A/N: Welcome back, everyone, to the next chapter.
Well, it took a while longer to get out than I was hoping for, but I kept it to a month (which I do my best not to exceed). And with finals behind me and a break ahead, I'm hoping to be more productive coming up, both with this and some of my other projects. Thank you all for your patience.
As always, feel free to favorite/follow the story if you like it thus far, and leave a review if you feel so led. Enjoy the chapter!
Ch. 28: Anticipation
It was at least an hour or two after dusk when Darkstalker awoke, his body still aching more than a little from the long flight and screaming at him to sleep more while his mind did the exact opposite, urging him to get up. With his thoughts on the coming day and the meeting that would take place, it was his mind that won the fight in the end. He stood and stretched, glancing out the window into the darkened streets of Redstone illuminated by torchlight. Outside, he could see several Nightwing guards stationed around the building that he and the rest of the diplomatic delegation were staying in, not too far from the town hall where the meeting would ultimately be in.
Of course, the quarters he had to stay in at present were far from elaborate. Redstone wasn't exactly a major city, and it did not really have the facilities for a major event like this peace meeting would be. Really, they were all just staying in one of the town's inns; the room he slept in had a bed and a basic desk and that was about it. Of course, Darkstalker knew he was lucky to even have his own room. Only Queen Vigilance and some of the more important dragons for the meeting, like his father, had such accommodations, with many of the aides having to either share rooms or find lodging elsewhere in the town or back in the military encampment.
Darkstalker gave a tired sigh and made his way over to the desk, where a scroll sat with the schedule of events for the day. Due to the morning arrival of the Nightwings, things were not set to begin for any of the meetings and negotiations for another couple hours and would conclude only a little after midnight to allow for their rest. The plan for the other days, however sought to accommodate the schedules of both Icewing and Nightwing by starting late afternoon and running until about midnight, thus encompassing part of the day and part of the night. Which made sense enough to him, but that was not what he was concerned about.
No, the thing that made Darkstalker nervous, and what had roused him so early from bed, was the very first thing on that schedule. His cousin Snowfox (who, interestingly enough, had had a mind that he couldn't quite read well when they talked, which would have been intriguing if it there weren't more pressing things going on) had informed him at their meeting that Queen Diamond wished to speak with him and his father before anything else would happen, and the schedule reflected that. In roughly two hours, Darkstalker would be meeting his grandmother.
…And Darkstalker had no idea what would happen then.
It obviously wasn't so simple, but the whole meeting in his mind seemed to come down to that. Meeting Queen Diamond had the potential to result in a clear resolution to the war, or it could result in greater tragedy. He could achieve his goals, or he could find his life cut short. Darkstalker had glimpsed all these futures—he could still glimpse them—and even now, so close to the events, he still could not see which way they would fall.
It was frustrating. It was angering. Why was it so difficult to see what was so close ahead? He'd hardly ever had such trouble with it before, and now the future seemed to hinge on the whims of destiny itself. So many variables seemed equally possible; so many beginnings held the same end. Each step, each moment, drew him closer to that darkness or light that he would not see until he reached it.
Of course…he could fly away. That was still possible. There were futures still where he could go back to the Night Kingdom and not die in this barren desert, even if it did mean the war continuing on for many more years. He didn't have to see Queen Diamond. He didn't have to give himself up to the whims of fate.
Darkstalker stopped and shook his head. It would not do to think too hard about it about such things. He had come this far, and he would see this out. For good or for ill, it was his destiny.
Giving another sigh, he turned away from the desk and made his way back towards the bed, where his bag of things lay. He hadn't brought much with him—just some jewelry, a few enchanted objects, and his scroll—so as to fly lighter in the trip. He opened the bag and let his eyes drift over those contents, then gently lifted up the scroll.
It would all be so easy…
A few enchantments were all it would take to see the meeting go the way he wanted it to. Just a few spells and some dragons would be more agreeable, more peaceable. Only a few uses of his animus magic and he wouldn't have to worry about how things would end at all.
It was tempting. It was oh so tempting. But Darkstalker had vowed not to use his magic for the meeting. He had to prove that he didn't need it, both to himself and to his friends. He was more than his power, and he would not let it control him.
Gently, he set the scroll back down into the bag, then slung the bag around his neck. There was still time before he had to have that meeting that would define whether all his work was for nothing, and he knew who he wanted to spend that time with. Luckily, he was pretty sure he remembered where the Seawings' accommodations were on that updated map of the city he'd seen in the Queen's meeting before they'd all gone to sleep.
