Author's Note: The final chapter of Part 3 for you all - and a day before my birthday! Yay!
Don't worry, Part 4 is coming soon, but after I've had a couple weeks break :) Thank you so much to everyone who's stuck with me this long!
Chapter Forty Six
"I reeeeaaally hope this plan of yours works, Clay!" Tsunami shouted to be heard above the winds. She flew as fast and as strong as she could, her armour rattling with her movements, her claws flexing around their grip on her spear. Her brother and sisters flew at her side, the rebellion behind them. Though Tsunami's insides were squirming with anxiety for the battle to come, she also felt a sense of rightness about it. This was it, her bones told her, the battle that would decide this war is now.
Clay drifted a little to the left to make room for Peril, who flew just ahead of him on his right side. He threw a smile back towards Tsunami. "I do too!" he called back cheerily.
Tsunami kept her eye on Peril, leading the way south towards the rainforest. Then she looked over on her left side to watch out for Glory, her scales a dazzling display of reds and oranges and blacks and purples - her war colours. All her RainWings flew behind her, their weapons at the ready, determination in their faces. They were willing to follow their Queen anywhere. On Glory's other side flew the sole NightWing in their company (Starflight had been left back at Jade Mountain to be in charge of the refugees, children and wounded). Deathbringer, the assassin sent to kill Tsunami and Glory. The SeaWing had to resist the urge to go over there and bite him. Though he clung to Glory's side and she vouched for him, Tsunami still did not trust him. Yet.
It had been an interesting day or two. First, Clay came home from the Sky Kingdom saying that Peril had raced off to protect her friends - which made Tsunami's anxiety spike to unhealthy levels as she feared for what had become of Turtle. He'd even managed to find Scarlet's Dreamvisitor and had insisted they needed to use it. Then had come Deathbringer, and though their soldiers were ready to turn him into a pincushion, he'd asked for Glory to vouch for him. The RainWing Queen had turned annoyingly merciful and kept looking at the NightWing funny, and then allowed him not only to live but to speak. He'd told them the story of the Jade Winglet breaking into the NightWing village (again, Tsunami's heart nearly gave out from the stress!) and had managed to escape with Morrowseer hot on their tails. Only a few hours later, Peril had arrived, out of breath, having flown as fast as she could, and hurriedly told them in a jumble of words that didn't make sense. She spoke of the Night Kingdom and hatchingday parties and kidnappings. The only thing she said that made any kind of sense was that the Jade Winglet were going back to the Rainforest to save Moon from Morrowseer before he could act out some great evil plan that would doom the rest of the continent. That had been enough to mobilize their forces that had been gathering at Jade Mountain.
A roar sounded above them, and Tsunami craned her head to peer into the clouds. Speaking of which…
Queen Glacier descended out of the cloud cover with a fantastic scale-chilling roar. Her spikes gleamed in the sunlight and her armour shone as bright as a mirror. But Glacier did not look fanciful or out of place. She looked like the warrior queen straight out of a portrait, leading the charge into war, no whimsy fantasy belief that everything would be okay - she was battle-hardened and under no illusions about the cost of this final charge against the enemy. Behind the Queen came the three elite guards who always accompanied her. Above and behind them, Tsunami could hear the thunder of wings; the might of the IceWing army was with them.
Glacier nodded her head to the Dragons of Destiny. "We may not have been the allies you wished for in recent months. But now that is over. Our ice will match your fire - lead the way."
Tsunami lifted her spear, setting all her scales aglow. "Let's go win a war!" she shouted.
Glory rolled her eyes, but there was a twitch of a smile at the edges of her lips. "You always did love theatrics."
Sunny giggled. "I think it's cute."
Tsunami snorted. "I was going for inspiring, or bone-chilling, not cute."
But then, they heard a noise, quiet at first, coming from the back of their army, but then growing, rippling like waves through the ranks. A chorus of voices… were singing. A song Tsunami and the others had heard before, but where once it had been light and joyous, now it was gutteral and blood-pumping as it was sung with a thousand tongues.
"Oh, The dragonets are coming,
They're coming to save the day.
They're coming to fight,
For they know what's right,
The dragonets, hooray!"
Sneaking back to the ambush site wasn't too difficult. With all the tribe distracted, the Rainforest was left virtually unguarded. But that was no comfort to them. No life stirred between the trees, the animals had since vanished as if they too understood the evil afoot here. The only sounds came from ahead, distant roaring from many voices, both angry and frightened. It caused the foursome's hackles to stand on end; every instinct told them to avoid the commotion, and with every step closer that sense of danger grew louder. Moon could sense it as well as the others, but the worry cascading through her mind outshone all other concerns. She worried for Darkstalker, for what her father would do, for the consequences that would come for all of them if she failed.
