Everyone vs. Darkstalker
The Time to Stand has Come.
Your Friends need your Help, They Need your Protection.
Do Not Back Down now, the World Lies in your Claws.
The One Who has Harmed you Must be Defeated.
Remember your Friends, Dragonets, They are With you.
The sun was descending, the air had stopped blowing, the world had stopped living. Everything was silent. The mountain air was colder nowadays - usually when a dragon would wander or fly across the mountain, it would be mid temperature. Because of the change in season though, the atmosphere made the entire situation, and scenery, much different. More threatening . . . and dangerous.
Standing on the mountain pass, a few yards away from the academy, Moonwatcher stared down at the world below. She thought about her life, thought about everything she had gone through in the past few months. She went to school for the first time in her life; made new friends because they were nice enough to go up to her and say hello; a friend she saw hope inside proved to be the complete opposite of what she saw him as, and turned against her and her friends; she had become a Dragonet of Destiny before she could complete half a year of school; everyone had found out she had three eyes; she was a part of the Prophecy; a thousand year old dragon had risen from the mountains and claimed the world as his own in less than two months.
Now . . . here she was, here she stood, all alone, her entire life turned for the worst - never had she thought things would turn out this way. When Moon was young, and had heard the Prophecy, and the Dragonets of Destiny, she thought of them as anyone would: Heroic, brave, cunning, saviors, conquerors of darkness, defenders of light. Now somewhat retired after the War of SandWing Succession had ended, and their acts had led to this moment. Moon could never imagine herself in the situation she was in right now. She should have been strong, bold, brave, like a Dragonet of Destiny should be. After all she had gone through, and all she had seen, the only thing she felt inside . . . was pain.
The air picked up violently, blowing hard and throwing leaves at Moonwatcher's face. She saw the dirt glide past her claws and talons, knowing that he was coming. She looked up, searching the sky, doing her best to stay calm. The wind blew harder than it ever had before, and a shadow the size of a mountain loomed over, but Moon kept her head down.
There was a loud thump, as if an earthquake was taking place. The tremor stopped after only a few seconds . . . and the shadow stood.
Moonwatcher took a moment to collect herself, then found the right words to say: " . . . I thought you were my friend . . . I thought I wasn't alone in the world . . . I thought, when I first heard your voice, you were different from everyone else. A dragon like me. Alone, hiding, afraid . . . nothing. I felt like an outcast to everyone around me because if they found out who I was, what I hid from them, they would think I'm a monster, like everyone always saw me as. I thought you were the same. You were exactly like me. I thought we could be the best of friends . . . my only friend . . . someone who understands. Someone who goes through what I lived through. Secrets, solitude . . . and keeping yourself hidden.
"No . . . you lied to me. You lied to everyone, just as you lied to your friends, your family . . . you even lied to Clearsight. How could you do this? How could you go through all of this to get what you want? You told me you wanted to make the world better. Peace, tranquility, for all dragons in Pyrrhia . . . that was a lie too, wasn't it? You manipulated me, you manipulated your sister, and you manipulated every dragon on this continent to bend to your will, because you knew you easily could by an enchantment. You never cared about anyone, you never cared about your family, you never cared about anyone on Pyrrhia. You never cared about me . . . and you never cared about Clearsight . . . did you?"
A very long moment of silence followed after Moonwatcher made her claim, and she thought he would kill her right then. Nothing happened, and thought she should say something else. No, she wanted to wait, she wanted to hear his response, his reaction.
Finally, it did come: " . . . You never paid any attention to my full story, did you, Moon? Doesn't matter I guess, no one ever cares. They only know the story if they have ever heard my name. You've seen it, you've heard it, you felt it . . . because I am here now, and you have seen what I am capable of."
"Capable of? You have no idea what you have done."
"Oh, Moon, I am fully aware of all that I have committed to the continent. I have made it the best I can. I have done everything you wanted me to do. If you are going to blame someone, blame yourself. In fact, it was you who truly released me from my eternal slumber. You wanted to help me, and you got the help you needed, that I needed. Here I am now, risen, once again."
"To do what? Do what you did when Clearsight was still alive?"
"Do not mention her name like that."
"You tell us to move on with the past behind, forget everything you did in the past. But you can't even let go yourself. I saw you, in the room. You used your magic to turn Fierceteeh into Clearsight. You still love her, don't you? Maybe you should be the one to forget about the past."
Moon could practically feel the sorrow and pure hatred rising inside of the dragon towering above her, and every word felt as if it were a threat when he spoke again: " . . . You know? That is exactly what she would say. Dare I say you even sound like her. I saw her as a friend, someone who cared about me. I knew she did, and I did as well. But - as you know how life goes - fantasies never come true for anyone. Behind her smile, behind the kindness, she despised me, ever since she found out I was an Animus, along with all the other dragons. That's how it always was I guess, that is what made us friends in the beginning, Moon. Just like all the others . . . you had doubts.
"Maybe it was from the stories you heard. The rumors spread from mouth to mouth. The legends told and passed down for over thousands of generations and ages. Maybe that is why you doubted me. I told you that I was only trying to do the right thing. You didn't listen, none of you listened . . . or none of you even cared. I told you myself, the same way I have told all of my friends long dead now, I am only trying to help you. To save you. To stand beside you in this everlasting battle against life, and the enemies who plague it. I am the cure, do you not see? I am the savior, do you not recognize my voice? I am the hero, am I not the one who inspired the Dragonets of Destiny to rise up and fight?