He left his room, moving silently so as not to disturb any fellow Nightwings who were still sleeping. Between the long flight and the fact that there were still a couple hours before anything of importance took place, most of the other dragons were. He could hear snores coming from the rooms as he made his way down the inn's corridors and stepped outside into the dim moonlight.
Despite that, he wasn't sure whether or not to be surprised to find out that he wasn't alone.
In his path, just a clawful of steps outside the door to the inn, sat Clearsight. She was looking up at the sky, although her eyes were closed and her breathing soft. Her tail swayed gently back and forth behind her, making a small and indented path in the sand, the only indication she wasn't somehow asleep. For a moment Darkstalker was wondering if she was caught in a vision before she opened her eyes and looked at him.
He met her eyes and saw a wearisome tiredness in them. Which, admittedly, was quite a bit better than the anger that had normally been directed his way recently, but he could still feel more than a little tension. She blinked, then sighed and looked away.
On his part, Darkstalker wanted to just walk away, but he didn't. Maybe it was the darker futures that drifted about his mind where this would be his last night that made him stay, or perhaps it was for all that they could have had together. Perhaps he just wanted the opportunity to set things right while he still could.
"Clearsight," he ventured, taking a step forward, "I…umm…" he faltered, looking down. He hadn't been expecting to run into her like this, right now, and words escaped him for a moment. He grit his teeth, though, and swallowed before trying again. "I'm…I'm sorry," he told her, "For how things turned out between us. I really am."
She gave a soft snort.
He sighed, disappointed in her lack of real response, even if he'd expected as much. "I never meant to hurt you," he tried to continue, "…It just—"
"Well, you did," she hissed bluntly, still looking away from him.
"I know."
And he had known, too. Despite all the things he'd told himself about how well it might have gone if he'd broken the news about him and Indigo gently, that hurt and resent was always going to be there. There had been too many plans, too many futures, for it not to be. And even if he'd actually been right and she had known about them due to her future seeing, there was still no excuse for him not to have talked about it. Clearsight had deserved better than that.
"Look," he tried again after a short and uncomfortable silence had fallen, "I understand if you don't want anything to do with me after what happened. I get it if you don't trust me anymore. I know you probably hate me, but…I don't want us to be enemies, Clearsight."
She twitched her tail, gave him a small glance, then sighed again. "I don't…" she started to say something, then stopped herself and looked away again.
Another uncomfortable silence fell, not even distant voices breaking it as the town's populace still slept. Darkstalker looked down, not sure what else to say. Perhaps he should just leave. It seemed Clearsight would not talk unless she herself was ready.
He took a step, but paused and tried to resist the idea that came to his mind. It probably wasn't wise with her still this way, but he had to try. After all, his life could be on the line, and Clearsight was the only other dragon that could possibly help him with his upcoming encounter with his grandmother.
"I—" he spoke again, and her gaze snapped up to him, a bit warningly, "I know I have no right to ask this of you, with what happened, but more than just myself depends on it. Clearsight, do you know what will happen at the meeting today? Do you know how I can make it work?"
Do you know how to make sure I don't get myself killed? he added in his thoughts.
Her warning gaze softened, just a little, but into one of increased tiredness, and perhaps determination as well. "I told you," she growled, "I will not help you with that."
"Even with the war at stake…"
"I will not." Her voice left little room for argument, and he found himself stepping back at the finality of it. There was an edge to her voice that said that this was no little matter, that this was something that she had indeed considered for a long while herself. No, Clearsight would not be moved.
She shook her head, then turned away from him before he could say anything else. "I cannot."
Clearsight walked away, then, and he watched her go. Part of him wanted to chase after her, to make her answer his questions, but he didn't. Short of using his scroll to enchant her, he knew that his effort would be fruitless. As she'd declared after she'd found out about him and Indigo, he would not be getting any help from Clearight at all.
He shook his head. Well, at least I haven't been counting on her help, he thought to himself. So long as she was not actively working against him, then he was in the same situation he'd been in ever since he'd come up with the idea for the meeting. That is, he still knew the plan could succeed. It had to succeed. And with or without Clearsight, he would see it through.
