SWORDFISH!" She cried back. "Hey. Be quiet, we don't want to alert more of them." Said another voice, and Swordfish turned to see Vulture, Rattlesnake, and… "Blizzard?" Swordfish asked. "Yeah. I came to help you, Seawing." She said with her false sneer, and then she dropped it. "I took your advice. I joined with these guys to come save you." "How did you know where I was?" Swordfish asked in astonishment. "We… followed Savanna. He was acting kind of strange and so we… followed him here." Vulture said, and looked over at Rattlesnake, who was just staring into the wall. Her old friend Savanna had joined… this. "Rattlesnake! He's not gone! He's just misguided right now!" Swordfish called. "You mean that?" She asked, uncharacteristically sad. Well, I should expect different emotions from her now. From all of them. I'm not in Cassriel's perfect story anymore.
"Yes. I had a conversation with him." Swordfish reassured her. "But can you get Onyx and I out of here before I tell you everything?" "Oh yeah!" Vine said, and she went over to the series of key hooks, and Swordfish told her the right ones to get.
"Who are you?" Onyx asked when her cell was unlocked. "Onyx, these are my friends from Jade Mountain. Rattlesnake, Vine, Vulture, and Blizzard." "Hi!" Vine said, but Onyx brushed her aside. "Icewing. How in all the moons did you get through the Teeth of Darkstalker? That mountain range kills any Icewing that goes through it." Everyone turned to Blizzard, who smiled mysteriously. "Just because I'm acting my true self around you dragons doesn't mean you get to learn all my secrets." The room fell silent until Rattlesnake spoke up. "Come on! Let's get out of here!" "Yes. Before they torture me." Swordfish said, and the group started to pick up speed, Onyx included. Swordfish noticed Blizzard was breathing funny.
When they got to the top of the stairs, Vine went invisible and scoped out ahead of them. "They're all in the meeting except for a few guards here and there." Onyx had told them. "Getting out should be a piece of cake, and if we run into trouble, we have a Sandwing tail, frost breath, and Rainwing venom on our side." Vine had gulped at that.
But escaping had been easy. The group scaled alongside the wall of the castle, and began flying away towards the mountain range. "So, who's this Onyx?" Vine asked. "She has been here for almost a year." Swordfish explained. "She's a lot older than all of us. She's the daughter of some Sandwing from the capital." Swordfish purposefully left out the fact that she was royal blood. Suddenly, Vulture called out. "Hey! What's that moving down there?" Swordfish looked down and saw something moving around in the city. It was small and walked on two legs, it had long brown hair and a satchel over his shoulder, climbing over the rubble of a ruined house. "It's a scavenger!" Vine said, but Swordfish and Rattlesnake looked up and made eye contact. It couldn't be…
It was Sloth.