Ugh. This took longer than I thought to get out. Sorry, all for the delay. Now that I've gone off the main story, I'm facing the all too familiar issue of Writer's block. But, this is not to say I will stop writing. I just need to plan this out a bit more. For the foreseeable future, I might be uploading every other Saturday, until I either plan out what I want to happen more thoroughly, or get into the groove of what I'm going for. Thank you all for your patience, especially with the weird stuff that's happening with Fanfiction at this current time. But I do hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Wings of Fire.
"Normal speech."
"Thoughts"
"?"
Moonwatcher had to blink multiple times, building up as small bits of the soot got in her eyes as Glory and Sunny helped apply the back material onto her tear shaped silver scales to cover them. "I'm really starting to regret this if I'm going to cry the whole time because this stuff gets in my eyes."
Sunny smiled apologetically. "Don't worry. We're nearly done, just a few more touches... Just don't go diving into any ponds, or this will wash right off."
Moon have a hum of acknowledgement, unable to mover her head as Glory held her still, applying the last of the fowl smelling material onto her scales. They had tried a few methods, but the one that stuck seemed to be making the soot slightly wet, then smearing it on and letting it dry, but it didn't stop the stuff from smelling foul or being quite messy. Moon's eyes were already looking bloodshot due to the soot getting in them, but she endured for the sake of making sure her friends on the other side were alright.
Sunny finished applying the last of the soot, smiling to their newest friend. "You really don't have to do this if you don't want to. We'll figure something out."
Moon shook her head. "No... I need to do this for the others... and for myself. I've been... scared of the world all my life, but now, I can use my powers to help someone. If I can use my... curse, to save even one life... then that's good enough for me."
Sunny giggled, before smiling brighter at Moon. "I'm glad you have this much faith in yourself... I'd still be pretty nervous if I tried to do something like this."
Moon nodded. "To be honest, I am nervous... But it's the only way I can think of getting to the others. I... I also want to make sure my mom is alright. She's been coming later recently in checking on my and... I worry about her... And if my Dad has been mean to her."
Sunny tilted her head. "Your dad? Do you know him?"
Moon shook her head. "No. I've never met him... I only know that he's still alive."
Glory nodded, before tilting her head with a frown. "I know you want to help, but... I still feel worried about sending you there alone."
They all looked a bit nervous at that before a voice interrupted them. "I'll go!"
It had nearly been an hour since the events of the council meeting and Wither hadn't said a word since. Starflight looked to him worriedly from the other side of Mastermind's Laboratory, being smothered by Farsight, who was checking him over for what he thought was the hundredth time, prodding at the binding over the cuts on the back of his neck. "Are you sure you're alright, Starflight? Did any stray rocks hit you? Any droplets of lava?"
Starflight gave his mother a weary smile. "I'm fine... Mom. I... I'm more worried about my friends... Has Clay woken up yet?"
Farsight shook her head. "We patched up the cut on his head, but he's still sleeping... Oh, you are more beautiful than I imagined. I can't wait until you meet Fierceteeth."
Starflight tilted his head in confusion, so Mastermind chimed in. "Your older sister, Starflight. She hatched a year before you did. You might have seen her in the dragonet cave."
Starflight thought back, trying to think of who could fit the description, before grimacing as he remembered. "Oh... I... I don't think she likes me... at all."
Farsight was about to comment when Clay groaned from beneath a set of brass pipes, lifting his head. A metal clang sound rang out as Clay hit his head on the pipe, causing another groan from the Mudwing as he reached up to rub his sore skull. "Ow!... What? Where am I?" He crawled out from other the pipes, only to stare wide eyed at the different technological experiments Mastermind had been working on, tapping a claw against a large brass drum that hissed with heat beneath it.
Mastermind came over, looking the Mudwing over. "No major injuries, movements of body unimpeded. And you're able to touch my distil purifier without any protection for your scales. Interesting."
Clay gave a semi-uncomfortable look as his gaze went to Starflight. "Um... Starflight. What's happening right now?" He coughed lightly due to the poor air quality, slowly trying to inch away from Mastermind.