He moved on through the streets of Redstone, making his way quietly to the town hall where the meeting would take place. He paused only a moment to gaze upon it—it really was a nice building, with a unique but appealing Sandwing style that didn't really fit the drabber town around it—but the town hall wasn't why he'd come over. No, that would be the simple sandstone building just across from it, the faint light inside and the torch burning on the exterior indicating that someone inside was awake.
He and Indigo hadn't exactly planned any meeting ahead of time, but Darkstalker was still enough of a future seer to know that she was up. He approached the door to the Seawings' current dwelling place and knocked softly, so as not to wake any of the other dragons whose soft dreams tugged on the edges of his mind. A moment paused before he heard a slight rustling from inside, then the door cracked open just enough for him to get a glimpse of purple scales. It closed, he heard the sound of a chain being undone, and then it opened again to reveal the dragoness he'd come to see.
"Oh, good, it's you," Indigo said, beating him to it, "I was worried for a second, things being how they are and all." She glanced up at the night sky and squinted at the moon as if it were the sun. "It's a bit early for you to be up, isn't it? Everyone else is still asleep."
"Yeah, I know," Darkstalker huffed. Indeed, on his walk over here, he'd hardly heard a waking thought. Besides Clearsight, Indigo, and himself, it seemed the town of Redstone was in a silent slumber. "But I imagine they'll be waking soon. There will be things to do before long."
"Yeah, there will be," Indigo nodded, then stepped aside, "Would you like to come in?"
"Actually, I'd prefer it if we could talk out here," Darkstalker said, swishing his tail in the sand, "I don't want to bother Fathom or the others and…well, I'd like to be just a little more alone with you."
"Oh. Well, I…I'm not sure…" Indigo glanced back and looked around the room.
I probably shouldn't leave my post, he heard her mind think, which was understandable since she was, presumably, the guard on duty. But I also probably wouldn't miss anything by being outside. The main door is the only entrance, anyway.
"I can listen for the thoughts of anyone," Darkstalker offered, "And we can leave the door cracked open, too."
She nodded, not completely convinced but enough to do it. "Okay, then, if you think it's okay," she said before disappearing for just a moment, returning with a spear which she sat next to the door, then stepped outside to join him. He stepped back to let her out and they sat down close to each other under the exterior torch, the flickers of light casting shadows off of them into the empty street.
Darkstalker opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the feel of Indigo's tail on his scales as she twisted it around towards him, searching for his own. He offered his tail and wrapped it around hers, relishing the familiar warmth of her scales before leaning in for a small kiss which extended to be quite a bit longer as she leaned into him.
"I missed that," Indigo rumbled a purr as she released him and sat back, "I know it's only been a few days, but I can't wait until we can finally just go flying alone together again."
"Neither can I," Darkstalker agreed, but his wings fell slightly at the thought of what would still have to come before they could. The monumental task still lay ahead, and the possibility that he may not escape it unscathed remained.
Indigo picked up on his slight lack of enthusiasm and cocked her head at him. "Is something wrong?" she asked him, concern in her beautiful purple eyes.
"It's…the meeting," he answered a bit hesitantly, "I'm going to have to face Diamond soon. In just a couple of hours, actually."
"Ah," Indigo said unenthusiastically, faltering a bit herself, "That's…well, I mean that's why you came here, isn't it?"
"It is, but…" Darkstalker glanced at his talons, "I…"
"You still don't know how it's going to go, then?" Indigo finished his thought, squeezing his tail with her own. "Darkstalker," she continued, and he met her eyes, "If there's any dragon that can pull this off, it's you. All that you've done just to get here has been more than anyone else could hope to do." She glanced down, a little sheepishly. "What I mean to say is that, well, I'm proud of you, Darkstalker, regardless of how it ends."
"But that's the thing," Darkstalker sighed, closing his eyes, "I'm worried that this will be the end. Indigo…I'm…I'm scared."
Those last words took some doing to get out. Darkstalker was not used to the feeling, nor to being so open like that with his emotion. He was used to being in control, not out of it, and with the immediate future still so blurry, he was starting to crack. Was the meeting doomed to begin with? Were there other futures to be seen, futures where things spiraled out of control making everything so much worse? Would this be the last time he saw Indigo?
He heard a slight rustling and opened his eyes to see her scooting closer. Indigo set a claw on one of his own and put her wings around him, and he leaned into her. "It will be okay," she assured him, even if he could hear some of the doubts and worries in her own mind, "No matter what happens, I'll be behind you. I believe in you, Darkstalker."
