.
Chapter 30: A nightwing deep in thoughts and memories
Finishing his meal, Darkstalker puts his last glass of exotic salty water down, somewhat satisfied, or a least not hungry anymore. Turning his gaze at the giant dragoness who stayed at his side, the nightwing sees her satisfied, a bit proud of him as she puts aside the rest of his meal with her giant paw.
Secretly relieved he doesn't have to eat more of his mineral meal, his throat and stomach having a bit of a hard time adapting to that, even if all the water he drank helps greatly, the young one is assisted by Akhanta who gives him a talon to climb down from the enormous table.
But as the dragoness recoils a bit, her kin Xamirh decides after a moment deep in his thoughts to turn and speaks at her, his voice both formal and personal.
- "Akhanta, yihe yth linf, lieju uthu kes Darkstalker tunis surik nestoq yth? Yth kasarh sif esimte tho aftomer alkary."
To his words, the great dragoness doesn't take long to agree, surprising her kin a little.
- "Ythe tunis ghyt iole." Answers the dragoness, her voice without strains like her body.
Leaving her pool like the yellow giant does, Akhanta takes a step toward the exit before looking back, her gaze falling on the red and orange kin still holding a recipient, not that disturbed by them leaving. But not satisfied with just going away, the great dragoness speaks to him.
- "Ythe eiuf litysen yl ozeim nestoq yl toijyl. Lieju uthu muka aftomer sif zaptoe?"
First wanting to say quickly what he had in mind, Azykan decides to answer different words as he thinks of Xamirh.
- "Yth tunis litysen, yth eiuf heia ignum uthue."
Nodding in return, the pair of draconic titans walk away with the nightwing staying close to them, who feels a bit bad for Azykan being left alone at the table.
I shouldn't, he can stand far more than this, and I'm sure he'll join one of his kin if he wants to…
Leaving the room, the group of dragons begins to walk through the Pyramid with Xamirh taking the lead. And as they barely starts their march, the great dragoness has some questions for her kin that break the silence.
- "Cuxt, uje ythe teneij?" Asks simply the dragoness, her mind telling the seer she wonders about their destination.
- "Sif yl ulven ust ythetias jienum." Replies the great dragon naturally, his voice just ever so slightly professional.
- "Vaieb?" Says the dark blue giant, her head instantly recoiling a bit as the image of a celestial orb appearing in her mind.
- "Ko, ikul uthu eiuf heia surh cimule. Yth hute hefum ust yl temnyl yfushka, kes yth hute dweshi u ulitos dusmil." Tells Xamirh, putting his kin into a thoughtful attitude for a moment.
Eyeing the young one and his dark scales still having some veins in between, Akhanta replies with some seriousness, thinking of him, of the power of the "moon", and that of the great crystal.
- "Heij Darkstalker eiuf ghyt?"
To that question, the great dragon dragon retains himself from answering immediately, looking down and preferring to think for a long moment, his mind flashing with vivid images of the past, often concerning the nightwing, and always having some essences he considers important in each scene.
Focusing on him, the little seer gets flashes of his memories…
Laying on a clean room surrounded by powerful giants, the young dragon finds himself to be embraced by a lot of power as the essences cover every inch of his body, like a necessary fabric to protect his burnt scales and wounds big enough to make some want to look away at first sight…
It is unclear in what state the young one is or what his wounds are, as the scene doesn't remain consistent with the great dragons switching position and his wounds changing.
But in the end, his state is a pitiful one, which he hopefully doesn't get to live through with his unconscious mind, avoiding the sight and the feeling of having a skin half reduced to crude coal, a naked underside covered by a hundred cuts, or even a head which has been opened…
Breathing faster now that he has seen these morbid pictures of himself, Darkstalker takes a moment to gather his will before looking back at the yellow giant's mind, regaining confidence at spotting that the next memories seem to have nothing of gruesome.
In a room full of evenly separated boxes, all containing a crystal or some dust as well as a scroll, with each bearing a name, Xamirh stares at a large sheet full of symbols and drawings, a silver and blue gem in his claw for what seems to be an eternity…
Concluding the endless reflections and speculations over peculiar essences best shown by the pale and warm light of the gem he holds, the great dragon stands up, his mind in shock at something that might be possible, something he must tell to his kins…
...
Approaching the two greatest doors, the great dragon surprises the green and blue dragoness standing nearby, making her drop what she held as she turns to face him. Keeping her stance formal, Ayirn is more than impressed at hearing his words, and after a short moment, she accepts his demand.