Starflight smiled as Mastermind continued to try and prod at Clay's scales, his big brother figure trying to back away while looking completely weirded out but returned his gaze back to Wither. The Deathwing was staring out one of the few slits in the walls of the lab that led outside, covered by a fine wire mesh to, in Mastermind's words, "Filter the air so it was more clean in the Lab and not mess with experiments." Wither hadn't moved since he settled down. Starflight was pretty sure that the guardian who had protected them for nearly a month hadn't even blinked.
He patted his mother's talon. "Mom... As much as I would love to catch up, I'd like to make sure my friends are alright."
Farsight, despite being an adult dragon, pouted like a dragonet who just had their desert taken away from them. "... Alright. But I want to know everything that happened."
Starflight nodded, before being let go from Farsight's clingy embrace, walking over to sit next to the large Deathwing. He had at least put his bracelet back on so he wouldn't take up too much space, but even as Starflight sat next to him, he didn't respond. He just sat there, staring out of the small mesh window emotionlessly. "... Wither? Are you alright?"
Wither didn't verbally respond. His eyes flicked to Starflight for just a moment, before resuming his stare. Starflight frowned, his eyes narrowing as they normally did whenever he was thinking. "... Wither... It's not your fault. He attacked Clay and I... You were just protecting us."
Wither just kept staring, Starflight starting to get frustrated with the lack of response from him. "... Wither... Please. You... You've been there for us for over a month... Let one of us be there for you."
Wither kept staring out the window... before abruptly sighing. "... Sorry... This is... hitting me harder than it should. I... I didn't mean to kill him. I just wanted to get him away from you and Clay... It... all happened so fast."
He lowered his head, his skull thudding against the ground as he sighed again. "... I... I don't know If I can do this again... I'm tired, Starflight... Tired of other dragons dying because of my mistakes."
Starflight looked into Wither's eyes, not seeing the gruff yet kind guardian he had known for the last month. Somehow, Wither looked as if he had aged fifty years, staring at a dragon who had been tired for decades. "... You did what you had to. To protect Clay and I. I... I know that isn't justification. I want the killing to stop just as much as the others, but... I don't blame you, Wither. Vengeance was the one who wouldn't back down. He... He knew the risk and paid the price, as... disturbing as it is to put it that way."
Wither raised his head, taking a shaky breath. "... I've always hated killing... I... I never wanted to be able to kill... but that is the curse of all living things. Each and every one of us have the ability to take the life of another... The one curse we all share. There is no magic. No special power. No prophecy. Only... the power to kill."
Starflight stared at the ground for a long moment, unsure of what to say. Clay chose that moment to interrupt. "So, I feel like I'm completely lost on what's happening, but... We all have to do what we can to change this world for the better. And... We all make mistakes. I almost always finished the food before someone else had their fill when the guardians were taking care of us."
The Mudwing settled on Wither's other side, glancing out of the window as well. "As you taught me... Nobody's perfect. We all stumble sometimes, but that doesn't change who we are. That goes for you too, Wither."
Wither looked down to the Mudwing, before smiling. "Since when did you become the adult here?"
Clay returned the smile. "Eh, I'm just me. Never changed."
Wither looked over to Mastermind, who seemed to be fretting over Farsight. "... Perhaps... We can change this tribe before it becomes too late."
Moonwatcher was totally not hyperventilating as she walked through the tunnel into the Night kingdom. She totally didn't feel her heart beating a million times a minute, and she totally wasn't scared out of her mind right now. She inched forward on trembling talons as she started to feel the air become polluted with soot and smoke, coughing lightly as it burned her throat. She did her best to breath shallowly to prevent the air from hurting so much, coming up to a small cave with a fire sitting in the middle. The two guards that were stationed there were leaning against the wall, both snoring loudly.
Moonwatcher gave out a sigh of relief, before sneaking past them, coming out to a cliff face that led towards a murky grey sea. She swallowed, before taking off into the air, turning around to find the dreaded Island her mother had told her so many horror stories about. And yet, it was even more terrifying to look at than the stories made it out to me. She could see the deadly gas plumes, lakes of lava that ran out from the mouth of the currently dormant force of nature, and she could see jagged rocks lining the majority of the imposing palace carved into the volcano.