"I know."
He stayed in her embrace for a minute, the only sound the slight crackle of the burning torch above them. It was comforting, calming. Darkstalker didn't know how he would have made it this far without her. If not for Indigo, he didn't know if he would have even tried.
She gave him a small smile as they broke the embrace, and he returned it with a small nod. He felt better, suddenly, and he would have liked to have left it there. But that was not all. He hadn't come here just for comfort.
"Indigo?"
"Yes?"
He sighed. He had no right to ask this of her, but he felt he had to. Really, there was no one else. "If things do go bad, would you do something for me?"
She nodded. "Of course." Anything, she thought, and that almost made him smile.
"Look after my family, please," he asked—no, it was more that he begged—her, "Make sure my mother and my sister stay safe, and do what you can with Arctic, if it's possible. I…I don't want anything to happen to them. I know that you aren't as close with them as you are with me, but if you could—"
"I will," she promised him, squeezing his tail with her own again. And Darkstalker could hear in her mind that she did not take that promise lightly. He could count on her to do her best for them.
"Thank you," he breathed, meaning it with all his heart, "And there's one more thing."
"What is it?"
"I want you to have this." He hesitated for only the briefest of moments, but this was not a spur of the moment decision. Reaching into his bag that still hung around his neck, he pulled out his scroll—he pulled out all of his power; his animus magic and perhaps even his soul—and offered it to her.
Her eyes widened and she leaned back away, confusion in her face and mind as she looked at and recognized that this was indeed that scroll. He could hear the implications whizzing around in her mind as she was offered this gift of gifts. For all that had come before, all his talk of animus magic that had driven that first wedge between them that had taken so long to move past, he now was giving her that part of himself.
"Darkstalker…I…I…" she struggled to speak her eyes going back and forth between him and the scroll in his claw, "I can't…"
"I want you to," he told her, not backing the scroll away one inch from her, "It's safest with you. If I'm not going to use my magic, then I want you to have it."
"But your power—" Indigo still seemed to be in shock.
"…Will be in good claws," he finished for her. He pulled his other claw not holding the scroll out from where her talons still rested on it and then set it on top of hers. "Indigo, please. Do what you want with it. This is yours, now."
Darkstalker hadn't actually quite meant for that when he first offered it to her, rather more just for her to hold onto it for him, but suddenly it felt right. Perhaps a vision tugging at the corners of his mind pushing him forward made him take that step, or perhaps it was just his heart. For if she already had that, then what more was his magic? Yes, he would give it to her, and it would be safe in her claws.
Indigo still hesitated. "But what about when this is over?" she asked, "I'm not an animus. Honestly, I don't want this power, Darkstalker."
And that's why I'm giving it to you, he thought to himself giving his first real smile in a while. "Then give it back to me, or hide it, or destroy it," he told her, "The choice is yours, now. All I know is that if it remains in my claws…well," he sighed, "Well, I don't think I'll be able to resist using it for much longer, and I promised to myself and to you and Fathom that I wouldn't."
"Besides," he continued after a short pause, "Unless you say otherwise, using my magic was always going to be a difficult spot in our relationship. With you being so against it, I mean. Perhaps its best that the problem be solved here."
She cocked her head a little, her thoughts becoming clearer as the shock wore off. "You really mean that?"
"I do," he told her, "I mean…honestly, part of why we're here right now is because I wanted to prove both to myself and to you that I don't need my magic, that it does not define me. And…well, if it's going to control me and affect us, then I think I'd almost rather it be gone."
Indigo gave him a long look, blinking a few times, then she smiled a soft but genuine smile. "That…this means a lot, Darkstalker. To hear you say that. That you would give that up for me. I…I don't really know what to say."
"Just say that you'll take it," he told her, raising the scroll up just a little bit higher.
She nodded, slowly, and he heard the beginnings of something stirring in her mind as she spoke. "I will," she said, and she took the scroll from his claw.
Darkstalker gave a sigh of relief and sank back, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. That had not been easy, but it was done. His power was safe, and it was out of his claws.
He opened his eyes again to see Indigo intently looking over the scroll. She had it open slightly, reading a few of the spells he'd cast to herself. He wondered if she was trying to come up with ideas for what she might do with it.
She saw him watching her and glanced up at him, a bit of an amused smile on her face now, and he narrowed his eyes a little in confusion. There was something going on in her mind that he could hear but not really pinpoint, an idea more than words.