" . . . They don't listen. They don't listen to anyone anymore. They follow their own rules, or they follow one led by their 'queen.' I gave you a promise, but I was not the one who broke it, it was you. It has always been you. Fathom, my father, my sister, you, Moon . . . even Clearsight." He growled under his breath, his anger boiling in his blood. "Why did I love her? Why did I let her betray me like that? Why . . . did I let her, trap me, as easier said than done with that bracelet. Trinkets really do leave a mark on family and friends, doesn't it? It reminds you of the good times. The moments when you were happy. Without worry . . . without doubts . . . without fear . . . without hate . . . without . . . anyone else . . . ." He looked at his hand, then clenched his fist, hard.
" . . . I don't believe in family. I don't believe in better days as you describe. I don't believe in a brighter future, anymore. It truly amazes me, Moon, that you can somehow forgive everyone for everything they have ever done, and see a spark inside of them. See a light in their souls, even though they are darker than midnight. Tell me, Moonwatcher, do you see light in my soul now? Do you see a bright future for me after all of this? After all that I have done to you, your friends, your family, and all dragons on the continent of Pyrrhia? Did you see light inside your IceWing friend? Even after he murdered one of the Dragonets of Destiny? Did you still see a bright future for him even after he killed my mother?
He stared her down, but she did not move a muscle. " . . . I see. You don't see a future for anyone. You can't see a future for anyone. Because you know they'll end up evil anyway. You know there is no hope for them, and never has been. You see that same outcome for me, don't you? Just like Clearsight. Ignorant, decisive - like everyone else. Looking down on the ones lower than them. Looking up to their own future, for their own pathetic, fat, short lived life. Tell me now, Moonwatcher . . . after my Second Coming, after all you have seen throughout the continent, after all you have witnessed, after all you have gone through . . . can you see a better future for everyone?"
Moon was silent, but still kept her bravery, and considered her words wisely. "Yes. In fact, I do."
" . . . Tell me."
"I have been having this vision for a while. I see trees. I see life. I see flowers. I see dragons, far off in the distance, praying for help. We come to save them, we help them defeat the evil. I see light. I see love. I see hope. I see peace. All of this is caused by the Dragonets of Destiny. The Dragonets don't have to be of destiny . . . they only need hope. It is in all of us." This was the first time Moon looked him straight in the eyes. " . . . Even for you."
"How?"
"You become a bringer of peace."
He stared at her, face blank of any emotion. Dead silence, then: " . . . You think, only by persuasion, by possibly convincing me to stop my reign, or even a hint of Animus Magic, could stop me? Compel me to become what you describe? That is another thing Clearsight could relate to as well. She was stupid. Trying to see the better side of things, for herself, for her family . . . and for me. Until I decided to 'change' my ways, that is. She saw a different side she and Fathom foresaw as dangerous. Something that could corrupt my soul, something that could make me what I am not to them.
"I'll tell you something, Moon: Everything I said may be a lie to you, but for me, it was a truth, and always has been . . . dragons just don't believe it these days. They're scared of something bigger than them, they are scared of something that could kill them. That is what led to all the wars you have faced. The three SandWing Queens; the SkyWing Queen who almost tore down the Dragonets of Destiny; and the corruption of your IceWing friend. I thought of a way that could force my magic to be stable, so it could not corrupt my soul.
"I have bested the unkillable - it lies in the palm of my hand. But that is something else no dragon believes in today, even after all the stories they have been told about me. You say my soul is corrupted, that I have lost it all. . . . No. That, Moonwatcher, is a lie. My soul was never corrupted. Maybe a few pieces were taken, but most of it still remains - I can feel it. This isn't my mind spinning in all directions, confused as to what is going on, what I am doing with my life, or what I have done to this continent. This is all my choice. This is not caused because I am evil on the inside . . . I choose to manipulate you. I choose to convince dragons to join me in the conquest of Pyrrhia . . . and I choose to make myself the most powerful dragon that has ever lived."
"What?"
"Yes, Moon. I wanted to become this dragon who I stand before you today. I knew if I lost all my soul I wouldn't be able to control myself, and it would prevent me from reaching my lifetime goal: Ruling this planet. I have been bested, betrayed, murdered. I have lived many days, but never saw them happen. I have reached the highest potential of Animus Magic, kept in my scroll, that is. Once I have that, I will finally be able to do what needs to be done. For the better . . . and for the worst. And do not think I don't sense you behind me, dragonets."
Moon's eyes went wide, and she turned to see her friends, the last ones remaining, stepping out from behind a large rock: Qibli, Peril, and Anemone.
"No," Moonwatcher whimpered. "What are you doing here?"
"We couldn't leave you behind," said Qibli.
"How kind," he said. "Your friends came back for you. Still, there is nothing you can do to stop me now."
"There is one thing we can use against you," said Anemone.
Qibli held up a small piece of paper in his hand.
"Surrender now," roared Peril, "or I will burn this into ash."
"Haven't you learned the consequences of your powers, Peril?" He said. "It won't work anyway, even if it is only one piece of my scroll, that little thing is useless against me."
"But without this to complete your scroll," said Qibli, holding up the Talisman, "your powers still haven't reached their highest potential. Not all of us may have Animus Magic, but with this, we can now bend it to our will."
