Chapter 9: From anger and rage to sorrow and tears
A scream should have been heard as Darkstalker wakes up from his slumber, his entire being burning with Power and the urge to unleash it. But in an instant the absolute fury becomes incomplete. The nightwing now standing on his four talon stays silent, his mind still being possessed by his inner essences but retaining focus and control.
As he raises his head, the night dragon realizes he is watched by the two giant dragoness, Ayirn on the right and Akhanta on the left. Despite his merciless expression, none of them flinch at his sight, no noise is emitted in reaction, just the steady sound of breathing coming from himself and the two giants…
Remembering what the blue and green beast did to him, the pain and suffering he endured as she burned him with her most potent essences, the young one takes a step forward, his face barely hiding the torrent of feelings. But she only rises a talon like it is nothing and charges her paw with power. She dares to threaten me again? Darkstalker lets out a deranged laugh, one caused by a new powerful feeling appearing and altering his mind, Hunger.
The nightwing begins to walk toward the great dragoness, not feeling any fear nor doubt for an opponent he knows had won against him and brought misery. He just can't stop as such emotions can't be kept imprisoned, only guided as they free themselves. And the longer he looks at Ayirn, the more he feeds them.
Now having divided their distance by two, Akhanta decides to leave the room for an unknown reason, letting the magical great one alone with him. Such action of course, isn't missed by anyone despite the enormous dragoness showing no sign of acknowledgment, and Darkstalker shrugging off the importance of such event. She can flee if she wants to, she can cry for help as much as she wants, it doesn't matter…
As two dragons become dangerously close to each other, neither of them hiding their claws nor their intent, the night dragon has a revelation while he stares at her and her risen paw, she would make a perfect meal. He just has to plunge his fang into her flesh and essences will drop to feed his being as she pays her debt to him in pain...
In a single instant, the young one extends his back talons and jumps all the way to Ayirn's talon, his momentum amplified by his recent power. But such blunt charge is useless against one who sees it coming, and Darkstalker is cut in his act and projected back as a bright explosion is triggered by the great one's paw facing him. A loud bang resonates in all the room, and even beyond while he slams against the ground helplessly.
As the feral dragon comes back to his senses and musters will and strength from his wounded body, he doesn't hesitate to try again. But this time, his attack comes from the right side instead of the front, and it hits. Sharp teeth of a young one touch the opponent's scales, but such layer is too solid and thick for him to pierce quickly enough. The magical one reacts with a huff of annoyance before paralysing him and grabbing him as he can hardly do anything about it.
Putting the pitiful nightwing before her, Ayirn speaks directly to him in a strong and authoritarian voice.
- "Uthu akarnast surh tunek Darkstalker, inakhi!"
Despite his mediocre state, his boiling rage mixed with the urge of his inner sun makes him do one last attack. Gathering the essences inside of him, the infused little one loads his belly with them until they go up all the way to his mouth where he only has to breath. In a critical act, Darkstalker unleashes all the power he has accumulated, forcing the great dragoness to muster a shield of essences, avoiding her scales some nasty burns and deviating the powerful blue fire.
Collateral damages is immediately apparent as the area touched by the destructive essences is partially consumed, marking the wall forever until someone hides the misery with paint or replace it. Seeing the effects of his last move, Ayirn takes no risk and shocks the young dragon with powerful lightning to make him go unconscious.
Looking one last time all around her and observing the mess created in so little time, Ayirn sighs, there is a lot of work to do…
Darkstalker wakes up partially, beginning to feel the world around him but still having his eyes closed and floating in an ocean of feelings. The rage and hunger have retreated, but they are still there, as are his inner, burning essences. Feeling the cold and polished ground he rest on and the calm mind around him, the seer is stuck between his world and the outside, each trying to pull him back to them.
But in the end, the young one awakes, finally opening his eyes to see none other than Akhanta watching him like he was under her care. Such image darken the nightwing's mind as she participated in the atrocious act done to him, and he won't forget that so easily. Looking back at her, Darkstalker shows nothing but hatred, making it clear he wants a lot of bad things to happen to her, with him as the author if possible.
- "Dark-"
- "Shut up!"