All the dragons she loved - Darkstalker, her friends, the Rebellion - they'd all come here, had put themselves in danger, all to save her. Now, she refused to not do the same for them in return. Perhaps this was all her mess; if she'd stood up to her father long before now, maybe she could have stopped all this before it had begun. But she'd felt too safe, too at home in Jade Mountain and then in the Kingdom of Night. Despite these mistakes, she told herself, I won't let them destroy my happiness now!
As they got closer to the trap, Moon began to feel Darkstalker's thoughts. He was in so much pain, every wisp of his mind was just consumed by agony. What were they doing to him?! Moon tried to get through to Darkstalker, to let him know she was there, to give him permission to heal himself, but his pain was like a wall that swatted away any opportunity she took to reach him. And still, the closer they got, the worse these waves of pain became.
They were within half a mile of their target, when Moon experienced the worst of these waves. It hit her mind with enough force to knock the wind from her lungs, and seized hold of her like the desperate talons of a drowning dragon. So powerful was it that it threatened to overwhelm her. Moon tripped over her own feet and fell to the forest floor, clutching her head. She could feel herself being pulled away from her body, much like the times when Darkstalker would meld his mind with hers to share memories. His pain was becoming her own, she could feel the chains on her wrists and ankles, could taste blood, could feel the white-hote pain all across her body.
"Moon!" she heard someone calling distantly. With all her effort, Moon wrenched herself back into her own body, realising her voice was hoarse not from Darkstalker, but because she had been screaming out herself. Once back inside herself, she called upon all the training she'd received and tried to block Darkstalker out. She erected the shield around her mind, concentrating with everything she had to keep it up. And sure enough, she managed to keep him at bay.
She opened her eyes and found her friends standing over her, all of them looking worried. "I'm alright," she told them breathlessly. "We just have to hurry."
Winter and Turtle helped her up and then they were off again. They saw the light ahead, and began to slow, creeping behind bushes and undergrowth to avoid detection. Moon peered through the foliage; she wished she could get a sense of how many dragons were here, but she dared not take down the walls around her mind for fear of being overwhelmed again. For now, she would have to be as blind as any other dragon. But even with only her eyes, that was enough for her to know the extent of the horror being made here.
Darkstalker lay bound and chained in the middle of the clearing, his roars loud enough to hurt Moon's ears. He was in bad shape. His once magnificent wings had been shredded almost to the bone, one of his beautiful eyes had been burned out of its socket, blood poured from his mouth and nose and ears from several lacerations or hot pokers piercing through his flesh. Black scorch marks surrounded him, probably from where he had tried to use his fire against his captors. But with the wounds in the inside of his mouth, he would not be throwing fire again any time soon or otherwise cause himself more pain. Moon was disgusted at the imaginative way they were torturing him - his spells meant his scales could not be harmed nor his bones broken, and his immortality meant he could not die from bleedout. At Blister's order, a SandWing stepped forward and grabbed hold of a piece of Darkstalker's wing that was barely being held on by stringy bits of flesh. She tore the piece away completely and Darkstalker shrieked.
Moon had to cover her mouth to stop herself from crying out with him. Tears flooded her eyes and her stomach threatened to jump up her throat. Turtle put a wing around her to comfort her, though he looked pale and terrified. An angry rattle whispered beside them, and surprisingly it was Winter, his mane of spikes shaking with his fury. "No one deserves this," he growled lowly. Qibli put a talon on his shoulder to hold him back.
"Once again," came Morrowseer's voice, loud so as to be heard above Darkstalker's pain. "Do as I say, and this will be over. Darkstalker, I give you permission to magically bind yourself to my will. You will do whatever spell I command, when I-"
"I'll kill you!" Darkstalker gurgled out between clenched teeth.
Qibli grimaced. "He wants to make Darkstalker his magical slave. This won't stop until he breaks."
Turtle looked bleak. "If Morrowseer and Blister get their hands on immortal animus magic-"
"The rest of the tribes are done for," Winter finished.
"We've got to stop them!" Moon whispered between her tears.
"We're outnumbered," said Qibli, and Moon didn't even need to look into his mind to know he was thinking up a thousand scenarios and planning accordingly. "Turtle, sneak around the perimeter. Use your magic to put as many dragons to sleep as you can."
Winter frowned. "Why doesn't he just cast a blanket spell that puts them all to sleep right now?"