A small hint of shock came upon his face. "There is no possible way you can stop me, nor can you even try to hurt me. Your end has come. . . . My reign begins."
"Then . . . ."
Qibli held out the piece of paper and the scroll. Peril grabbed them, and they burned to her touch.
"NO!" He screamed.
Thinking fast, he used his Animus Magic to pull the paper and Talisman towards him. Anemone held out her hand, grabbing the burning paper with her magic in mid air. The fire slowly consumed the paper, but he doused the flames, and there was nothing no one else could do now. He used his power to shove Anemone to the ground, and hold the last of his Talisman in his palm. Before the paper could disintegrate into ash, he used his magic to morph the paper back onto his scroll.
He stared at his Talisman, then at the dragonets before him. "You think you can change me? You think you can talk me out of this? You think you can trap me in that mountain the same way she did thousands of years ago? You think you can forget everything I have done for this world? . . . No. Not this time. I will not be bested anymore. Now you will be the ones trapped in that mountain, and it shall be your grave. This time . . . the world is mine."
With a glare on his face, he lifted his head to the sky, raising his arm up. There was nothing the dragonets could do - had they failed? As the sun began to set, and the world was engulfed with orange light, he opened his mouth wide . . . and ate the scroll.
Dead silence fell upon the world. The New Dragonets of Destiny stared up at the dragon above them, awaiting the worst. Only a small piece of the Talisman was burned, then saved. Could all of that power still be in the scroll? Was all of that Animus Magic used over thousands of years coursing through his veins right now?
It felt like an hour since he consumed the source of his power. He let his head drop, and met eyes with the Dragonets. They saw rage and power build up inside his eyes. He roared at the top of his lungs, the scream seeming to reach the ears of every single dragon in Pyrrhia.
He raised a claw and brought it down, shaking the ground, throwing boulders and the Dragonets up into the air. They tried to catch a wind current, but the world spun before their eyes, and started falling. He roared again, raising his arm, stopping the rocks and Dragonets in mid air. With a wave of his hand, threw them off the mountain, thrashing his wings, blowing the strongest gust of wind they had ever experienced.
The Dragonets were helpless, and knew they were powerless against him even with Anemone, an Animus herself. Moon saw the ground come closer and closer towards her, knowing she would meet her end, without even trying to save the world.
But then she felt someone grab her shoulders, preventing her fall. She thought it was him, and for a moment did not know where she was or what was going on. The next thing Moon saw was that she was placed gently on the ground. It took her a second to recollect herself, but when she stood up, she saw her friends were safe . . . and there stood Clay, Starflight, and Tsunami behind them, yet Anemone was nowhere in sight.
"You think you can stop me, Dragonets?" He boomed. "Give up already. You know you have failed."
Clay opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off when they heard a mixture of different roars from all around them. The dragons looked around, yet they did not see anything. At least, the dragons down below did not see anything. They covered their ears when he roared in frustration, staring off into the distance. The Dragonets looked over the mountains, and gasped.
There they were. All breeds, all Wings, all inhabitants of Pyrrhia. They were strong enough to break the curse he placed on them, and freed themselves from an enchantment of manipulation. It was all thanks to Qibli, who used that small piece of the scroll to send the message to everyone, and help them to see the true side of him. SkyWings, MudWings, SandWings, SeaWings, RainWings, IceWings, even NightWings, all of them, charging towards the dragon that tried to take their home. The final battle against a thousand year old dragon had only begun.
First the SkyWings attacked, diving straight down and breathing fire until they were out of breath. They banked away before they were clawed out of the sky. Then came the SandWings. They slid down his back and wings, driving their tailbarbs into his scales, drawing a small amount of poison, except it did little to stop him. Next were the RainWings, who shot their venom while the MudWings rammed into him as hard as they could. He was distracted, giving the IceWings the chance to breathe their ice breath, and the SeaWings to lash at him. The NightWings attacked after that. They had learned the lies and deceit from their new leader, and were fighting back against him, who were now led by Deathbringer - they were afraid no longer.
With enough of their power, the dragons managed to bring him down on his knees. He fell, slamming his arms against the mountain, causing an avalanche. All the dragons flew upwards, preparing themselves for the next strike. He stayed in place for a moment, breathing heavily, remembering his past, and all he had done to get this far. The Dragonets of Destiny, they were the cause of this.
Darkstalker slowly lifted his head up, his dark eyes piercing with evil. Betrayal, that was the only thing on his mind as he recalled his past. He stood up, raising his arms and unraveling his powerful wings to let out a loud, long roar.
The gigantic NightWing threw his claw, managing to hit a few dragons, but also hitting the side of the mountain, causing rocks to fly. The boulders landed on the dragons, but others protected them by breathing their fire, or ice. All dragon breeds were aiding each other in this battle. Even though they had been enemies, their true threat was the Stalker.
With all the strength they had, the dragons breathed fire and ice at the Stalker's face, while others landed on his back, clawing as hard as they could, trying to draw blood but were unsuccessful. Darkstalker growled in annoyance, then lashed his wings, knocking the dragons out of the sky, then spun around, shaking them off. The dragons fell, and the Stalker brought his massive claw down. Just then, Queen Glacier, Ruby, Thorn, and King Deathbringer attacked at once, breathing fire and ice, thrashing claws at his face, causing him to growl.