Opening the titanic slab of ancient stones, the two great beings enter the final room to reach the core crystal, always emitting that bending light signature of the sheer amount of energy it contains…
Coming close enough to have a good sight of the corpses around it, the yellow giant presents to the divine gemstone a noble container, an hourglass prison for the otherworldly essences, like a sacrifice all under the watch of the magical dragoness, whose expression hints at uncertainty, and even f-
.
'Darkstalker'
.
The seer snaps back to reality, his eyes instinctively turning to the one who spoke, falling upon Xamirh's gaze and genuinely curious face.
Halting his march in reaction, the nightwing tries to resume his walk and to appear normal only for the yellow giant to slow down before whispering, his head now lower solely for the little one to better hear his softer but distant voice.
- "Ujaie uthutias oxon surh etulmes oem yth? Lieju uthu feshur dusmi, ebiven sif Zytias olmukara, iti sif ythias kumista?"
Now forced to stop or else he will outpace the great dragon, Darkstalker stares at him with a neutral face, calm and knowing better than to make unnecessary hostility. It is, however, difficult for him to stand to the yellow as he turns his large head to fully face him, the little one feeling almost like a dragonet compared to these great dragons now that anger or disdain doesn't occupy his mind.
But that uneasy moment is cut short as the great dragoness steps closer, making Xamirh look at her instead.
- "Yl toijyl surh coitumen, cuxt aqerh uthu muka uthutias xetiso." Says Akhanta with her kin's curiosity in mind.
Casting a quick glance at the nightwing, the great dragon's gesture is enough to tell to his kin he isn't satisfied by her words.
"Yth okutes mylmyl, ikul uthu eiuf lioshes tomerz tey tho." Adds the dragoness, the idea of him and her supporting the little one coming to her mind.
Folding his back talons, the yellow giant takes some time to think about what she said, his eyes jumping back and forth between Darkstalker and her while he tries to remember of something specific in his past…
Passing near the great temple that got the city its reputation, the yellow dragon finally decides it is time to enter it. Marching through the more noble first room, populated by many, with a distinctively larger proportion of young ones and dragonets, Xamirh is a bit out of his comfort zone, especially as sees a few troublesome little ones running around and totally ignorant of the crisis happening, for now.
Focusing on the reason he came here, the yellow dragon progresses steadily and undisturbed, even if it does help that those who recognises him stops what they are doing for a moment, making the place a little quieter…
.
Arriving at the central room, Xamirh knocks at its entrance before stepping inside, drawing the immediate attention of tens of very young ones and their parents.
Quickly joining the dark blue dragoness who expected him, the two exchange some words before the yellow one finally decides to stay here for a while, near a corner of the room to watch the new generation training and learning. Though he sometimes has to answer to the coming of some parents, who are a bit too respectful as they ask him on important matters.
Despite being good at that, he does have some regrets as time passes and he watches all those younger ones being guided by Akhanta, but doesn't think his own intervention will really help, not that even one parent ask that of him...
But as he was about to leave, a brown dragonet, no older than seven years, approaches him shyly. Pleasantly surprised deep inside his heart, the adult dragon represses that feeling as it grows too much for his liking, but still, he has something to try.
Telling some words to the dragonet in a softer voice, Xamirh is still far from being the best with little and frail dragons, but what he said is enough for the brown little one to reply to an unknown adult, voicing her thoughts in a low voice…
The yellow dragon sighs as he hears the question, like it was a burden. Thinking about how to best answer to the little one, Xamirh finally say an honest and hard response, his expression more of a tired one than sorry.
Seeing the small brown dragon becoming distressed and fearful, the adult doesn't really know what to do as her state worsen. Having a harder time truly understanding and adapting to the far more emotional attitude of children, the yellow one feels powerless, until, under the pressure, he decides to suddenly hug the dragonet.
Yellow scales embrace the brown ones of a child in silence, the greater being knowing better than saying anything, staying on the spot with the dragonet being held tightly against his chest…
Acting under the watch of everyone, it is made clear by looking at his face that Xamirh barely understands the gesture he is doing, appearing to feel disconnected despite focusing totally on the brown child.
.
Seeing the little one has calmed down, the yellow puts her down slowly, his eyes finally looking away.
Dumbfounded, the dragonet still stares at him, her green eyes waiting for him to do any act for her. But seeing him casting a quick glance before walking away, she slowly goes her way, more surprised by him than anyone else…
Leaving the room, Xamirh gives up his more refined stance as he walks through the corridor, irritated by how things turned. He shouldn't have answered to the little one, and ignoring it would have been easy, it would have avoided him from rushing into action. But instead, he told words no one could handle that well, and even if he tamed them, no child can face their meaning alone.