"You remember the siege at Jade Mountain?" Qibli pointed out. "Turtle tried to use magic then, but for some reason spells don't work on Morrowseer. I don't know how or why, but who knows if he's given that power to others? This way is safer and will help to thin their ranks covertly."
Turtle nodded and crept back, keeping his belly low to the ground as he slipped away. Even knowing he had magic to aid him, Moon still felt worry for his safety. Yet then there was a loud crack, diverting her attention. Had someone tried to break Darkstalker's bones? But no, it was Blister, slouched lazily breaking twigs between her claws.
"I grow bored of this, Morrowseer," she drawled. "It is time we take this to the next level." She flicked her tail and from the trees there came a scurrying. The hidden trio hunkered down further, fearing discovery. But they need not have, as it turned out. Two burly NightWings came into the clearing, logs over their shoulders to help them carry a large metal cauldron. Something black and foul bubbled and steamed from within the depths of the pot, carrying a horrible smell that made Moon want to gag.
A NightWing scurried around the two and the cauldron. He was short and skinny, his eyes bloodshot with glasses perched on the bridge of his snout. Moon recognised him from Starflight's thoughts and memories. It was his father, Mastermind, the one responsible for experimenting on RainWing venom on the old island. Did that mean that the cauldron was full of hot venom?!
Mastermind shuffled closer to Morrowseer, his wings fidgeting nervously. "Sir, I-uh-I must ask that we reconsider this course of action…" he mumbled, eyeing Darkstalker fearfully. "The venom, when ingested, could cause catastrophic damage-"
"That is the idea, scientist," Blister said. She crouched in front of Darkstalker, just beyond his reach. He tried to snap his teeth at her, but Blister stepped aside and in one fluid motion turned her body to kick him - her foot clipping the side of his damaged eye. Darkstalker slumped to the ground, seemingly exhausted and moaning with pain. "He will feel the torture of his inside burning out, and he will live through it. To avoid that, all he need do is give us what we want…"
Ingest?! Moon's mouth fell open in horror. They were going to pour it down his throat?! Now she could see it in her vision - the one she'd had at the siege of Jade Mountain. Chains and daggers, of a dragon screaming as poison was pumped into his mouth - this was that moment! She had to stop it - had to stop it!
"No!" Moon screamed and broke through the brush to run into the clearing. Everyone startled and turned to her. One NightWing she shoved out the way. Dragons were shouting - her father, Blister, even Qibli and Winter. She ignored them. She had to get to Darkstalker, had to help him. "Darkstalker! I give you-"
Someone slammed into her, black and large and trying to wrestle her to the ground. On instinct, Moon flipped onto her back as she hit the ground and kicked upwards into the NightWing's stomach, pushing him off. As she climbed back to her feet, she saw Winter and Qibli dive into the fight too. Winter blasted one NightWing in the face with his deadly frost breath, before grappling with a SandWing, standing on its tail to neutralise the deadly weapon. Moon spotted Blister, teeth bared in rage. The Queen charged for Moon, murder in her eyes, but then sandy wings blocked the way - it was Qibli. Before Moon could thank him, another NightWing was coming at her and she had to focus on the flight.
"Seize them!" she heard Morrowseer roar. "Where are our soldiers?!"
And then, from the trees, she heard a voice. "Roots and flowers, trees and insects, I enchant you to stop the dragons that would hurt my friends!" Abruptly, a vine looped down from the branches above Moon and wrapped around the wrist of her opponent before he could take a swipe at her. The dragon snarled and blasted it away with fire, but then wasps were buzzing around his head, trying to get into his ears and eyes. The NightWing screeched and stumbled away, batting the air around him. And then from the bushes out popped Turtle, looking a little breathless. "I did what I could,"
Someone yelled, and Moon had just enough time to push Turtle out of the way (why were his scales so hard?) before a SandWing could pounce on them. Roots tried to spring out of the ground to entangle the dragon's ankles but she was strong enough to rip them out immediately. Moon spun and cracked her tail like a whip into the SandWing's jaw. She led them back to give Turtle as much space as she could.
"Go!" she yelled to her friend. "Free him!"
Turtle scrambled to rush as fast as he could towards the great heavy chains that held Darkstalker bound. She could see the SeaWing's conflict written across his face. He still wanted to remain a secret to Darkstalker, but he also wanted to help. He reached the first chain that held down Darkstalker's wrist, each link as thick as his tail. He grabbed hold of it, but that was when Moon saw a shadow rise above him. Before she could cry out a warning, Morrowseer grabbed hold Turtle's wing and literally threw him. Moon tried to run to them, to intervene, but a second dragon joined the SandWing in trying to pin her down, and it took all of her attention.