Letting out a mighty roar, Glacier landed on the Stalker's head, lashing her claws as hard as she could. The plague Darkstalker put on her and the Ice Kingdom had made her weak, but she continued to fight even though she felt her body getting weaker by the second. Deathbringer rained down on his enemy with a quarter of the NightWing population, bombarding him with fire all around. Darkstalker closed his eyes and growled. This was getting very annoying for him, considering he wasn't technically getting hurt whatsoever.
He thrashed claw after claw, knocking dragons out of the sky, trying to kill everyone in his path. He then flapped his wings, throwing a strong gust of wind, sending dragons down to the earth, then bringing a claw down, shaking the whole mountain.
Moonwatcher tried to stand up in all this madness, searching for her friends. Dragons were all around her, fighting and taking flight. War took place right before her eyes, and recalled her vision she had a few months prior.
"MOON!" Someone cried.
The NightWing turned to see Qibli a few yards away from her. She ran towards him, but fell face first when the ground beneath her shook. A loud roar rang in her ears, but then she felt someone grab her shoulders. Moonwatcher shook her head, and fixated her vision to see Qibli standing above her.
He helped her up, and said: "Moon, are you alright?"
" . . . Yes," she replied.
They looked towards the fight above them, witnessing every dragon on Pyrrhia face off against the Darkstalker himself.
"We have to find our friends," Qibli shouted.
" . . . There's no way we can fight him," Moon mumbled sadly. "Darkstalker is invincible . . . he is immortal . . . he is unstoppable. . . . We can't beat him . . . we lost."
"No, don't say that, Moon. There has to be some way we can fight him, some way we can bring him down. We just need to find our friends."
He looked around, but did not see anyone he recognized. A roar from above made the Dragonets scrunch up their faces at how loud it was. A large shadow came over them, and looked up to see the Stalker bringing a claw down, only to take out a few dragons. The Dragonets closed their eyes, bracing for impact.
Just then they were thrown to the ground right when the massive claw collided with the mountain. Qibli and Moonwatcher breathed heavily, and their eyes went wide with relief when they saw that Tsunami and Clay had saved them.
"Are you guys alright?" Tsunami asked.
"Yes, we're fine," Qibli said, looking at Moon.
"We can't fight him," she said. "There's no other way to stop him now."
"There has to be a way," Clay said.
"Did you try talking to him?" Tsunami asked.
"I did," Moon replied, "but he refused to listen to me. All he wants is the world, and he will do anything to take it for himself. His soul was never corrupted. He has always wanted this."
"So his soul is not all evil?" Qibli asked. "Not all taken? He's just like that?"
"Yes."
A moment of thinking, then Tsunami said: "We have to find Anemone. Maybe she can use her magic to stop this."
"Animus Magic won't work on Darkstalker. He's basically immune to it now. Whatever we do won't work. This is all my fault. He convinced me to help him . . . and I released him from the mountain . . . ."
A loud explosion occurred. The Dragonets turned to see Peril roaring at the top of her lungs, hurtling herself at the Stalker. She rammed right into him, forcing him to take a step back.
Peril continued to fly around him, lashing claw after claw, burning his scales as much as she could. Darkstalker growled and grabbed Peril in his hand, throwing her at charging dragons, bringing them out of the sky.
"Peril!" Clay cried, and without hesitation, flew after her.
"Moon," Tsunami said, "listen, none of this is your fault, you hear me?"
"It was," Moonwatcher screamed. "He forced me to gather all the Animus dragons throughout Pyrrhia to release him. It is my fault. I thought he would make things better, stop all wars and help us live with one another. . . . He lied to me . . . the same way he lied to Clearsight."
Tsunami was hesitant, trying to think of what to say, but then Qibli said: "Darkstalker was evil ever since the beginning, even if the stories about him were true or not. But that doesn't make you a part of those stories. They talk about what he did to achieve what he wanted, and all he did to get it. No matter what they say, no matter what rumors they speak, and no matter what you did to release him, none of what he did was your fault. He's a liar, he hates you, he hates everyone, and would lie and deceive anyone to get what he wants. You didn't bring any of this onto us. It was Darkstalker . . . it always has been."
"Moonwatcher," Tsunami said, "speaking as your Headmaster, even though you haven't been to Jade Mountain for a year, I would still consider you to be one of the greatest students to ever attend the first year of Jade Mountain Academy. You're a good person, and I like to imagine other dragons think the same."
"We all care about you, Moon . . . don't lose that hope you have inside to show to the world."
Moonwatcher looked up at her friends with tear filled eyes. She stared at their kind smiles as war happened around them. She wiped her eyes, and felt hope return to her. She was a Dragonet of Destiny . . . and she will never ruin their good name.
Together, they flew through the battle, screaming their friends' names, trying to look for them the best they could.
Darkstalker lashed his wings at the dragons above him, thrashing at the ground, throwing rocks and boulders everywhere, attempting to hit his enemies as much as he could. RainWings and NightWings flew towards the fight, throwing everything they had at the Stalker. The RainWings shot their venom at his eyes, causing smoke to emanate, but not hurt him much; the NightWings lashed claw after claw, breathing fire until their throats hurt - all this only to try and take down their enemy.
The Stalker glared at the NightWings. He promised them a better home. In fact, he gave them their original home, the one that was lost to the world, and found again, only to have it taken away from him, his own birth place. Ice and snow were hurtled from above, and the IceWings roared and fought back against their long old enemy.