Blinking by instinct at the end of his memory, the yellow giant spots Darkstalker staring him, utterly focused and almost frozen, like he was reading a scroll important to him, almost personal.
Thinking about that odd occurrence in the nightwing's behaviour and making it cease by who knows how, Xamirh turns to the great dragoness, his mind unable to shake the young one's suspiciousness.
- "Yl toijyl feshur mulys yth aljalesh xeitoz. Yth hefum ythe okutes sif gystis tho, ofemyl."
Thinking as well while the little nightwing looks at the both of them, making sure he focuses on reality over the realm of thoughts this time, Akhanta finally responds.
- "Ythe tunis ghyt iole, yihe uthu eximn kasarh sif."
To her words, the great dragon nods quickly, a new destination appearing in his mind. Looking at the little one, the dragoness' face and attitude invite him to get up and to follow her, and he does so without any word being spoken…
Changing path, the three dragons now walk to another part of the Pyramid, going through a new set of corridors, their walls presenting familiar scenes, appearing not so different for one who doesn't know the meaning behind any of numerous symbols describing each picture like that of an epic tale, their paragraphs shorter and following the action.
Though in all of these painted and drawn dragons standing in the middle of their glorious and vast kingdom, there is one motif that catches Darkstalker's attention.
Gathering at some temples, dragons wearing identical set of more spiky markings look at their leader, who stands on an elevated and decorated ground. Despite the edges of the dragon kingdom crumbling, and its many peoples having to deal with that, making some panic, and the majority more stressful, these "few" marked dragons stand adamantly around and in the sacred places.
And as the realm deteriorate, this loyalty is tested by the coming a royal and their nobles, putting themselves in an antagonistic position as the follower stays to the walls of their worthy buildings.
What came next was so predictable… the royal and his dragons seize the temple by force, making all its protectors submit under the sharp claws and blades of the nobles. But as temples fall one by one under the iron fist of the kingdom's authority, one located pretty far from the gradually harsher capital distinguish itself shortly after.
Led by a feathered black dragon, a group of distinct dragons take or hold a spear in their claws, looking at each others, with some uncertain, while the majority seems more determined...
So these dragons are more loyal to their temples than their kingdom? Probably a cult…
They were right to raise their weapons, as you can only submit or fight against an oppressive monarchy. And if you choose the latter, they will deny your words, manipulate you, brainwash you and try beat you into submission if all else fail.
A sad grin appears on the nightwing's face as he remember being the only one directly standing and plotting to overthrow the societal order that wanted to make of him its slave. Well… that is not entirely true as the young one remember clearly one dragon other than himself rejecting outright the society he lives in...
During the middle of the night, the little Darkstalker finds himself in his chamber with his sister, and his father somewhere in the house, his mother so far from all of them as she has to serve the tribe as an exceptional soldier, her camp close enough to the place of conflict, but not enough to be threatened immediately.
Drawing with Whiteout, the brother seems to pass a good time and to relax, to shake off the fear and uncertainty Foeslayer's absence and the war made him feel.
Normally, the black hybrid makes a prouder and more confident attitude despite his age to push away the worry of his mind, but when he is with his sister, in a calmer and quieter moment, he can't use that side of him anymore, he has to find something else…
Trying to get the shape of some dragonets right, Darkstalker can't focus as his father's thoughts still distract him, refusing to be totally ignored. Now putting down his claw as he fail for the fourth time to draw the hatchling's head, the nightwing has had enough and recoils before standing up from his chair.
Reassuring his sister with kind words, the brother leaves his room, walking under the light of the moons and descending the staircase to get closer to his father, who isn't very quiet for now…
Laying near the entrance of the main room where Arctic resides, the dragonet sticks to the wall, hiding himself from the adult icewing who isn't just thinking, but talking as well, his voice varying between that of whispering and of speaking to another.
Confused, it is after listening to his father's passionate words that it hits him, his father is voicing his thought and talking to himself, sometimes even behaving like another was before him.
- "why… why? Why?!"
"I thought… I thought we- No! I was stupid, I should have known, I should have known that this disgusting queen would put her dirty talons over our life! It was so obvious from the very start, when all the ones that came to my kingdom where high diplomats, too often responding to the direct orders of the monarch."
"I should have realized when I escaped my lands, that I was leaving one prison for another, but at least I could be happy in the latter, right? Right?!"
SLAM!