But she heard her father's snarl. "I'll deal with you. We don't need another animus."
Turtle looked around frantically, and reached for a fallen spear. "I enchant you to stab him!" But nothing happened. "Why isn't it working?!"
Morrowseer sneered. "Did you really think I would be Stonemover's designated babysitter and not convince him to give me protection from magic? You idiot!"
It all made sense, Moon thought to herself. Why direct spells against her father never seemed to work, just like at the Siege of Jade Mountain. That also explained why her father was unafraid of Darkstalker and his abilities - because he knew he was already safe from them!
"Turtle!" Winter shouted and landed between the SeaWing and NightWing. With his mane of spikes rattling and the bandage Moon had given him having fallen off in the fight, Winter looked fearsome as he confronted the large NightWing. "Remember me?!"
"IceWings…" Morrowseer spat. "Always ruining everything." They fought, strength vs discipline, power vs strategy. Winter used everything he had to keep up with Morrowseer's onslaught. It made Moon panic to see them both fight, and tried to scream but that was when the SandWing she was fighting managed to wrap their arms around her, squeezing her, trying to strangle the breath out of her lungs. Unable to do anything else, Moon sank her teeth into the soft scales just behind the SandWing's ear. The dragoness howled, and Moon tasted blood. She bit down as hard as she could, closing her eyes and trying to block out the sound of the screaming. As soon the arms around her loosened, Moon kicked herself free and barrelled straight into the NightWing, knocking him to the floor.
She looked around for her father and Winter but couldn't see them. Focus, she told herself. Free Darkstalker and then you can win this fight! But why were there so many dragons in the way? Turtle must've made some of them sleep, but it felt as if both the NightWing and SandWing armies were here. She had to try and dodge around dragons tried to out manoeuvre them. Turtle couldn't even help as he was too busy fighting off two other warriors.
She heard Blister roar at Qibli. "Bow before your Queen!"
"You're no queen of mine!" he yelled back defiantly. Moon turned in time to see him dodge a tail strike from Blister, but when he tried to launch a counter attack against her, she was ready for him. She sidestepped, grabbed his horns and wrangled him down to the ground. She pinned him, her tail reared above her shoulder.
"Then die a traitor's death-" she hissed, but before Blister could strike, another SandWing grabbed hold of her and threw her aside. Moon was shocked, until she recognised a single tattoo on the side of the dragon's neck - a black dragon skull. And then there were others, SandWings all jumping into the fight with tooth and claw against Blister's forces and the NightWings. An elderly dragon stood beside Qibli, and dragged him up to his feet.
"You see, grandson?" said Vulture with a predatory grin. "Aren't I more useful as an ally than an enemy?"
"You!" Blister hissed furiously. "I should've killed you when I had the chance! Low-class scum!"
Vulture levelled a look of pure disgust in her direction. "Not that you could've. You lack conviction."
Now the fight was more even, with Vulture's goons and Turtle's spell keeping many of the opposing forces busy. Moon saw her opening to reach Darkstalker. He was still looking pretty out of it. She ran towards him, ducking under someone's wing, and leaping over someone else that fell directly into her path. Whispers in the back of her sixth sense were growing more insistent, warning her of something coming. From the corner of her eye she spotted something blue and white - Winter! - be hurled across the clearing and crashing into Turtle. Both of them went down heavily. Where was her father?! She ran faster.
"Darkstalker!" she called to him, she was only within fifty feet from him now.
He blinked open his one good eye, bloodshot as it was, clearly exhausted. He turned his head as much as he could until he saw her. Even when in such a sorry state, there still gleamed a flame of hope in his expression at the sight of her. His voice was a mere croak. "... M-Moon?"
Tears sprung to her eyes and she couldn't stop herself smiling. Only ten feet away! "Darkstalker! I give you permission to-" But then something slammed into her side so hard, Moon felt her world go blank for a fraction of a second. She hit the ground and rolled. When the universe stopped spinning, she looked up and realised that it was Morrowseer who had knocked her down - he stood over her even now, his golden eyes wide and gleaming madly. Behind him, Darkstalker was straining against his bonds, trying to get loose. Now that he was more awake, Moon tried to reach out to his mind - he was still wracked with pain, but he was able to control it, trying to reach out to her.
I give you permis- her thought was interrupted when Morrowseer tried to slam a talon at her head, and Moon had to roll out of his way. I give you- ah! Again, Morrowseer attacked. He came after her fast and hard, raining down a barrage of blows that Moon could barely dodge, she had no time to think.
