A week and a half had passed since the others had first manifested their magic and Leila had continued doing her best to teach them. Thankfully neither of them had any magical outbursts at school or anywhere public. Leila seemed to be getting increasingly distressed as my magic still refused to emerge and it was upsetting though at the same time Varjo would asure me that my power will come, I simply had to be patient. Today was Saturday and I was on my way to The Moth's Flame to meet up with the others and decide our course of action for today. A yawn came to me and I briefly lamented how I never really woke up rested and kinda wished that Ghidorah would have waited for me before leaving. 'I wonder...what would Amber think of all this? She was always the smart and logical one.' I pushed those thoughts away. It didn't matter, she was gone and there was no point wondering what if. Before I could ponder anything else, my vision went black and the world fell away. 'What's going on? Varjo?' "It seems they've found you." 'They? You mean...' "Yeah it would seem so. But don't worry. I am still here and will do what I can to ensure no harm comes to you, although it seems that's not their objective." 'What am I supposed to do Varjo?! I don't have magic. How am I supposed to successfully fight them off without the others?!' "Don't worry Dusk. Your time is nearly here and when it comes, I will be there to instruct you." 'Thanks Varjo.' "You're welcome my friend."
As I came to, I realized that my hands were tied behind my back and that I was situated in a dimly lit stone room. Before I could try and figure a way out, the sounds of footsteps approaching echoed outside the room, followed by the sound of the door being unlocked and it was then opened. Three figures walked in, dressed in long red and gold robes and wearing masks that covered their faces. "So you're awake." the lead figure said in a male voice. "I assume you know who we are?" "You're with the Luku." I replied in a plain voice. "Correct." "So why am I here?" "Because of your power. Because our mistress requested it." "So that you can kill me and have me removed as an obstacle to your plans?" "No." a female voice from the hall replied. I watched them stride in and immediately felt my stomach knot and my heart leap into my throat. "You are here because you are family." "Amber?! B-but I don't understand. You...-" "Died in the accident? No. I lived and was taken in by the Luku. They were searching amongst the general public looking for the Light and Shadow Dragons as well as recruiting new members. They told me of their mission and I believed it. Joining them even though I wasn't the Shadow Dragon." "But that doesn't make any sense. Why not tell me months earlier that you were alive?!" "Because I was initially believed to be the Shadow Dragon. It'd be more beneficial to make the Light Dragon think that their counterpart was dead." "Wait. You said that you joined even though you weren't the Shadow Dragon." "Correct." "But then..." My mind was racing, if she wasn't the Shadow Dragon then... "I take it she misidentified you Dusk?" "What?" "The Monarch otter that you and your friends have been hanging around. She misidentified you as the Light Dragon. In reality." I watched as she nealt down in front of me and held out a palm sized jewel similar to the one Leila had. It then started to levitate out of her hand, glowing with a light purple light in front of me. "Let me guess. Hers only detected your magical potential and she mistook it as you being the Light Dragon, right? All things considered it was meant to be given you're name." I was speechless. I was the Shadow Dragon, the one destined to bring ruin to the world. Not only that but Amber was the Light Dragon and supported the Luku. "I want you at my side brother." Amber stated as she retrieved the jewel. "Together you and me. I'll allow you some time to think on it." "Mistress, are you sure that is wise?" "It'll be fine John." I watched them go, locking the door back and leaving me alone. "How long have you known?" "Since I first bonded with you." "Why didn't you tell me?" "I'm sorry, but I needed to see you interact with the world. Your memories could only tell me so much. And even then it wasn't the time. If your power had been forced to manifest then it would have had dire consequences. Hence why I waited, but now it is time." I glanced up and I saw a shadowy figure walk toward me. "Varjo?" The figure nodded. "It is time. From the first to the current, let your power awake." The lights shorted out, plunging the room into darkness and yet I could still see remarkably well. "I will now aid you in unlocking the skills you will need to escape as well as lending direct assistance when you need it. Now merge with the shadows, become one with them." I allowed myself to relax and soon felt myself melting into the darkness and out of my bindings. "Well done. Now it is time we leave this place behind." With Varjo's guidance, I was able to sneak through the complex unnoticed by the Luku grunts that patrolled the halls. "Dusk. Your friends are here." 'They are?' "Yes. I can dectect their energies. How they found the place is a question you'll have to ask them." 'Okay. Let's find them and get out of here then.' With instructions from Varjo on how to sense the energies and auras of others through the shadows, I soon neared where the five of them were hiding. I emerged from the shadows, readopting a physical form and neared where they were. Naturally they were all relieved to see me, with Mothra asking how I managed to escape, a question I pushed aside for the time being, stating it was currently more important that we escape the place before we were discovered.
