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Chapter 64: From joining you all to reaching a place of training

Silence reigns over him, Darkstalker refusing the possibility to speak as he bluntly faces the vast horizon, the voices of others unable to touch him as thoughts of reflection do more than just filling his mind.

There is no denying it, Clearsight saw the futures and judged I was not worth following nor saving anymore. She saw one of the trail she feared becoming real enough and that's when she planed to end me.

That, I should have expected when I started making compromises, when I made myself slower and more vulnerable for their sake. I thought I was doing good, but an in between was always doomed to failure it seems, especially when the tribe and Pyrrhia were at stakes…

Looking at his companion and guardians, his gaze slightly more lasting, the nightwing can only ponder about the feelings such dragons made him feel, about what they and their world brought to him and about all that he had gone through since his lover and friend banished him. What kind of future did he have now? The hybrid of night can only think about it.

But fate does not leave him the time to as the great ones turn back, the other kins being the center of their recent thoughts and will.

- "Toijyle, yth iujosh uthue hute veneil u jykon fefmyl, ikul ofemyl surh mylmyl sif gutre. Ignum ythe." Declares the powerful dragoness in a more pronounced voice, she and her kin having stood up and now heading for the previous stage's entrance, only waiting the others to come.

Wanting not to leave his guardian's side, it is more quietly that the young seer guides the enchanting hatchling in his path, his attitude a more focused one as he listens to the kins' minds on the way.

So the others are taking too much time it seems… maybe… Whatever, I should handle that, I have to be strong if I am to succeed after all...

Seeing Akhanta halt then grab his partner, the young hybrid waits not to reach the place below as he grips over the imposing metallic surface, his claws sharp and tough enough to hold his body against it as much as he needs. And after doing that move which pleasantly surprises the feathered dragon, the nightwing descends into a place where the moons' light has a harder time reaching, the gazes of all on him for that brief moment...

Now inside the titanic building, it has been for a few minutes already that Darkstalker has been walking with the others, sometimes looking around the walls whose drawings are worth gazing at, but mostly thinking of what comes next, his attention still being on the thoughts and words coming from the great ones, all despite Ikarh staying close to him.

- "Cuxt sif zaptoe th qaztehen, Xamirh hute heia ofperu thotias ojteane, th linf surh iole tho kes yle leaqise surh pemku feshur meykin yl sulmy peruchuz prita yl namai." Replies the feathered one in a clear tone, his memories of working with the yellow kin ones the young seer analyses as much as he can.

Hearing this, Akhanta blinks, a growl almost escaping her mouth before she answers back, frustration tainting her voice and briefly shaking the hatchling at her side, as well as make her companion blink.

- "Iole ryna tunis surh velt mitrect jyin tho kasarh sif surh! Yihe yth uzethu iole surh aeisto..."

- "Yth heia hefum iole th soumeiuf surh afcunemen, Ayirn hute alomu sif surh kalup tekranasen nestoq tho sylis almu." Kraydirn says with an unchanging tone, his attitude a steady and serene one as he thinks of the other dragoness and of her last interactions with Xamirh, the quite unexpected tension in some of their words something he did not forget.

- "Uthu surh smena, jivun yihe iole eiuf heia xetis sim almu ust ythetias kemosihane…" Replies the dark blue dragoness, her tail swinging a bit faster as she remains close to her matching companion.

Well, if even you two still have doubts… That will make things more difficult, but not too much, or at least not for us… I hope… Well, you have made the choice to remain at my side so it is clear that I risk far less than I imagine...

Continuing to march at an unwavering pace through the corridors of the gigantic building, it does not take long for the kins and their younglings to get closer the trio, a sense of anticipation filling their minds as the others' presence becomes more concrete, more easy to follow as fewer walls of ancient stones stand between them.

- "Cuxt heij ythe eiuf oxtup sim thee ythias ryna? Heij xeito uthu geyt hefum surh tysnui sif oxtup iole heia hute surh oxtuped wein u leaqis?" Asks the dragon of black and ice, breaking the silence with his deep and collected voice, his somewhat noble march unchanged by his action.

Waiting not to focus on that new exchange, the nightwing can already see conflict building in the great dragoness' mind as thoughtful head falls slightly, all before she answers with a fitting voice, the blue and purple one watching them as she has yet to receive a single glance.