Morrowseer growled when he managed to catch hold of her tail and threw her aside. "Your plan is obvious, daughter. For all the training I provided you, I could never teach you mastery of subtlety."
Moon spat out dirt and blood, shakily getting to her feet. "I'm not leaving him!"
"I can't let you ruin this, Moonwatcher. Not when I'm so close."
She ran past him, and he tried to swipe at her again, but Moon threw her body to one side at the last moment, before swinging her talon and battering her father's jaw in an uppercut. Morrowseer took a moment to shake off the blow and then snapped his jaws at her. This time, she was a little too slow, and his teeth managed to just knick her arm. Moon yelped and instinctively let loose a bolt of flame. Her father threw up a wing to protect his face, and in the same moment turned his body and struck her with his thick tail. All the air left Moon's body and she was once again thrown to the ground. Even as she managed to catch herself before she could fall, she recognised that her strength was leaving her. She couldn't keep this up much longer.
"The rebellion is on its way, father." she said. "But you can still-"
"It's too late!" Morrowseer burst, his voice fighting to express both frustration and anguish. The numbers in his head were gone and Moon could see inside him. Every blow he'd made against her, all he could see was her mother's eyes. All that was left in him was the desperation to get out of this situation anything that he could. "It's too late. I've come too far, done too much. The world will not forgive me. Could you?"
"No. I don't forgive you, not after all the pain and suffering you've caused." There was no malice or hate in her words. It was a simple truth - her father had committed too many crimes, to her and to others, to ever be forgiven. Even if they were to both survive this war, Moon knew she could not allow him into her life. But as she stood tall, she met her father's eyes. "But that doesn't mean I wish the worst on you."
There was a moment, even as the battle raged around them, where father and daughter beheld one another, and time stood still. Things were opening up inside Morrowseer's brain that Moon could see - that she wished she had seen years ago. Perhaps if it had come before now, this war might never have been. But then that moment was broken when a NightWing, who was trying to escape the grasp of branches attempting to ensnare him, fell into Moon and pushed her aside. Moon fell and hit something large and warm. It took her a moment to realise it was Darkstalker. Morrowseer saw her fall and went to catch her, but before he could, Darkstalker twisted his head enough to block the way and opened his jaws wide to let loose a blast of flame. Morrowseer dodged aside but the message was clear - Darkstalker would never allow him to touch her.
A horn bellowed, loud enough that Moon had to cover her ears. From the treetops came a cry as a NightWing swooped in and yelled: "The Rebellion! The Rebellion is coming! And the IceWings too! They're all coming!"
Stillness came over the clearing for a few seconds as each dragon processed what this meant. To a few, it meant salvation, to the others it was a daunting realisation. The noose was growing tighter.
Moon heard a yell from behind, Qibli's voice, and a thud as he was thrown to the ground. She turned, but too late to see the danger as ashen-gold scales leapt over Darkstalker's arm and slammed into Moon. Arms and wings surrounded her, talons and claws gripped her. Gravity spun and Moon's stomach lurched as she was rolled across the ground. Someone stepped on the small of her back and then on one of her wings. Moon cried out, but the sound was strangled when the same dragon grabbed one of her horns, wrenched back her head wrapped their claws around her throat. Through the touch, Moon was given a direct link to the mind of her captor. The fury, the entitlement, the joy at the malice she wrought could only belong to Blister.
"Moon!" Several voices, Darkstalker, her father, her friends, all shouted at once.
"No one move or I'll tear out her throat!" Blister snarled. For added emphasis, she dug in her claws and Moon fought to breathe. She struggled with her talons and her legs, clawing at the ground but Blister was older and stronger and was immovable. The SandWing Queen shook her and then turned her fury on Darkstalker. "You! Bind yourself to the spell - as you've been told, or I'll kill this lizard right here and now."
"Blister," Morrowseer growled, wings unfurling, teeth bared. "Put her down or I promise you I will-"
"I've had enough of NightWing promises!" Blister snarled. "Useless. All of you! I'm taking what is mine and I'm not letting one more dragon get in my way!"
She threw Moon's head to one side, and Moon had to roll with the motion or break her neck. And when her belly was exposed, as quick as a snake's strike, Blister thrust down her tail and plunged her stinger into Moon's stomach.
"NOOO!" Darkstalker screamed.