She swallowed, before flying down to the beach of the gloomy island, gliding over the ground as she approached one of the entrances to the palace, landing as she stopped, looking around. "Okay. I'm here. I'm actually here. What do I do now?... My mind reading! If I can listen in on the guards... Maybe I can find where the others ar-"
"Jumpy much?" Moonwatcher jumped a foot in the air, whipping around to look at the Young Rainwing dragonet who was letting her scales come back into color, Kinkajou giggling as Moonwatcher put a talon over her heart, the poor Nightwing's heart pounding in her chest.
"Could you please not do that in a place like this?" Moon blushed lightly, not wanting to admit that she had forgotten about her Rainwing companion in the heat of the moment.
Kinkajou rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't be such a worry wort. We'll be fine. So, do you have an idea of how to find Clay and Starflight?"
"And Wither..." Moonwatcher nodded. "Just... Give me some time. It might take a while before I can figure it out."
Kinkajou nodded, smiling. "Well, I'll see if I can map this place out." She then faded out of sight.
Moon's eyes widened. "Wait a minute! Don't go running off!" She tried to spot where the Rainwing might have gone but couldn't see any placed Kinkajou might have been. "... This is already going horrible."
"Who are you talking to?" Moon jumped for the second time that day, looking to the voice's source. A little Nightwing dragonet, around Sunny's size, was peeking over a cliff above her, smiling as she waved. "I've never seen you here before. What's your name?"
Moonwatcher swallowed, trying to think fast. She didn't want to give her real name in case her mother figured out what happened, but... "... Forgive me wither."
Moon looked up to the other Nightwing dragonet with a shy smile. "... Celeste. I'm Celeste."
Starflight sighed as Clay tried to bat away a burning hot poker from Mastermind for the dozenth time in the last hour, Wither chuckling lightly at the display, as well as the fact that Farsight had gone straight back to doting over the young Nightwing. "Oh, I have so many stories to tell you. So much that I've missed... I can introduce you to my friend! Secretkeeper!"
Wither quirked an eye at the mention of Moon's mother, humming to himself in thought. "So, they know each other... I wonder how Nemesis is doing..." He smiled at the sight of Starflight being smothered. "... Thank you. Starflight. Clay... You both don't know it, but... You saved me from a dark road."
"Bah. Vengeance had it coming to him."
Wither frowned, before closing his eyes. "I know for certain that thought did not come from me... Who are you and what are you doing in my head?" His expression was calm, but the tone of his thoughts were hardened, ready for a battle of wills.
A raspy chuckle echoed in his mind. "So you finally caught on? But I am insulted. You know who I am... You simply don't recognize me, my dear, foolish Wither."
Wither frowned, trying to reach out to this foreign entity, but found nothing. "... Whoever you are, I demand you stop sending these thoughts into my mind. I refuse to kill any more dragons."
The voice rasped out a bark of laughter. "Ha! Oh, poor, foolish Wither. You were born to kill. Why deny your purpose? Are you not a Deathwing? Emphasize on Death? I think we both know what you really are..." Wither felt a cold chill down his spine, the voice sounding like it was whispering into his ear. "...Destroyer. Kin slayer...
Murderer."
Wither shook his head to push back the voice, panting as he snapped back into reality. He took deep breaths to calm down, trying to ignore his sinking pit of a stomach. "Whoever that was... How do they know so much?"
Unknown to Wither, the source of the voice lingered, hearing his last thoughts, giving a chuckle to themselves. "All in due time, my poor Wither. Soon... Soon everything will be dealt with."
Moonwatcher was nervously following the young Nightwing who had found her. Fatespeaker was... nicer than she had thought, but she was still on edge, her eyed darting to shadowy corners as they walked through cave tunnels. Fatespeaker chirped brightly, causing Moon to flinch. "I think you'll like some of my friends. They get kind of cranky at times, and They can be kind of mean... Well, most of them, but I made a new friend recently who got them to start being a little nicer to each other. Flame doesn't snap as often as he did... He still does, about three times today, but he used to do it a lot more often."