- "Yth… hute heia eximn feshur hefum azeiw u xeito, sif surh desfuq nestoq uthu ythias ryna."

Turning partially to more easily give her gaze at the younger ones, the dark blue guardian regains some kind of confidence as feelings and memories come back to her mind. And so it is with a firmer tone that she speaks again, her wings spreading further while the feathered kin shows mild surprise.

"Ythe soumnuv vecik Xamirh sif geumit yl sefrit, thee heia surh lihotu prita yl stymerat ust yl yukyu yfushka."

His breath slowing to a halt at the moment, the young hybrid almost losing his path while watching his sudden shift, Kraydirn is far from thoughtless and hesitant, his march resuming with that partial noble grace of his before replaying with a calm voice, one that hides the hardship his mind encounters.

- "Yth kenib uthu muka naljouz prita iole, yth eiuf moneos sif izumtu iole leikunehan zait yl teiu, heia muvol prita uthu ythias utnay, ikul prita almu ust ythe."

So you will be on my and Ikarh's side? Good to know I can stay under the wings of another beside Akhanta…

Still glancing at the great dragons from time to time, their attitude quite reassuring and even supportive when they realize he is staring at them, it is with some doubts but far more determination that Darkstalker walks forward, his younger companion feeling more relaxed as they continue their march until, after the longer descent through a peculiar set of stairs not lacking in eye catching details, the group can see the trio of kins standing around a central pool, surrounded by gigantic walls covered by shelves, a few empty spots in them visible for those whose gaze is sharp and focused.

- "Mylfus uthue hute jernup sim yth?" Comments the yellow kin with a voice that allows for some annoyance to be heard, a tablet held by his paw while scrolls remain on the ground and a few tablets levitate around him, floating as he wishes them to but not for long.

Snorting in what could be perceived as amusement, the dragoness of green and blue needs only to turn her eyes as she stands closer to the many shelves, her four horned head slightly following with a grin before she speaks, her voice one not so serious in tone that immediately draws the fiery kin's attention, if only partially.

- "Aqerh uthu soumnuv hute ojtea iole, mylmyl hute veneil sylis almu."

Having heard both of her kins but wanting not to wait, Akhanta makes his companion mind's change as she fully moves inside the grand room, bringing herself a few steps further than him before speaking, the almost eyes of Xamirh on her while his peers gaze from slightly behind.

- "Vezkit, oje yth hute surik sif zaptoe neiatome." The dragoness says as she lifts her wing, exposing a bit more to the crystals' light the ones that have followed her, her long and finned tail even circling them to draw everyone's attention.

But unknown to all is that Kraydirn who speaks next, his voice coming just before her own with a tone deep and calm, yet firm like his gaze.

- "Yl ceruxan ust ythias ryna surh qazte, yle toijyle surh heia lihotu, teniok thee eiuf heia telmarn zait yl stymerat prita yl yukyu yfushka." The feathered one declares after a remarkable step forward, the eyes of all kins now on him.

To his words, the general mood is brought to a shift, Azykan being the first to blink while Ayirn remains far less confused than her peer, a slight shake of the head being what she does before glancing at the dark blue one. But for Xamirh however, silence hides a lot more…

- "Lieju uthu surh geska?" Asks the fiery kin in a keen voice, his wider eyes and stance showing confusion and even doubt that could keep him from standing well.

- "Ko" Hears the nightwing as his great guardian unfolds her wings a bit more, her face firm despite looking at one that is not the most opposing.

And what follows is quite a scene for the young seer, Azykan reaffirming his disbelief as he replies in an almost panicked voice, saying words the nightwing has not even the time to register while his mind is filled with marking ideas one after the other, from him and his companions, to the moons, to their rituals, to…

- "Uthu tunis konles ythias ryna, ythe tunis moxon thee hute lumu theetias ceruxan." Declares Xamirh to cut his companion's voice, the fiery one reluctantly turning silent.

- "Vezkit, ikul yth soumeiuf jyker sif esimte uthue yl soleov ujaie iole surh cuxt ythe gynhim imote leaqise."