Pain exploded out of Moon's abdomen to light up her entire nervous system as if it were ablaze. Everything inside her was screaming, panicking. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she could feel the poison moving through her body, destroying her bit by bit, leaving nothing but barren soil in its wake. She opened her mouth to scream - by the Great Dragon, she was in so much pain! - but no sound came out. Blister released her, and Moon could not stand, could do nothing except curl around herself her talons cradling her wound as if they alone could stop the blood and the life that was seeping out of her. It was hard to breathe, it was hard to think, her heart was beating so fast, tears stung her eyes. Why did her toes and tail feel so cold? Was she dying?
Darkstalker thrashed against his chains. "You worms! Let me save her!"
"Swear yourself to me and you can!"
"N-No…" she croaked. Even when the agony of the poison rotting her flesh snaked its way slowly through her veins, she still had enough sense of mind to know that she couldn't let Darkstalker be taken. "I-I give… I give…"
Warm talons took hold of her and cradled her as if she were a hatchling. Every movement made her joints ache, but every noise she made seemed to steal a little bit more from her. Just like when her heart raced in her ears, she could hear its drum now, but it was slowing. The poison had done its work. She was past the point of pain. Tears fell from her eyes as fear consumed her. What waited beyond the dark coming to claim her? Was this what happened to the dragons she'd felt dying - abrupt nothingness? She looked up and saw the golden eyes of her father staring down at her, wide and filled with fear.
"Cast the spell!" Blister demanded Darkstalker.
Darkstalker looked to Moon, and even as she whimpered and her limbs began to grow heavy and numb, she still tried to tell him. When words would not come, she shook her head. Tears streamed continuously from Darkstalker's good eye, and blood began to spill from the empty socket. "I can't watch you die." he bowed his head. "I enchant-"
"No."
Blister and Darkstalker turned towards Moon, but it was not she who spoke. She was too cold to speak, her mind going dark. No, it was Morrowseer who had spoken. He held onto Moon tighter, golden eyes no longer looking down at her, instead glaring up at Darkstalker.
Before Moon was lost, he said three simple words that would change everything: "Use your magic."
Moon closed her eyes - she was so tired. Warm wings and a lullaby enveloped her. Mother? She was there, like a silhouette coming through the fog. But before she could be made real, before Moon could touch her, before she could hear her muffled voice, searing talons took hold of her and hurled her back into light.
The shackles fell. Darkstalker could hear them break in his mind just as he could hear his real-life chains crack and fall one by one. Pop-pop-pop. And then he felt a rush race through his entire body, racing through his veins, crashing through his mind, infusing every part of him until he felt not just whole but more. And he knew with complete certainty that his old friend, his missing piece, his magic was back.
Several things happened instantaneously. Before he could think, his magic had blown off the chains that bound him, obeying his wishes before he could command it. With a thought he bade all of his wounds to heal, and Moon's as well. Just in time - she clung to the very edge of life, and he bade his magic to take extra care and tenderness to heal her of all ailments and pain and to bring her back to the waking world. She took a sudden deep breath, jolting in her father's arms. Her green eyes went wide and Darkstalker was too relieved to do anything else but thank the moons. Morrowseer looked down upon his child, and Darkstalker could see inside his mind - there was nothing in this world that mattered to him right now than to see his only dragonet be alive and well. That sliver of goodness, this one redeeming scale on his otherwise tarnished hide could allow Darkstalker to squint and see a very distant and unlikely future where Morrowseer could finally…
But then that future was snuffed out when a scream ripped through the clearing. Blister, foaming with maddened rage at her last plan being foiled, charged. But not at Darkstalker, as he'd expected, but at Morrowseer, whose back was turned to her. Darkstalker went to utter a spell, but Moon was quicker. She used the technique he'd taught her, taking hold of Blister's thoughts and squeezing them. Blister yelled in pain and staggered her footing. It gave Morrowseer a split second more to react, pushing Moon away from him so he could turn and face his attacker.
There was only a split second to choose. Darkstalker could see the two outcomes coming and knew exactly which path he would prefer.
Morrowseer caught Blister, but her temporary stun wore off quickly and she tried to grapple him. They fell, tangled up in each others claws and tails and wings. They rolled and collided with the vat of RainWing venom, making it wobble dangerously. Moon saw the grizzly fate about to unfold and tried to jump in to stop it. That was when Darkstalker made his choice. Between saving Moon and saving anyone else, he would always choose her. The cauldron tipped and washed over the two fighting dragons, and Darkstalker used his magic to pull Moon off her feet and into his arms, bringing his wings around them both and sweeping back to a safe distance.