"You said I can do anything I want with this?" she asked him.
"Anything within the bounds of animus magic, yes," he answered, suddenly intrigued on what she was planning, "Like I said, it's yours now."
"Good."
Darkstalker expected her to maybe run an idea or two for spells off of him. Maybe she would go back into the house and get some ink to write with, or maybe just hide it away and ponder privately what she wanted to do. What he certainly did not expect was for her to rear up on her hind legs, raise the scroll up towards the burning torch that provided them their lighting, and set it on fire.
"What are you doing?" he cried, unable to stop himself from jumping into her in a vain effort to stop her. But it was already done. The parchment of the scroll had lit and the whole thing was being consumed. She gave a yelp as they collided and fell, the scroll leaving her claw and bouncing away. Darkstalker immediately got up and leapt after it, only to see the ashen remains of the parchment blowing away in the breeze as the wooden roller smoldered.
He stood in shock, looking over it, and he felt a tingling sensation in his scales as a familiar kind of electric warmth seeped back into him, the power of the scroll returning to its original host. He didn't even need to command any stones to lift or rocks to crumble to know that they would if he so desired. His animus magic was within him once again.
Turning back to Indigo, who was standing up and brushing the sand off herself, all he could do was shake his head, his mouth agape. "I don't understand…" he was barely able to get out, still in disbelief, "Why…?"
Indigo smiled, despite a small wince from the fall. "I remember that you told Fathom that if your scroll was destroyed then your power would go back to you. So I destroyed it."
Darkstalker blinked, confused. "But…why?" That wasn't what he wanted from her; this wasn't what he expected. The last thing he imagined happening was for Indigo to get his power and then immediately give it back.
"Because I think the safest place for your power is with you, where it belongs," she answered, brushing the last of the sand out of her scales, "Not in some sort of scroll, trying to subvert some rule we don't even understand. Your power has never been some separate thing to throw away, I think. No, it's all you, Darkstalker. And, well, I have faith in you, that you won't abuse it."
"You do?" he asked, still wrapping his own mind around what had just happened. "Even if I still use it?"
Indigo glanced away, then fixed him with a look of what was maybe not certainty, but definitely confident. "Yes," she told him, "You…you're a good dragon, Darkstalker. I know I didn't think that back then, but I see it now. You care for your family…you care for me. Your magic doesn't change that."
"What…what about Albatross, though?" Darkstalker asked. "I thought that after what happened with him that you thought that—"
She gave a small shake of her head, a bit of a grim looking now crossing her face. She sighed. "Albatross was…well, he never struck me as a particularly stable dragon even before he snapped. I don't know if you know the full story, but he accidentally hurt one of his relatives when he first found out about being an animus, and Queen Lagoon used that to keep him under her control. He was constantly being used and controlled and derided by her and, well, honestly I'm surprised that it took him that long to break."
She shook her head. "Fathom likes to believe that Albatross was a good dragon that was made bad by his magic, and it's easier to just let him stick to that belief. But seeing him, and then seeing you…well, I don't think it works that way. Bad dragons do bad things and good dragons do good things. It's not animus magic that makes that difference."
Darkstalker nodded. That had really always been his belief, too. Well, at least before hearing Arctic's story got him to doubt that a little bit. Why should using his power for good things somehow corrupt his soul? Why would enchanting his sister's toy to return to her or making a spell to protect himself make him evil?
But still…
"What about my soul, then?" Darkstalker asked her, almost more as a test. "What if you're wrong? What if I do begin to lose it?"
She stepped forward and took his claw in hers, then raised it so that they rested together above his heart. "If you do, then I'll be there. I will see it, and I will help you though it, no matter what comes. Darkstalker, I'll be your soulreader."
He looked into her eyes, felt her claw against his, and he smiled. "I…I'd like that," he told her softly. Already, he did.
"I had a feeling you would," she said, grinning. "We can still use the one you gave to Fathom, though, just in case."
Darkstalker gave an amused snort at that. "Doubting your abilities already?"
"Eh, more like just double checking," she teased back with a small laugh. He returned it, and he felt himself relax a little bit. Suddenly, things felt better, like they really would be okay. He'd have to check the futures—well, the ones he could see past the meeting for—and see what changes if any destroying the scroll would cause, but right now he suddenly felt good. After all, he created the scroll to keep Clearsight from worrying about his magic, and she did anyway. Indigo, however, had known about it and had chosen to trust him instead. She had faith in him, and despite what would be coming, he suddenly found himself with a bit more of that same kind of faith in himself.