The fearsome and tired icewing strikes the ground with a talon, clawing the floor in a sudden burst of anger before the frustration fades away, leaving his voice broken...
"And now you are gone… How much will I have to wait to see you again? How much…?"
Falling a little more to the ground, Arctic continues under the watchful eyes of the little seer, who tries to stay silent despite the emotions of his father hitting his mind like the wave of a merciless sea.
"And when I got you. And when I got you… will all this time we'll spent together be worth the wait?"
"Answer me!"
Rising his head during that sudden scream, the icewing falls again, his mind becoming clouded by doubt and sorrow before the disdain he has for the nightwing tribe takes over.
"Damn tribe, cursed night kingdom, you couldn't leave me in peace, you had to make of me your little pet, submissive to be used like the asset I am in your eyes Vigilance?!"
"You are wrong… You are so wrong to treat an icewing prince, an animus like that… The icewing bow to my blood, dragonkind fears my power, and so do the queens!"
Arctic stands up, his prideful anger giving the will to not fall into the helplessness of sorrow.
"You're playing with fire, you don't know what I am capable of… You think that because I have used my magic to escape with my love, that I must follow the rules of my tribe? I have betrayed it, such an order of them over the use of my magic does not apply, so don't push me to my limit."
Going quiet for a moment, Darkstalker's father moves his head instantly, facing an opponent that only he can see.
"You believe I lie? Then I'll show you!"
Unleashing his wings, the prince of the frozen lands points his extended talon straight before him. Immediately, furnitures are blown away, hit by an invisible shock wave reminiscent of his unnatural power.
Looking around himself as he calms down slightly, Arctic's face becomes covered by fear.
"No… Nonono… no…"
"I must not… I must not use my power, or else…"
- "Don't lie to yourself!"
The coming of a lighter but angry voice shocks the father, who turns around to see none other than his son standing before him, more determined than ever.
- "Why are you here?!"
- "Because I couldn't not hear your words!" Replies the young one, looking as angry as he is willing to act.
- "Y-"
- "I listened to what you told, a lot."
- "You little!"
Not caring about his father's reaction, Darkstalker finally says the question he had in mind since he saw the icewing's madness.
- "What are you waiting for? Go get mother back if you truly love her!"
To the words of his son, Arctic remains silent for moment, staring coldly at him, his mind torn apart between the disdain for his son and his worry for Foeslayer…
- "You do not understand, it's not that simple." Chooses to answer Arctic, putting an end to war of his thoughts.
- "What is stopping you then?" Replies the black dragonet, suspicious of him, his attitude one that hold him responsible for the misery that fell over them.
- "I do not have the power to stand against the queen without losing everything, and I can not use my magic, for it is cursed."
Snorting at his response like it was a lie, the little replies like he was fighting back.
- "Why are you still restraining yourself? Don't you get it? You're evil, so why do you care about sacrificing your soul when you have none left."
The imposing prince freezes, then hisses as his son's words truly enter his mind, but the dragonet barely flinches.
- "You don't know what you just said, you can't let magic bring ruin to the world. Don't let your selfishness get the better of you." As he says those word, the icewing father thinks as low as he can of his son.
But that doesn't stop the nightwing, he was already expecting that since the beginning.
- "You said that so many time… I don't think you truly understand your own words."
- "You think a dragonet can lecture an old icewing prince Darkstalker?"
Arctic takes a step forward, but so does his son, not being fearful at all in the face of him.
- "I saw your mind since my birth, you fear magic not because it is the right thing to do but because you do not want to confront the terrible memories of your failures!"
- "You arrogant brat! You're the worst of all those night spawn waging war against my tribe!"
- "If you hate our tribe, then why do you care about the ruin brought by your magic?! You can only hurt the dragons you deem a nuisance, so what's the problem?"
- "No! You won't tempt me little devil, I know better than to let your words make me a pawn of evil."
- "No one is manipulating you, your heart is just too weak to realize you have nothing left to lose and everything to gain in using your magic."
The icewing was about to scream, but stops as his worry for Foeslayer come back to his mind, forcing him to fight the thoughts of that feeling for a moment before speaking.
- "No, I have already used my magic to protect her, if I use it again I'll destroy what I will get back. I just have to have faith in her…"
The seer rolls his eyes at the way his father's mind come back once again to what has been drilled into his head to justify his way. But that won't discourage the dragonet from breaking the icewing's excuses...
- "The miracle won't come father, I saw the many futures, and unless magic is involved and someone like me ascend to the throne, she will return to the war as long as it last. And your mother made sure it will."
- "…"
- "Why are you hesitating? Don't you believe it when Diamond said the war won't stop until she gets you back?"