He tried to shield her from the awful sight, but he knew she'd already seen it in her visions long ago, back at Jade Mountain. And there was no escaping the horrible sounds. Of Morrowseer and Blister screaming as the flesh melted from their bones. Darkstalker tried to blanket his mind over Moon's so that she wouldn't have to witness her own father leave this world. At least it was over quickly. When they finally both lay dead, their bodies unrecognisable shrivelled husks, Darkstalker finally let Moon down. His shoulder was wet from her tears.
From all around, all the other dragons stood still. The NightWings, Blister's SandWings, Vulture and his goons, even Moon's two friends. All of them were looking to him, all of their minds asking the same question - what would he do now? Oh, there were many things Darkstalker wanted to do, many vindictive and vengeful things, but his foresight warned that those methods would not prove useful. And besides, to look upon his fellow tribemates, to see in their minds that they believed they'd just been following orders, to feel their fear… he realised that was not what he wanted.
"Everyone HALT!"
The shout came from the northern treeline. And then dragons were pouring in from every angle, swooping in, cutting off escape routes. SkyWings and SeaWings, RainWings and MudWings. It was the rebellion, and they surrounded the clearing. At their centre came the Dragons of Destiny themselves. They strode into the clearing, but paused mid-step upon seeing Darkstalker. Their minds went through a cycle of shock to fear to wonder to confusion. They knew he was real, but the reality of him they didn't know how to handle.
The RainWing - Queen Glory - was the first to get over her freeze. "Where is Morrowseer?" she demanded in a loud voice. "We have this clearing and the entire NightWing village surrounded. You will surrender or-"
"There is no need." Darkstalker said calmly. He gestured to the oozing pool of venom that was slowly fizzling out as it killed all the vegetation near it. "Morrowseer and the pretender queen are slain."
"What?" Glory and Sunny asked simultaneously.
Clay looked to his siblings. "If he and Blister are dead… does that mean… the war's over?"
Tsunami looked lost. "I… I guess so…"
Glory eyed him. "Did you-"
"No." Darkstalker interrupted her, a little annoyed at the direction of her thoughts. "He and Blister fought. It was an accident."
"It's true," said Winter. The little idiot was hobbling towards the rebellion leaders with Qibli's help. Tsunami was looking past them, smiling at something, but Darkstalker couldn't see what. "Morrowseer tried to torture the Darkstalker into joining them. He almost did-"
"But I didn't." Darkstalker had to try very hard not to growl.
"Morrowseer is dead," Qibli confirmed. "As is Blister. And gathered here are her top soldiers. The war's over."
"And we have won."
A cool wind brushed into the clearing a second before an IceWing and three soldiers landed. From memories inside Winter's mind, and from a quick glance inside her own, Darkstalker realised this was the IceWing Queen, Glacier. Even though it had been centuries, if she turned her head at the right angle, he could still see a slight look about her that reminded him of Arctic. It made his blood boil but he tried to smother it. Possible futures warned him that it would be hard enough to live in this world if the IceWings still wanted him dead.
"With both Blister and Burn dead," said Glacier to the dragons of destiny, "that means that Blaze is the last surviving SandWing sister. That means she is now their queen. We have won!"
Sunny fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. "Well, actually, shouldn't we decide if-" Her words were cut off as Tsunami elbowed her.
Glory held herself and did something to her face that her mind thought made her look more Queenly. "As promised. You held your end of the bargain in this alliance, and we will not forget it, Queen Glacier."
"We hope," said Clay. "That this will be the first step of many towards a lasting peace - between all the tribes."
Glacier cast her eye over the assembled SandWings. "Indeed. And we will need to keep an extra eye on these one to ensure-" and then she stopped when she finally noticed Darkstalker. So many things went through her head all at once, he couldn't read them all. Fear consumed her, nightmares and tall tales from her dragonethood rampaged through her mind. Though she was trying to decide what to do, the words that shouted out to Darkstalker on repeat was: murderer, monster, danger!
"What is he doing here?!" she hissed to no one in particular.
"Queen Glacier," Darkstalker did his best to make sure his voice was as smooth as butter. He swept one wing down into an over-the-top exaggerated bow. "I have very much been looking forward to meeting you." he lied.
"Protect the queen!" shouted her guards, jumping into formation around Glacier, brandishing their spears.
Sunny tried to hop in the way, flapping her wings erratically. "Wait! Stop! You don't have to fight him!"
"Yes, Glacier," he said. "Like Clay said, today is the supposed to be the first step towards peace."
"Listen well, all of you," Glacier growled out towards the dragons of destiny, but did not take her eyes off Darkstalker for a moment. "There can be no peace so long as this… monster haunts Pyrrhia."
Darkstalker's expression darkened. "Now who's making threats."