Darkstalker snarled at them, and once again memories came flooding back. He threw his claws and lashed his teeth as he recalled his father, the first person he hated most. He remembered how cruel he was to his mother, him, and his sister, never showing affection towards them. His father only cared about himself, and cursed at his family, saying he never wanted any of this in the first place. He remembered the battle his mother was forced into, taken by the IceWings to fight for eternity, but now was permanently killed by Moon's "friend," Winter.
Anger and vengeance rushed back to his mind in the blink of an eye. Darkstalker lashed his wings, raised his head to the sky, and let out a large beam of fire from his mouth, burning the skies.
Orbs of fire rained down on the earth, scorching the ground as it had done thousands of years ago. Dragons were falling out of the sky, screaming in pain; others ran and took cover behind rocks. Moonwatcher and her friends found a place to save themselves and hide from the fire, but had to listen to the screams of agony echoing throughout the mountain. Dragons fell, dragons perished, it was exactly as Moon saw it in her visions.
Soon the fire stopped. As Darkstalker took a small moment to catch his breath, the dragons roared and returned to the skies, continuing the greatest fight to ever happen on the continent of Pyrrhia.
For a quick second, everything went silent. Then the battle became worse than before when all the dragons breathed their fire and ice at the same time, changing the color of the sky from blue to orange - the sign of the end of the world.
The three Dragonets heard a groan of pain from their right, and turned to see one of their friends, lying on the ground.
"Starflight?" Tsunami cried, and they ran to his side. "What happened? Are you alright?"
The NightWing coughed, the blind covering his burned out eyes had been taken off.
Starflight moaned. "Ts-Tsunami? Is that you?"
"Starflight!" Tsunami said. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I think so." He sat up. "I was trying to find my way towards you guys when we got separated."
"You shouldn't be here."
"No, I won't leave my friends behind."
Darkstalker grabbed a handful of IceWings, and threw them at their allies, then lashed his wing and breathed fire at the NightWings. Their scales were burned. They screamed in pain and fell from the sky while more dragons flew to continue the attack.
Tsunami turned to Moon and Qibli. "You guys need to go find Anemone, right now. I'll help Starflight out of here."
"No," said Qibli, "we're not leaving. In these situations, I know I would be the first one to suggest we leave, but you are not only our teachers, but our friends."
"Qibli's right, Tsunami," said Moon. "We can't do this without you."
"Tsunami . . . please," said Starflight. "They're not students anymore . . . they're Dragonets of Destiny. They want to save the world . . . just like us."
This made Moon and Qibli smile.
The tension was interrupted when fire blasted right above their heads. They ducked down to take cover. Roars of pain echoed throughout the mountain, and fire orbs once again fell from the sky. No, they were not fireballs . . . they were dragons set on fire. Darkstalker roared one of his loudest screams, then flapped his wings hard, lifting his massive figure off the ground, and into the sky, throwing dragons down below off their feet. Almost a hundred dragons took to the skies, breathing fire and throwing everything they had at the Stalker.
Moonwatcher and Qibli hit the ground hard, and groaned at the pain. They got up, and shook their heads, trying to not make the world spin. Thankfully, Tsunami and Starflight were only a few feet away from them, and they did not hesitate to run.
They landed beside them, and Tsunami said: "Fine then, if you want to risk your life, then so be it."
"Tsunami," Starflight said weakly, "this is not the time for those kinds of words."
"Kinds of words!? Starflight, this is no time to talk like how a scroll is written."
"Guys, focus," Qibli growled. "If we don't figure out a way to stop Darkstalker, then we're all going to perish."
"He's right," Moon said, "we're wasting too much time."
"But we can't fight him without a plan," Tsunami said. "We have to find our friends first."
"I saw Clay not that long ago," Starflight said, "but we too got separated during the fight. He said he was trying to look for Peril."
"Then let's go find them," Qibli said, and they all took flight.
Dragons flew as fast and hard as they could to the point where their wings became sore. Some managed to fly higher than the Darkstalker, and ready themselves to attack. The Stalker saw this as somewhat amusing, considering that they think they could fight him. He spun around, opening and closing his wings, knocking dragons out of the air. When he stopped, the Stalker looked down, and blasted fire at his enemies coming up behind him, then lashing his tail, and flying faster. He flew around Jade Mountain, dragging his claws across the elevation, then flying back, ramming himself into the dragons. They fell, and the strongest gust of wind soared across the mountain.
The wind knocked the four Dragonets down, and dust blanketed their vision. Moon coughed, and stood back up. She saw the silhouette of her friends standing around her, then a sudden noise caught their attention. They looked down to see the rocky floor crack beneath them, and they all came to a horrifying conclusion upon seeing the sight.
" . . . Jade Mountain is dying," Moonwarcher said sadly.
"Come on," said Qibli, "we have to find our friends and stop this."
They started running, taking flight after a few paces, crying out their friends' names.
Blinded by the dust, dragons below watched as hundreds of other dragons soar in circles, then come back, throwing all they had. The massive figure of Darkstalker thundered through the dust, hurtling at his enemies, taking them out in one go. Soon enough, dragons fell through the fog, landing hard on the ground, some barely alive, others not. Silence seemed to fall, and the only noise that could be heard was the roar of the Stalker, circling back, his powerful wings pounding against the sky. His wing flaps were enough to blow the dust away, and all the dragons looked up in horror at the true face of the dark future.