Moon... Wasn't sure how she felt about that. The thought of a snapping dragon didn't sit well with her in the vein of someone she was about to meet. She was about to say that It might not be a good idea to meet them when they entered the room of the false dragonets. Flame was sitting on his corner of the room, permanent scowl still settled on his face. Viper looked to Moon with threatening eyes, her barbed tail rising above as if to strike. Ochre was grumbling about the lack of food while crunching on the bones of the tuna he had gotten from Wither. Squid was the only one who didn't have any threatening looks on him as Moon entered, looking more curious.
Moon looked between all of the older dragonets, eyeing each of them nervously. The thoughts she could read off of theme were not exactly helping.
"Who is this runt? Ugh. By the moons, Fatespeaker, stop bringing weird dragons to meet us."
"If she tries anything, I'll sting her. It would be fun to watch her squirm as she dies."
"Great. Fatespeaker brought another weirdo. She better not try to steal my food."
"Is this person nice? I hope so. Nicer than the other three lizards."
Moonwatcher swallowed lightly as she gave a polite wave. "Um... H-Hello. Sorry to bother you all, but... She insisted I meet you all."
Flame groaned loudly. "Fatespeaker, stop dragging other dragons here to meet us. That other weird dragon was bad enough, acting like he could judge us."
Fatespeaker huffed. "Hey, he just called out what was already issues with you all. Not my fault that most of you suck."
Flame and Viper growled threateningly, Viper hissing loudly. "Watch it, worm! Or I might choose you to be on the receiving end of my tail."
Fatespeaker rolled her eyes. "Don't mind her too much. She's always cranky. Anyway, guys. This is Celeste. She said she was interested in learning about the other dragon I brought... ah, I'm the worst at remembering names."
Flame scoffed. "You mean that stone scaled dragon, Wither? Who would be interested in a freak like him?"
Moon perked up, feeling a spark of anger at the insult towards the dragon who began her journey to this point, but held her tongue. "Yes. I've never seen a dragon like that before, and I was... wondering if any of you knew where he might be?"
Flame rolled his eyes, scoffing. "I don't know, and I don't care. I hope the Nightwings killed him."
Viper settled, still glaring at Moon with a threatening gaze. "I don't know. Maybe in the palace somewhere? I'd like to stab him."
Ochre was too busy chewing tuna bones to realize he was being addressed, so Squid piped in. "I think I spotted a guard taking him into the palace when I was sneaking out a few hours ago... If you see him, could you ask him to bring us some more fish? The Nightwings still haven't brought us anything, and we're starving."
Moon looked between the older dragonets, before nodding slowly. "Thank you. Um... I guess it was nice to meet you... I'll be going now." She tried to not look like she was rushing out of the cave, but moved as quickly as she could to get away from the murderous thoughts coming from Flame and Viper. She got about halfway down the tunnel when Fatespeaker appeared at her side, making her jump again. "How are you so quiet!? I swear, my claws clack with every step on this stone."
Fatespeaker giggled. "I've always been good with being sneaky. So, why do you want to meet Wither? You said you've never seen a dragon like that before, but... wait." She placed her talons on her head. "I'm having... a vision!"
Those words made Moon sweat as she internally panicked. Was there another mind reader? Was she about to be exposed? She watched anxiously as Fatespeaker hummed to herself, before the older yet smaller Nightwing's eyes popped open. "A secret love!"
Moonwatcher nearly face faulted straight onto the floor. "W-what!? N-no! Nothing like that!" Moon sighed. "... He's... A friend. I'm just worried that he might be hurt."
Fatespeaker shrugged. "Well, I'm not supposed to be out of the cave, but I could help you look. You seem a lot nicer than all the other Nightwings."
Moon smiled but shook her head. "I wouldn't want you getting in trouble because of me. I can go looking on my-"
"What are you doing out of the cave, Fatespeaker?" Moon froze as the deep voice came from in front of them, coming face to face with a large Nightwing she had never seen before, large horns curling behind his head as he glared at both of them. "And you. What are you doing here? All dragonets should be in the Dragonet cavern."
Moon kept her mouth shut to stop herself from stuttering when Fatespeaker chirped in. "Oh, she accidently found her way into our cave with the others. I was just showing her the right way. One of the rocks from the volcano fell down and hit her in the head, so she's quite confused... Barrowsneer."