Despite her fear, Glacier held her head high. "It is no threat. Just a promise that the IceWings shall never forget - or forgive - the transgressions of the past. Prince Winter," she finally looked away to snap her gaze onto Moon's little idiot. "Do whatever it is that you need, and when you are ready you can make your way home - where you will be welcomed as befits a hero of war."
Winter's mind went fuzzy, and if gravity were not a thing then perhaps the little prince might've floated away at that moment for sheer joy.
"Queen Glory!" shouted a voice, and from the trees came Kinkajou (Darkstalker must've been truly distracted if he hadn't paid enough attention to hear her jabbering mind coming), and behind her she led an entire troop of thin, pale, miserable looking RainWings. "Queen Glory! I found them! I found our missing tribemates!"
The RainWing Queen, several of her guards, and Clay came to aid her and inspect the freed prisoners. "You freed them!"
"They were being held in the NightWing village, drained of their venom!" Kinkajou exclaimed.
"Good work," nodded Glory. "Today is the one we've waited so long for." she turned and addressed the rest of her tribe. "Rejoice! Our enemy is defeated, our brothers and sisters are returned to us, and our home is once again ours!"
There was a roar that went up amongst the crowd, first by RainWings, and then others who took up the call. Glacier had already departed, Darkstalker noticed. Vulture stepped up close to him and said in a low voice so that only them two might hear. "That one might be dangerous for us. She cannot let go of the past, and prejudices like that… tend to boil over sooner or later in my experience."
That was when Darkstalker's ear twitched and he heard a muffled noise - crying. He turned, and saw Moon, sat alone at the edge of the pool of venom, her wings limp, her head bowed. In all the fuss, he hadn't noticed her slip away from him. She was weeping quietly to herself, and Darkstalker felt his heart break for her. In such a short time she'd lost her mother and her father, and with them all childish hopes she'd ever had for a happy family - even if she knew that such things could never be real. No one had noticed her, not even her friends. It was Darkstalker who went to her. He didn't care about Glacier, or the other tribes, or the war, or any of it. His friend was hurt and he needed to help her.
Quietly, he approached her. He sat by her side and reached out his mind to hers - she was all sorrow, not a shred of anything else, just grief and fear. As much as she'd hated her father, as much as she'd recognised how abusive he was, some part of her still loved him. And she even questioned whether it was right to grieve him. Darkstalker wanted to silence those thoughts - nothing should stand in the way of her mourning how she wished. Tentatively, he placed a wing over her shoulder, just to offer comfort, and she could refuse if she -
Moon lunged into his embrace, and Darkstalker wrapped his arms and wings around her, nuzzling his forehead against hers, humming in her head to soothe her. "I'm here," he whispered to her over and over. And she wept into him, leaning into his hold, clinging to his mind like a fragile flame to the last piece of tinder.
In a hoarse voice, he heard her say: "Please… take me home…"
He nodded and stood with her. Voices were shouting behind them - soldiers of the rebellion were pushing NightWings into the clearing - mothers, dragonets, and the elderly. They must've collected them from the village and were now driving them here at sword point. There was much shouting and confusion as families were reunited and others were asking loudly what was to become of them. Tsunami and Glory were trying to shout above the crowd.
"Enough!" Darkstalker said in a loud enough voice that near enough every dragon who knew him from a tale of their dragonethood ducked and trembled, silent as the grave. "The NightWings will come with me."
"What?!" shouted several voices.
"You can't just take them!" Tsunami thundered.
"They need to answer for what they did!" Glory shouted, unable to stop herself turning red with anger.
"They did what their commander told them. They fought for a new home, but they need not any longer. I will be responsible for them now." His tone brokered no argument, and he knew that the Dragons of Destiny would not refuse him - they did not know what he was capable of and so would not want to test him just yet. He turned his gaze on his fellow NightWings. "Come with me, NightWings. I will take you to your ancestral home, where we can rebuild and rest, and have no need to steal from others to do so. It is your choice, but the only offer to go is now."
He swept Moon up into his arms and leapt aloft, beating his mighty wings to climb into the sky. Vulture and his SandWings were the first to follow, and shortly after, one by one, came the NightWings. Darkstalker had known they would come. Stuck between his offer or take their chances with the vengeful rebellion, it was an easy choice to make. The tribe rose into the clouds like a swarm of bats, one giant mass that ebbed and flowed. And Darkstalker - still carrying Moon - led the way across the sky back towards the west, back to the Night Kingdom, back to home.
And on the ground the Jade Winglet watched, helpless, as their friend was once again carried away.