Darkstalker flew around Jade Mountain, watching it start to weaken and reach the verge of falling. It was a triumph to him - if only he could have witnessed this when he was at his peak thousands of years ago. The heavens looked to be on fire - the perfect home for the most powerful dragon in all of Pyrrhia. Darkstalker flew to the highest peak of Jade Mountain, and landed on top of it. He roared down at the earth, roared in all his fury at the dragons who feared him, the dragons who defied him . . . the dragons who betrayed him, now dead . . . not here to save anyone.
Moonwatcher, Qibli, Tsunami, and Starflight coughed due to the dust in the air, but the next thing they heard was crying. They looked, and saw Clay with his back towards them, on his knees, head hanging down. The Dragonets ran towards him, and skidded to a stop when they saw what Clay was seeing. . . . Peril lay motionless - her scales were no longer burning.
Cautiously, Tsunami walked up behind him, saying: "Clay? A-Are you alright?"
"Stay away from me," Clay screamed, tears streaming down his face.
"Clay?" Starflight asked. "What's wrong?"
" . . . She's gone . . . Darkstalker took her . . . she's gone."
"No," Qibli said, "she's still breathing, look. Peril will be alright, Clay, she's still alive."
"How can I be so sure of that?" Clay growled, and looked up at the Stalker. " . . . This is all his fault." He looked at Moon. " . . . Why . . . why did you have to trust him?"
A moment of silence, then Qibli said: "It's not her fault. This is all Darkstalker's doing, and you know it."
"If she wouldn't have trusted him . . . this wouldn't have happened."
"Clay," Starflight said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Peril wouldn't want to see you like this. She would want to see you as the happy and hopeful dragon we have always seen you as. You are our BigWings . . . please be a Dragonet of Destiny."
Clay slowly turned his head to Starflight, who, even though was blind, had eyes filled to the brink with hope for his friend.
Suddenly, Peril coughed up smoke, and her veins glowed orange once again.
"Peril!" Clay shouted.
Peril looked at him. " . . . Clay?"
"Are you alright?"
Peril didn't say anything, she only embraced her friend. He hugged her back, and did so for a long while. The moment was interrupted when fire sped over their heads. Darkstalker was reenacting the Scorching, burning the ground, beginning to make the world into his own. The trees became torches, the grass was lava, and the mountain morphed into a volcano.
Some dragons took flight and charged, most stayed on the ground, cowering in fear, knowing there was no way they could fight back. The dragons who were flying their fastest built up fire and ice in their mouths. They attacked, but the strike was useless. The Stalker took a deep breath and breathed the largest wave of fire, burning the dragons. Their charred bodies fell, dying on impact with the ground. Darkstalker leaned off the top of the mountain peak and roared at the heavens. He lowered his head, giving a sadistic smile at the small figures below. Dragons screamed in terror and turned to fly away as fast as their wings would allow them to. This made the Stalker laugh, and he imagined it was all the dragons from his past who defied him and looked down on him dying below.
Shadows then fell upon the world, blanketing the mountain in darkness. They all looked up to meet their end, but even the Stalker was confused as to what was going on. He looked up, and gazed at a gigantic rock ripped from Jade Mountain itself, hovering above the dragons. The stone was half the size of Darkstalker. He growled when he realized why exactly it was levitating.
There was Anemone, giving off a hard scowl, arms raised above her head, using all her strength to lift the boulder.
With a powerful roar, the SeaWing Animus threw the rock at the Stalker - there was no time for him to act. The boulder collided with his body, smashing into pieces that fell down the mountain like an avalanche. The Stalker was in a daze, and the mighty NightWing Animus fell backwards onto the ground.
No celebration was heard yet - they all knew that wouldn't be enough to kill him. Anemone felt weak. She hurtled towards the ground. Gasps were heard, but before she could hit the earth, Tsunami caught her, and carefully set her down.
"Anemone?" She said. "Anemone, please wake up."
The other Dragonets ran up beside their friend, and hoped their last hope would be alright.
Anemone coughed, sitting up, putting a hand to her chest.
Tsunami had never felt so relieved. "I thought you were . . . ."
"Gone?" Anemone asked. "I'm fine . . . kind of."
"That was a lot of magic you used there," Qibli said.
"I- . . . I don't think I can go on."
"No," said Moon, "you can't give up. We need you, there's no other way to defeat Darkstalker. We need your help."
"You're an Animus," said Clay, "isn't there a way to even try and defeat him?"
" . . . I don't know if there ever will be," Anemone said, and fell backwards.
Tsunami caught her, and set her down again. "Don't you go away on me. You stay right here, alive and well."
The ground shook beneath their talons, and Darkstalker towered over the world. His eyes went straight to the Dragonets of Destiny, and growled: " . . . I grow drowsy of other Animus."
Darkstalker fell on his knees, letting his power flow through the bowels of the earth, shaking the entire mountain itself. The ground cracked, the earth opened up, and below lied darkness. The end of the world . . . the end of the Dragonets of Destiny . . . the end of the Prophecy.
"Anemone!" Tsunami said. "Please, there's no time. You're an Animus, there has to be a way to stop Darkstalker."