The adult Nightwing growled angrily. "Never use that infuriating title for me! I am the Nightwing prophet, Morrowseer! And you will address me as such!"
Fatespeaker rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Yeah. Whatever you say. Well, I'll just show her the way out and then head back. Don't need to worry about me."
Morrowseer scoffed, before growling. "You have twenty minutes." He then stomped off.
Fatespeaker smiled, looking to Moon, before a concerned expression spread across her snout. Moonwatcher was frozen in place, stiff as a board. She could feel her heart pounding in her throat from the icy cold spikes of fear that settled when she heard his name. Morrowseer. The dragon that her mother had always warned her about. The one dragon she must never by discovered by. She started to tremble, a cold sweat starting to pour down her scales as she started to hyperventilate.
Fatespeaker frowned, before putting a talon on Moon's snapping the younger dragonet back to reality. "You okay Celeste? You look like you just saw a ghost. Did he really shake you up that badly?"
Moon swallowed harshly, fighting the lump in her throat. "... I-I'm good, just... A-A little shaken."
Fatespeaker looked at her skeptically. "You look like you just faced something that you were sure was going to kill you. I'd call that more than just a little shaken."
Moon took several shaky breaths, before trying to will her shaking to stop. "I-I'll be fine... Thank you, for taking care of... me not getting taken by him."
Fatespeaker smiled. "My pleasure to help out a new friend."
Moon paused at that thought. Could she really be friends with this dragon? She looked over Fatespeaker, taking in her friendly, if a little too enthusiastic smile, before returning it. "... Thank you, Fatespeaker."
Kinkajou hummed to herself as she stalked towards where she remembered the prison for the other rainwings to be, thinking she might find a trace of someone there. She remembered the lava moat, so that was what she looked for first... oh, right. This was a barely dormant volcano, so lava rivers weren't uncommon. She closed her eyes, trying to think of any defining features of when she escaped. There were the rocks in the river. Black rock. Sand... the palace! it had been to her right when she was flying away, so she just had to keep the palace to her left! She smiled at her genius, before instantly shrinking as two Nightwing guards flew overhead. She kept quiet, watching them, before nearly smacking her face when she saw them fly into a lava surrounded rock that was jutted with holes.
She followed, flying as quietly as she could to land on one of the lower balconies. She crept up quietly, before hearing the familiar rattle of chains being unlocked, a quiet conversation coming from above. "It's strange that Mastermind hasn't asked for a Rainwing in a while. He hasn't experimented on one all day. Normally he'd be done with three by now... I wonder what's going on?"
A female voice sighed from above. "I don't know... I... I just want to get out of this place... but if we try to run, Queen Battlewinner will have our heads... We can only hope that the plan works... or that the other tribes can forgive us."
Kinkajou slowly crept up to get a better view, seeing the two Nightwings standing over a nearly starved Rainwing. They placed a piece of rotten meat down, the female guard giving an apologetic look to the Rainwing. "I'm sorry that this is all we can give you... I must be nothing like the fruits of the Rainforest." The Rainwing looked up tiredly, before setting their head back down. The female guard sighed, before moving near where Kinkajou was hiding. "... I'm tired of this... All this planning and scheming. It's all just so... evil."
The male guard came up, letting his tail fall on the female's. "I know... We all are... but we can't defy the queen. All we can do is hope the plan works."
She pushed him away. "Maybe I don't want the plan to work!" She growled angrily at him. "Every day, we live on the brink of starvation, when there's an entire paradise of food just out of our reach! Any why do we not go to cooperate!? Because our tribe is to... Stubborn and stupid to ask for help! I..." She sniffled, whimpering as she curled into herself. "I can't lose another... I can't lose my other dragonet to starvation..."
Kinkajou felt a lump form in her throat, feeling sorry for the Nightwing. Maybe... Maybe Glory could do something to help these dragons. They weren't all evil, just... desperate. She took a breath to calm down before the Male guard sighed. "... We can only do so much, Oracle. We... We just need the plan to work."
Kinkajou felt she had heard enough, about to move away when a third guard showed up, landing in the room heavily. "Word from the palace. One of these Rainwings is to go to Mastermind immediately."