Like an enraged beast, the night dragon swings his front talon violently, striking the air and proving he will hurt if she dares to approach. Seeing that, the giant dragoness huffs in annoyance and frustration, her body and powers far outmatches his, but she has to find a better solution to this conflict. Knowing it would be better for things to cool down, the dark blue dragoness simply leaves the room, opening the two great doors and closing them in front of the young one.
After staring at a closed brown entrance for a dozen of minutes, the nightwing looks down and sighs, tired of… everything. I got sent to this world, only to be exploited like an animal… Am I condemned to such an awful life?
His mind being occupied by such exhausting feelings, Darkstalker lays down and rests on a crude position for a time, doing nothing and ignoring reality, and even going so far as to cover Akhanta's mind with the raindrops he imagines. As the nightwing now hears nothing but his breathing, his mind starts to calm itself slowly, but what is left is sadness to colour his world.
Mother, sister, you don't know how much I miss you. If I knew what would happen to us, I would have done everything to stop it. I-I know with my foresight I should have seen it, even if it doesn't work like that, I should have been more careful… Do you forgive me?
And you, Clearsight and Fathom, I- No! You don't deserve my forgiveness, you never tried to truly understand me nor my suffering. And what about my family? You didn't either, I guess they were just dragons like any others, that they hadn't had more of an impact on the fate of Pyrrhia than any others, right?
When my mother died, you didn't know at all how to manage it, and it shows. When my sister was enchanted, you only feared what I would do, and you didn't worry for her. Why did I even spend time with you and thought you would be my best friend and my lover?
Stupid future, foolish dreams!
With angry thoughts, the lost seer stays down on the ground, mentally unable to stands up and focus his mind on a clear goal. And nothing changes, time passes and feelings scratch his sanity until…
The great doors open again, revealing a neutral and imposing red dragoness, her steady march announcing her presence as each of her talon hits the ground. Akhanta's mind is more serious than ever as she get closer to the younger and smaller one, who can only partially turn his attention to her, not even completely facing the dark blue one.
- "Darkstalker."
The night dragon doesn't answer to his name, in fact he doesn't react at all, not even flinching, and staying silent for a long moment. Against that, the great dragoness decides to take one big step forward, making the nightwing suddenly take one back at such closeness. That action only re-enforces her focus on him, and as her mind pictures him as a sad and pitiful being, Darkstalker snaps.
- "Stop that!"
Akhanta doesn't move, but her face says it all, he is to be pitied. With the last bit of anger fading away, the young one lowers his head to look away and hides his face with a half folded wing, ashamed of himself. Thinking he shouldn't make himself so vulnerable and broken, the nightwing can't keep his emotions from butchering the little ego that was left in him.
Why can't you leave alone? Why do you have to return to me and act like you are kind and helpful when I know you never will? J-Just go away, I'm better being lonely than with your presence now that I know your true nature. Just…
Seeing a large shadow over him, the night dragon realizes the giant dragoness is just in front of him, able to reach him with her talon. Darkstalker would like to add distance, to resist and oppose, but he just doesn't have the will anymore and knows it is futile. Sensing her mind so well, the seer can't be blind to her thoughts and desire to help him, and that starts to break the last bits of his will.
The nightwing let his head fall to the ground and his talons fold as feelings of fear, betrayal and sadness conquer his mind. He can't ever forget how she accepted their sinister plan and helped them, how much of his pain was because of her actions. But all of that becomes more painful as he started to open to her even a little bit, to trust her, to accept her affectionate side. He thought deep inside himself he would be less alone in this desolate world, he was wrong.
Still, a small part of him wishes to be closer to her, hopes to be loved by another, and it troubles him, it confuses him, it twists his heart again and again until it hurts…
The touch of Akhanta brings him to reality, where he realizes small tears are falling from his eyes. He tries desperately to stops them, but to no avail, his mind being too much in conflict and sorrow for anyone to succeed in that. As the huge dragoness delicately pushes away his wing with her claws, she discovers the expression of his emotions, confirming her doubts.
Without hesitation, the dark blue entity circles him and extends a wing above, creating a closeness Darkstalker doesn't break. In silence, the two dragons stays where they are, with the great one watching over the crying other...