A Brighter Future Ahead
AN: I had a little bit of free time, so I typed this up in a little over an hour and a half. I hope I didn't make Darkstalker too out of character. This is an AU so things are bound to differentiate a bit, but I hope I didn't go too overboard with it.
I won't bore you guys with a long Author's Note, so I'll let you get into it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Wings of Fire.
Chapter 1:
Darkstalker:
He flew on swift wings towards Agate Mountain. Whiteout said that she would be there, and he had no reason to doubt her. The one dragon he had thought he could trust beyond all others had betrayed him—stolen his scroll. But now I know, I can't trust her.
Perhaps there would be a few changes to his plans for the future. Maybe his Queen would spend her life in his dungeon instead of the throne by his side.
He found her sitting upon a mountain ledge just as the sun's rays began peaking out across the horizon. He landed behind her, but she didn't turn around or say anything. He strode forward carefully when he noticed a satchel around her neck. Does that mean she has my scroll? Or is this some kind of trap? He hadn't felt her use his scroll, but maybe she used an enchantment to counteract his.
Was that even possible? There were so many things he didn't understand about animus magic, so maybe it was. He did know one thing, though.
He would find out everything there was to know about animus powers.
First though, he needed his scroll.
When he had entered her peripheral vision, she spoke without looking at him, "I'm sorry for failing you, Darkstalker. I have the power to predict every single possible future. I thought I could prevent this from happening, but it seems it was hubris to think I could." He sat down beside her when she finished and she turned to look at him finally, "You have to stop this."
He scoffed, "Stop what? I have only ever done the same as you: control the future. What makes what I'm doing any different that what you have always done?"
She looked away, back at the sun before she answered, "I don't kill dragons." Her tone wasn't accusing or matter-of-factly. She almost sounded…guilty?
"Who have I killed!?" he asked incredulously. "Let's see. I've killed the Icewings that have been trying to exterminate our tribe. I killed my father because he was about to betray us. I'm about to kill the Queen because she tried to have me killed first. So far, these seem like justified reasons to me." He had been counting on his talons for emphasis, but she merely sighed at his explanations.
She reached into her satchel and began pulling out an object. This is it! Finally! I get my scroll back! Though, when she brought it out to where he could see it, his joy turned into rage.
It was the soul reader.
He stood tall with an intimidating growl as he turned to face her. He would give her one chance to explain herself.
He saw fear flash in her eyes before she spoke, "I want you to use this. I can prove that this isn't the bright future you were wanting."
Oh really? His eyes flashed with a murderous rage. She didn't have any time to react before one of his talons shot up around her neck. Surprise filled her expression and she dropped the soul reader as she began choking, but he didn't relent. Instead, he pushed her back until she was pinned against the wall.
He began digging around in her satchel without breaking eye contact until he realized that it was now empty. The soul reader had been the only thing in it. Her talons were scrabbling at his arms, but she couldn't hurt him now that he had impenetrable scales. He looked at her dangerously—a snarl on his muzzle and smoke coming out of his nostrils, "Where. Is. My. Scroll?"
He released the pressure slightly so she could answer him. A coughing fit overtook her before she was able to answer, "P-please s-stop this-s-s." Another coughing fit, "Y-you're hurting m-me."
Wrong answer.
He increased the pressure until he heard her breathing stop. Fear clouded her eyes when he yelled at her, "After your betrayal, I could be doing so much worse than just hurting you! NOW WHERE IS MY SCROLL!?" He dropped her—gasping—to the ground.
His wrath was something to behold. Clearsight was sobbing on the ground, but his expression remained remorseless. She deserves this for betraying me. Maybe if she tells me what I want to know, I'll show her some mercy.
She took a solid minute and a half before she was able to calm down enough to speak, "I'll t-tell you…a-after…you use t-the…s-soul reader."
He looked down her nose at her as he thought. He could force her to tell him, but he didn't want to permanently injure her…yet. It would much easier to just use the soul reader and when she realized that his soul was still fine, she would give his scroll to him. Simple.
With an annoyed huff, he turned away to pick up the device. He was minorly surprised that she didn't try to escape while his back was turned. Regardless, she was watching him intently as he pointed the device at himself. It spun and spun and spun and spun. For several minutes it spun until finally it stopped…
It was almost entirely white.
He was too shocked to do anything, say anything. He just stood there with a dumbfounded expression as he blinked several times. I'm not dreaming am I? He narrowed his eyes as he looked over at Clearsight. She might not have used his scroll, but maybe she had Fathom mess with it. Would he do that?
At this point, he might. Who knew for sure?
Oh yeah, she did.
"What did Fathom do to my soul reader?" he asked in a dangerous tone. She shook her head to signal that he hadn't done anything. There was one way to know for certain, "Take off your bracelet." His tone left no room for argument, so after a brief hesitation, she complied.
With her bracelet removed, all of her thoughts were open to him. He searched her thoughts for several minutes until he came to a single conclusion…
Fathom had only used his magic to enchant one thing: her bracelet. It was a clever plan actually. Put him to sleep and bury him under a mountain of rocks. He would've escaped one day, though. She had to have realized that.
He picked up a large rock as he walked over to Clearsight who was still prone and looking up at him in terror. He threw the rock down and smashed the bracelet—rendering the enchantment useless. He pointed the soul reader at her and it spun for about ten seconds before stopping…
It was almost completely black.
He narrowed his eyes at the device as if it had somehow offended him. He gave the device to Clearsight, "Point it at me."
She did. It spun and spun and spun as long as it did the first time. When it was finished, he looked at it again.
It was all white.
He snatched it back and pointed it at Clearsight again—panic beginning to overtake him. If this thing hadn't been changed, that meant… No! I'm not evil! My soul is fine!
It was all black…
He pointed it at himself…
It was all white...
Clearsight….
All black…
Himself…
All white…
Black…
White…
Good…
…
…
Evil.
He dropped the device as he stumbled backwards. Even when he fell, his eyes didn't leave the infernal machine. It had to be lying! It had to be! There was no way he was evil!
But the proof was irrefutable.
He had lost his soul.
Or did he? He had enchanted the soul reader to measure the good and evil in a dragon's soul. He assumed that being evil meant that one's soul was gone. What if that wasn't the case? What if he could still save himself?
How could he, though? He had tried to choke Clearsight…
…
HOLY MOONS! I tried to choke Clearsight! What on Pyrrhia is wrong with me!?
She was his soul mate! Trying to kill her was…was…UNTHINKABLE!
He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a gentle claw on his shoulder. He finally broke his gaze from the soul reader and laid his panicking eyes on Clearsight. He thought she would yell at him—it was what he deserved after all—but she didn't.
She hugged him.
He closed his eyes and returned the hug. She began crying when he did. If that didn't make him feel bad enough, his entire world was turned upside down and his heart shattered into a million pieces when she said three little words, "I forgive you."
As the sunrise graced the land with its beautiful, shining light and brought happiness and life to the world, two Nightwings shared an embrace and shed their tears upon Agate Mountain.
AN: So what did you guys think? Was the switch too sudden or was it believable? Tell me what you think in a review. Personally, I believe it was believable, but I'm just the author.
What do I know, right?
Anyways, Until Next Time
AdmiralCole22