We'd made it outside and with Leila leading the way, started to make a run for it. Only to suddenly be surrounded by Luku. "So you escaped from your bonds. We'll soon fix that. Take them all alive people!" We all stood in a circle, facing our foes. "Looks like we're going to have to fight our way out." Leila remarked. "Not necessarily." "You expect us to fight off all of them?!" Rodan exclaimed. "We simply need to make an opening." Ichi retorted. "Dusk. With my help you can pull all of your friends into the shadows and away from here." The forest was pretty thick where we were, making it nearly as dark as at night. 'Okay.' I managed to reach out to the others, spreading the shadows beneath our feet. Eyes closed in focus, and the feeling of tendrils of darkness coursing along my hands. Then I let my magic flare out, wrapping around everyone and myself. Pulling us away from the Luku and to the ruins that had become a base of sorts for us. We all burst back into exsistance, the others coughing and gasping from the sudden dematerialization and rematerialization. As for me, I had a throbbing headache and a strong sense of fatigue. "What the fuck just happened to us?!" Rodan exclaimed. "We were somehow teleported out out that situation and back here to the ruins." Ni replied. "But how? Neither of us can teleport." Mothra remarked. "I did it." I managed to say. "What?" Leila came walking toward me. "But how? The Light Dragon of my time was capable of teleportation but even then he couldn't teleport a group of people and they were always accompanied by flashes of light." "It's because I'm not a actually the Light Dragon. I used the darkness of the forest to help us escape." Leila expression quickly became one of horror. "No. It...it can't be. You're the Shadow Dragon?!" "Leila." "Dusk, stop. For the good of the world-." "Leila, I don't plan on doing anything malicious. I'm still on your side." "We need to act now. With the Light Dragon gone we need to put you down before you gain anymore power." "Leila enough!" I snapped, managing to stand dispite the fatigue I was feeling. "Do you really have that little faith in me? You truly believe that I'd be capable of sinking to the evil that other Shadow Dragons comitted? Besides what you should be more worried about is that the Light Dragon is still alive and loyally serving the Luku." "What? If that's the case then we are truly doomed. Both dragons of Light and Shadow serving the Luku-." I let out a load groan of irritated exasperation. "Amber's...alive?" Kevin asked, voice heavy with emotion. "She is Kev. I even got to see her. She wanted me to join them." Looking at Kevin he was clearly conflicted on how to feel, whether he should be happy that Amber survived or upset that she was now loyally serving a cult. I could tell that Ichi and Ni were feeling the same way. "Maybe it wasn't actually her. Maybe you mistook someone else for her and she's actually still out there, free from their influence." Leila suggested. "You honestly think I wouldn't be able to recognise my own twin sister?" I retorted in a voice overflowing with tranquil fury and fixing an ice cold stare at her. "I'm heading home. Unless you still think I need to killed right here right now." I waited for Leila to act and she actually started to charge a spell. Though she was quickly interrupted by Ghidorah placing themselves in between me and her. "Leila don't do this!" Kevin cried. "Ichi, Ni, Kevin stand aside. This needs to be done." "No it does not. Leila if Amber serves the Luku then Dusk is our best chance at fighting back." Ichi replied. "But we-." "You do not know what he is capable of. We do. Dusk will use the power of darkness for good. The last we may have seen him before he moved here may have been eight years ago, but we know the he will fight for us and not against." Ni added. "Guys..." I mumbled. The fact the three of them had such faith in me was touching. "Ghidorah's right Leila." Godzilla spoke up. "Dusk's not going to kill us and try to take over the world. I believe in him too." "But." "But nothing Leila. Now let's get going. Nearly dinnertime." And with that we all set off for home. I was honestly surprised by how much time had flown and Godzilla's mention of dinner had served as a reminder that I hadn't eaten all day. After splitting off from the others, it was just me and my cousins, which was when Ichi broached me with a question. "Dusk. Did all the Luku look alike?" " Yeah. They had these red and gold robes that covered their bodies and also wore masks that hid their faces." "So you have no idea if any of them are people who live here in town." "Right. Amber was the only one who wasn't wearing a mask. Though that might have been because she wanted me to know it was her and that she was alive." "But wait. If they're wearing masks and big robes, then we have no idea who they could be." Kevin remarked. "Yes and they now know who we all are. Those who wish to derail their plans." Ni added. "We're going to have to be careful about who we trust. Luku members could be anywhere." I stated. "This is going to get worse for us before it gets better." Ichi finished.
A/N: And now Dusk has magic, the Luku more properly introduced and Amber is not only alive, but serving the Luku. As for Dusk actually being the Shadow Dragon I have done a bit of foreshadowing to it in previous chapters. In any case Leila is going to have to accept that Dusk is on the side of good. Anyway I'll see all of you in the next chapter, this is Water Labrador96 signing off.