Anemone weakly opened her eyes, and the death of everything occurred in a blur, but remembered what her sister had asked. " . . . Darkstalker gets his power from his scroll. Everything he has done with his Animus Magic is inside of it. He consumed it . . . but it is still connected to him. If it is destroyed, then he will be killed. If we can't . . . all is lost."
They all stared at Anemone, then at the Stalker, and the world around them. All they had done had built up to this. All of this, was their destiny. This is what the Prophecy wanted them to do. Save the world, save everyone in it . . . to bring peace to all the dragons of Pyrrhia. Without hope . . . what point was there in life?
"There's only one question," Qibli said, "how are we supposed to do that?"
"Maybe we could burn a torch and throw it in his mouth?" Clay asked.
"How will we be sure if that will work?" Tsunami asked.
"There has to be a way," said Starflight.
" . . . There is a way." All heads turned to Moonwatcher. " . . . I brought him back . . . I caused his Second Coming . . . I should be the one to stop him."
"All by yourself!?" Qibli asked. "No, there is no way on this continent that I will let you do something as selfless as that."
"Qibli, you are my friend . . . I won't let you stop me from doing this."
"Moonwatcher," said Tsunami, "as your Headmaster, and mentor, I refuse to let you commit that act."
"I won't let my visions have power over me. I saw it, in my dreams, even when I was awake. . . . I saw all of you . . . dead. Right here. You were right here, and you were all dead. I won't let that happen."
"You can change your visions," Clay said.
"You said it yourself, Moon," Peril said. "We have the power to change the future, and we don't have to let ourselves down, or sacrifice ourselves to do it."
"We are the Dragonets of Destiny," Moonwatcher objected. "We give hope to the dragons who gave up on hope. We bring light to the dragons who are lost in the dark. We see a better future for everyone, and it doesn't have to end in a conflict. That is what you, the first Dragonets have shown us during the War of SandWing Succession. You proved to the world that there is hope in the darkest hours. You say it yourself when we first arrived at this school: We have the power of Wings of Fire. It lives on inside all of us . . . and it lives inside of me. I'm doing this because you gave me hope . . . you all did. You're my friends . . . I love you."
Darkstalker roared at the Dragonets of Destiny. Without any more hesitation, Moonwatcher took flight before her friends could stop her. They screamed her name, begging her not to do this, not to sacrifice herself like this, but it was already too late.
Moon stopped right in front of the Stalker, and he growled: "You think persuasion will stop me? Convince me to change my mind about all of this? I have fallen to that trickery before, Moon, when she betrayed me as everyone else did. This world is mine, I will not die again. I will not be trapped in a tomb a second time. Say goodbye to your friends, Moon . . . Fate has their deaths awaiting them."
" . . . I can sense empathy in you, Darkstalker," Moonwatcher said calmly. "I have sensed it inside of you ever since you spoke to me on that day."
"Empathy!? I have subdued to the treachery of empathy ever since my hatching."
"I can also sense kindness in you as well. Deep down, there is a light you share with the ones you remember as your friends, but not as strong as the love you have for your mother."
"Don't mention her name."
"Out of all the dragons you thought were your friends, the ones you say who betrayed you, who turned their backs on you, tried to kill you, there was only one person who ever truly cared for you: Foeslayer. I can sense that you are doing this for her. To show how much you loved her, and to show how much you miss her."
"There is no one left in this world that can change me. My mother died because of your friend. You are the cause of my suffering."
"You only hate me because I resemble Clearsight, and you want revenge on the world because they all despised you, they feared you. It doesn't have to be like that. I can see a bright future for you, Darkstalker. I always have . . . and I won't give up on that hope."
"Hope? You would wish you had hope right now of defeating me."
"I don't want to defeat you, I don't want to kill you. I want to set you free from this misery you caused upon yourself."
"Misery is the gift I have given to you and the world when I rose from the mountain."
"You think you're a god, you think you're the strongest dragon to ever live. You're wrong. You are not the strongest, and I am not the nicest. You told me whatever is inflicted now affects the future we look forward to ahead of us. Please, Darkstalker . . . don't throw your life away. Come with me . . . I can give you a better future. In time dragons will be able to forgive you for what you did today, and they can finally accept you when no one else did. I thought of you as a friend . . . and in the future I see, that is possible."
" . . . Yes . . . you really are exactly like Clearsight. You lie to me to save the world. You convince me that there is hope. . . . No . . . not this time. I have risen, and if I die . . . the universe is my tomb."
Moon looked up at the massive dragon with sadness in her eyes, and sighed. " . . . I wish you could have been my friend, Darkstalker. I really did see a future where you were happy. A time where you have a family, you're married to someone you love more than Clearsight, where you forget about your past . . . and accept your future. I'm sorry, Darkstalker . . . I'm sorry . . . ."
The Stalker refused to believe any word Moonwatcher said, reminding himself that it was Clearsight talking to him, the dragon who made him who he was today. He opened his mouth to let out his loudest roar, at the same time using his Animus Magic to cause the earth to open. Moon lost her footing. She screamed, and her friends shrieked her name.
The ground swallowed her, but Moonwatcher refused to let the world down. She flapped her wings, and looked up to see Darkstalker roaring down at her, his shadow eyes staring straight into her soul. Moon flew as fast as she could, doing her best to dodge boulders. Rocks hit her shoulders, back, and wings, but she flew on. Moon let out a roar, and with one powerful flap, dove into Darkstalker's mouth.