"I'm still going to try to do this without my magic," he told her, after a moment had passed, "I think its best that I see it through how I started."
She nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think that may be for the best. But Darkstalker, if it comes down to it…I'd by far rather see you use your magic and succeed then have something happen to you."
Just don't get carried away, she added in her thoughts, and he could just about hear the mental eye-roll that went with it. She didn't have to worry about that, though. He had no intention of abusing his magic, not now.
He glanced at his claw that she still held against his chest, and he raised her claw up to his cheek, feeling her smooth scales. "Indigo…thank you."
She responded by moving closer and placing a kiss on his snout. "Of course. After all, I do love you."
He chuckled. "Well, I love you, too."
Putting a wing around her, he leaned into her embrace, closing his eyes as he rested his head against her. Above, the torch that had burnt his scroll gave a small crackle, the only sound in the empty street. He felt safe, then. He felt warm. And he felt like he could indeed face what was to come.
"Indigo," he whispered her name.
She gave a soft "hmm?"
"I still have a while before I have to meet Diamond. Would you mind if I just stayed here until then? With you?"
He could feel the smile in her mind. "You don't even have to ask."
Two hours later, he stood with his father inside of Redstone's town hall, just outside of a room guarded by two very large Icewings. Several Nightwings were there as well—his and Arctic's own guards that ensured that no attempt was made to steal his father away. Indigo was there, too, coming along but standing to the side as they waited. A few of the dragons—both Icewing and Nightwing—gave her questioning looks as to why she was present, but none questioned her. Darkstalker figured that they all just assumed that she was supposed to be here, as part of the neutral Seawing delegation.
Darkstalker looked around the interior of the hall, passively observing the area he was in. This was an older building, he could tell, and despite the fairly fancy exterior, the inside of the town hall was somewhat drab. The floors seemed worn and the paintings that lined the halls seemed faded, and he wondered how long it had been since it had gotten much use. If it weren't for the event happening now, he wondered how clean and well-kept it would be.
He shook his head a little and glanced back to the door that he waited on. Just behind it, so close that he could probably hear her mind if he allowed himself to do so, was his grandmother. Diamond. The Queen of the Icewings and another animus. A dragon that could change the whole course of his life with a few words or actions.
Suddenly, a few of those worries from earlier began to return.
He felt a wing brush his own and looked to see Arctic beside him, a tired but determined look on the Icewing's face. Arctic gave him a small nod, and he returned it. A moment later, the door creaked open and an Icewing attendant poked his head out.
"Queen Diamond will meet with you now, Prince Arctic."
Of course she'd want to go straight to me, Darkstalker heard his father think, and he just gave a small shake of his head as the Icewings apparently were already trying to change the arrangements; he was supposed to go in ahead of his father. He'd made a promise to Arctic to see that he was safe, and there was only one way to do that—he had to see Queen Diamond first, and he had to see her alone.
It was what they had planned on, and it's what he would do.
Darkstalker took a step forward towards the attendant, who tilted his head in confusion. "You are not Prince Arctic," the Icewing said.
"That is correct," Darkstalker struggled to keep his voice even, "I am Darkstalker. If Queen Diamond wishes to see Arctic, she will see me first."
The attendant frowned. "I was sent to bring in Prince Arctic. I will have to check with the queen before I can allow you in."
"Then check with her," Darkstalker growled, his nerves beginning to get the best of him. He had enough to worry about without dealing with this kind of stuff.
The attendant gave a huff and closed the door. He looked back to Arctic who gave a little bit of an eye-roll but a small nod, which Darkstalker took as meaning that he'd handled that about right. From what he'd always been told about Icewings by his father, it was better to be blunt and to the point, anyway.
A minute passed, then the door opened again. The attendant poked his head out once more, then opened the door wider. "Very well, Darkstalker. Queen Diamond will meet with you now."
"Good." He took a step forward, then paused. He looked back one last time and saw Arctic. His father fixed him with a look and gave him one last nod. It seemed to say two things: that he was proud of him, and that he could do it. And from Arctic, even without words, that meant a lot.
But past Arctic was one more dragon: Indigo. She gave him a smile, and that was enough.
He turned back to the door, towards a future that still wasn't certain, and he stepped inside.