Oracle sighed, before nodding. "... Fine. Let's just go." They unlocked the chains on the Rainwing they had been feeding, before holding him with their talons as they started to fly towards the palace. Kinkajou saw her chance, flying behind them to follow. This whole situation was far more complicated than she had imagined. She could only hope that she could find Moon's friends and get back to her before it was too late.
Wither chuckled lightly as Clay was poked with yet another heated rod, the Mudwing batting it away with a scowl. "If you're going to throw anything hot on me, could it at least be mud?"
Mastermind sighed. "Afraid the most we have here is sand... I know you hate it Wither, but I do have to carry on in my Rainwing experiments... But... I took your words into consideration, and I will be... making my experiment less intensive on the Rainwing subjects."
Wither sighed. "Honestly, the tests are a waste... The Rainwings are a peaceful tribe that have no reason to go to war... until these dragons were abducted."
Mastermind nodded. "... And I believe you. But... I need to appease the queen. If I run out of things to discover about them... The queen may order them executed... In the meantime, I did take into consideration your request on bringing dragons back... I've prepared a few if you're ready. They are all our dragons who have died in the last year. Four of them..." He sighed. "... Three adults, and one Dragonet. All three adults died of starvation. The dragonet... was so hungry that they passed out mid-flight. Fell to their death.
Wither frowned. "... The adults, It will take more preparation, but... I might be able to bring back the dragonet... Keep in mind, I won't like doing this, but if it means Morrowseer won't touch Clay or Starflight, then I'll deal with it."
Mastermind nodded. "It's in the second testing room. I'll be sure to leave you alone for it. I... don't think science will ever explain whatever your power is."
Wither paused, looking at his talons. "... My power is one that will die with me, Mastermind. I am the last of my kind... And They're secrets will be taken to my grave." He got up, stretching, before flying up to the test chamber that Mastermind had mentioned.
He opened the door, noting that there was a second large Nightwing filing notes in the other side of the laboratory. He sighed, before going inside, looking to the table that held the Nightwing bodies. He walked up to the Dragonet, no older than two years old. He touched the crushed skull of the dragonet tenderly. "... Must have landed on her head... At least it was painless."
He took a deep breath, before wincing as that raspy voice came back. "Why do this for them? They are your enemy. They harmed you as seek to exploit you. You know the price for doing this."
Wither shook his head, growling at the intrusion on his thoughts, before focusing back on the Dragonet. He laid his talons on the body, before feeling the energy in his core, pushing it outward into the dragonet. Much like the previous times he did this, Red seeped out of his scales, knitting into the Dragonet's body like tiny strings, weaving a complex tapestry. They continued to wrap around the Dragonet's body, before reaching the crushed skull, the threads of energy slipping through the scales, before the skull started to reform. Wither could see the threads knit into each individual bone fragment, pulling it into place, before knitting them together, like a macabre puzzle. Wither strained as sweat started to fall down his scales, these serious injuries always harder to deal with than basic mortal wounds. It took nearly twenty minutes of each piece of the skull being put back into place, but the dragonet now looked normal, it's head fully reformed. Then the energy fell away, seeping into the dragonet as Wither let go, gasping for breath as he fell to his side. "Ah... ha... Done... Oooh."
Wither slowly got himself up onto shaky legs. He was about to move out when he heard voices on the other side of the test room door. "You want the Rainwing in this one?"
He recognized the next voice as Mastermind. "Wait! Not that one! It's occupi-"
Mastermind was a little too late when the door opened, revealing two Nightwing guards carrying a Rainwing. They both looked at him in surprise, noting his state of exhaustion, before coughing echoed through the room.
All eyes moved to the Dragonet, who was now gasping with a wheeze, opening tired eyes. She looked to the guards, eyes locking onto the female guard, before croaking out in a hoarse voice. "M-Mommy?"
So, I will be honest, I am still trying to figure out where I'm going with this. I do have an end event, just working out how to get there. I want to give more screen time to the characters and longer interaction, and I do feel that some of the Interactions I've done so far are a bit lack luster, so I'll try to rectify that in the future. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I will do my best to get out the next chapter next week. See you all then.