The Stalker stood back up, choking for a second, putting his hand to his throat, and everything stopped. The world went silent, and even the flames seemed to calm. Everyone stared up in shock at what they had just witnessed, waiting to see what will happen. Darkstalker gazed down at the dragons below, not knowing what to do. . . . That is until he felt a sudden pain in his body.
The pain started out small, then the agony got worse by the second. Darkstalker coughed up smoke, and felt weak with every passing moment. He looked down at his stomach, and saw fire burning inside of him. The flames coursed throughout his veins, reaching his heart, scorching him from the inside. The Stalker fell to his knees, putting both hands on his throat, and his eyes rolled back into his head. No, this couldn't be. This couldn't be happening. All of his powers, all that he had done to get to this moment, it all was becoming worthless, all for nothing . . . no reason in death. He felt his life slip away from him.
Darkstalker used the last bit of his strength to lift his head to the sky, and roar for an entire minute until he ran out of breath, before his body was scorched into stone from the fire eating his soul . . . .
A massive statue stood above the dragons, and they stared up in awe at the sight. Then it started to crack, and dust fell, but it was only inevitable that the entire figure collapsed into pebbles. Dragons screamed and tried to dodge the boulders the best they could. When it was all over, a hush fell over the whole continent.
The Dragonets of Destiny emerged from the dust, searching for their friend . . . but all they saw was rubble, the remains of the invincible Darkstalker.
"Moon?" Qibli called out, but no answer came. "Moon!" Nothing, no one in sight. "MOONWATCHER!"
The dragons from around Pyrrhia all looked up at the Dragonets, worrying for their friend's safety, hoping she would be alright. This dragon, whoever she was, saved them from the biggest threat they will ever meet, and ever face. Now she was gone . . . a fallen warrior . . . a Dragonet of Destiny, who sacrificed her life to save them, because she cared so much for this world.
Qibli fell to his knees, praying that his friend would be alright . . . but how could he have hope even after the death of their beloved friend? He buried his face in his claws. The Dragonets hugged one another, mourning for their friend, Moonwatcher . . . .
Then there was movement in the rocks below them, and everyone held their breath. The Dragonets felt a small bit of hope in them. They ran to move the rubble from whoever was underneath. Ashes covered their scales, but under that death . . . was Moonwatcher!
The Dragonets of Destiny cried in tears of joy to see their friend was still alive. Moon wrapped Qibli in her arms as tight as she could, and he hugged her back.
They cried into each other's shoulders, and as the dragons around them cheered the Dragonets' good names, Moon looked back at the ashes, all that remains of Darkstalker's scroll . . . .
A bright future was ahead of everyone after the battle. The dragons were safe; some went back to their tribe, others stayed to help remove the rubble and put out the flames. That wasn't a very hard task, as Anemone used her Animus Magic to douse the flames, coating the lands with greenery. The NightWings did not return to the Rainforest Kingdom. Instead they stayed in the Night Kingdom, accepting Deathbringer as their king. Every once in a while, he would return and visit the Rainforest Kingdom. Grandeur had become the official RainWing Queen, ruling over the RainWings in Glory's name.
A year had passed since the Second Coming of the Darkstalker. The Dragonets of Destiny had reopened Jade Mountain Academy to the public, placing a memorial site where the Great Conflict took place. The new school year had started, but Moonwatcher and Qibli sadly weren't there to celebrate and welcome the new students. Instead, they were called by a SandWing named Jerboa, saying they needed to come to her hut to see what she had found - Qibli had introduced Jerboa to Moon a while ago, and this was the second time Moon was meeting her.
When the Dragonets arrived, they landed, and knocked on the door. A moment of hesitation, then the door opened. A kind SandWing head peaked out to greet the visitors.
"Jerboa," Moon said, "it's nice to see you."
"Nice to see you as well after all that has happened," Jerboa replied.
"May we come in?" Qibli asked.
"Just a moment, I want to talk to you about something."
"It's alright," Moonwatcher reassured her. "What seems to be the matter? Why are we here?"
Jerboa stared at the Dragonets, looking worried, then after a while said: " . . . I didn't know who else to turn to. I didn't know what to do, I only wanted to help her."
"Help her?" Qibli asked.
"Yes. I was worried that, if anyone saw her, they would be afraid, and try to hurt her."
"Who, Jerboa?" Moon asked. "What are you talking about?"
Jerboa hesitated, then opened the door, letting the Dragonets enter. They stepped in, and gasped. There, sitting at a table, glancing at the visitors for only a second . . . was a dragon with green scales, antennae on her head, and wings similar to a butterfly.
"Moon, Qibli?" Jerboa asked. "Have you ever heard legends of the Lost Continent?"
"I've heard stories," Moon replied. "My mother used to tell me short tales about it."
"Yeah," Qibli said, "isn't that the place Clearsight supposedly flew off to after she trapped Darkstalker in the mountain?"
"Yes," Jerboa answered. "I only thought it was a legend, nothing more . . . but this dragon claims to be from that continent."
A moment of hesitation, then Moon asked: "Is this really true?"
"Yes. She told me she ran away because there was something chasing after her."
"Chasing her?" Qibli asked. "What was going after her?"
"She doesn't want to talk about it. The only thing she told me . . . was that it breathed a Breath of Evil."