- "I believe her, I have lived enough at her side to know that. But… no, we can't risk having the nightwing queen as an enemy, she'll take everything we have and cut our head!"
- "Then use your magic, and destroy her lackeys before they can get to us…"
- "I…"
- "You said you would do anything for my mother, right? You even sacrificed your soul for her, so why don't you try one more little spell to help her?"
- "I can't…"
- "Not if it is small enough, and it won't be seen by anyone, and it could be very useful if you're cleaver..."
Darkstalker walks forward until he stops at his father's talons. Looking up, the son's expression hints at some genuine pity.
- "If you think you deserve to be with mother, then do it, and the painful corridor will end."
- "I need… I need time to think…"
.
Father, you were a coward until the end.
Thinking of his father's decisive actions, the young one looks down, pitying Arctic more than ever as think of him more as a dragon having lived an unfortunate life than as an unredeemable father.
All those years you spent in our kingdom trying to live your life... It was doomed from the start, from the moment you fell in love with mother, the only way to stop that terrible fate from happening was fight back with everything.
But you didn't have the strength to do it, your heart couldn't handle the pressure of fighting against all odds. Though in the end you did take drastic measures, but too late and leading to your doom…
Continuing his train of thoughts, Darkstalker freezes for a split second as he realizes how close he was from ending like his father, with a life cut short before he could even get to the happy future he struggled so much for.
If I didn't enchant myself to be immortal and invincible, it would have been the end…
Though I'm not sure by what miracle I did survive my banishment, didn't the spell butchered my body?
Remembering his last moment in Pyrrhia, the nightwing shivers at being reminded of being stretched and cut to pieces, of his blood splattering over everything around, but at least he got his answer.
No one could stay alive after that.
The great dragons couldn't have healed(resurrected?) me, they discovered my existence far after my coming…
Reminding himself of the first time he awoke in this realm, the young one remembers feeling at peace, his body healthy but covered by viscous glowy oil, as well as laying on a soft ground.
So my essences saved me all on their own? Why? Does this world in particular made them more… active?
Frowning in incomprehension, Darkstalker gives up trying to find an answer after a few minutes, focusing instead on the relief of still having a chance to achieve his great destiny.
At least my situation is still salvageable, as the world I am in now is not a helpless one. How lucky am I to be banished to a desolate world without anything nor any power left to do anything?
Then again, if there are many worlds, what is the proportion of "good" ones, or even ones more similar to Pyrrhia?
…
But more importantly, What was the enchantment that banished me?
To the tribes, there seem to be only Pyrrhia, so how could a power that brings to others worlds be made?
An animus could do it, but the icewings had a whole lineage of magical users for centuries at least, and even if they can only use their power once, if they really think about it the option would be known, right?
Deep in thoughts, the little one walking alongside giants ponders about the possibility.
While it might sounds absurd, even for an animus, to take the idea of joining other worlds seriously, there are arguments for.
First, there is still a lot of superstitions in the tribes, and the highest dragons in the hierarchy are not spared from that at all, so some queen might listen to such an idea.
Second, admitting the existence of other worlds and the possibility of travelling to them means far more territories and resources are potentially in a kingdom's grasp.
Maybe the power to reach other worlds is a complex one that requires a lot skill, and maybe even the one who conceived the enchantment that got rid of me didn't really think about it too much, my banishment was a chaotic one after all…
Approaching his destination, the nightwing continues his march in silence, though it is a bit of a surprise for him to realize Akhanta is eyeing him, and has likely watched him being thoughtful the way through the Pyramid. But he doesn't mind it that much, the dark blue dragoness is the one he can trust the most after all.
Smiling a bit as he faces her, the great dragoness grins in return, not really understanding what is going in the little one's mind and what thoughts cause him anger, fear and sadness, but at least the child is in good shape for now, though she didn't forget his recent behaviour and reactions, she can't if she wants to bring the best for him...
Approaching their destination, Xamirh cast a quick glance at the nightwing, checking his state.
- "Darkstalker surh masne prita ofemyl moneist Zotias zikosymu." Says the dragoness to the great dragon, her voice a formal one.
- "Uthu ojure zait tho?" Asks Xamirh as he ends his gazing of the little one, his question far more personal like his tone.
Seeing his kin nod, the yellow giant is reminded of Akhanta's most marking trait, one that he took a lot of time passed together to understand and appreciate.
Looking straight before him once again, Xamirh now wonders about the young one under a new angle best told by one question.
"Heij yl toijyl hute ofekyj?"