Having said that, the feathered kin waits not to act, and taking the youngest one in a swift gesture far more surprising than it is harmful, he speaks once more, the struggling hatchling in his paw drawing the nightwing's gaze, but not fully.

"Ikarh thamej surh heia lihotu sif ghyt vawrie u stymerat. Jyin ythe hute moneos sif enavet sif olmiru thatias sazne ajtyrk, tha hute eiagyst wein ulkevun u ceivenan ust olmukara kes heij hute surh zaith thatias mufera." Says Kraydirn as he perfectly remembers the moment their dragonet could not breath out a single flame, his stance solid like a wall against the yellow kin's gaze while the grip of his claws remains far from harsh.

But beginning to feel small under such an atmosphere, it is the magical one who offers to Darkstalker and his partner a kind of escape, the great dragoness fully moving away from her spot, leaving alone the many scrolls and tablets full of knowledge one can only wonder about before bringing her voice.

- "Aquj yl xetiso surh qazte, ythe tunis heia igos ghyt yl hajun stymerat, nile surh heia vawrie u tozakar. Heia uyl zaptoe sim u dezmyl sylis almu." She tells wholeheartedly, pushing all others to react in their own way, like Azykan blinking while Xamirh simply frowns, one easily imagining a growl escaping his snout, though Ayirn is not one to be intimidated by such an attitude.

Looking around him as stress still touches his mind, the young seer does not need to look deep to realize the situation is not glorious. Though fortunately for him, Akhanta knows better than to forget him as the scene continues, the dark blue scales of her tail and talon surrounding him again while the green and blue kin decides to get bolder, her body more gracefully moving to knot Azykan's neck in her magnificent wings, her voice maintaining that displaced tone as she continues.

"And uthu ythias utnay ryna, soumnuv gynhim uthutias uceixt surh myleia prita ofemyl. Uthu oleshi sulma peuj iole kes yihe uthu tunis heia moxon th, yth eiuf esimte uthu." She says while Kraydirn is more than a bit surprised, his mind oblivious to the youngest one struggling no more, to occupied is he at watching his yellow kin.

Hearing a deep sight from the such a dragon, his mind pushing aside a lot of more complex and ordered matters, Darkstalker watches the great one finally admitting defeat, his talon falling and plunging in the water of nearby pool while the rest of his body soothes itself, as if a weight it bore was suddenly no more.

By the moons, who would have thought Ayirn would be the one to push my side into victory? I guess she can when she really wants to, though I suppose that's because Xamirh was quite burdening them, not that I can blame her, the great dragon seems far too serious and demanding from what I saw recently…

- "Nelkemu prita uthue, ikul ythias uceixt surh heia myleia, ythe tunis pemku gystis yle toijyle, jivun yihe iole heia surh oje ythe hute sefrye."

Having said his words, the dragon wearing yellow scales waits not to take up his scrolls and put them back into shelves of fitting size, his attitude a proper one that cares not for the gazes of others, but affects them as Kraydirn is first to help the kin in his mundane endeavour, laying the hatchling that Akhanta now watches over to pick up tablets.

- "Ykane Ankonalmirh iole ythetias ryna pemku kenib soleov…" The dark blue one mutters as she invites the four winged one to join her, the nightwing not missing what she just said.

And so the great ones take a well needed moment to put the place of their making in order, Xamirh being the one to lead that sort of dance around the room and its pool, closely followed by the feathered one and Azykan, though the second appears less focused as Ayirn does not hide the joy brought to herself by such a shift in plans.

As for Akhanta, the dragoness judges better to remain fully for the younglings, her kins hardly needing one more member to neatly put back all that was taken from the ancient and imposing furnitures, now close to completing the entire task that the younger ones care not too much about…

Still having doubts and a few thoughts of suspicion, Darkstalker nonetheless turns back to his guardian, a quick glance at the blue and purple one something he does not forget to do before meeting her welcoming gaze.

"Uthu linf hute moxon vuya ust iolez eltoaman, ikul pelyle kovtur olinahen."

Having said that, her mind still feeling some shame about her kins and especially Xamirh, the great dragoness allows herself to stand down, folding her massive talons to reach the hybrid's level as he keeps himself close with the crowned hatchling.

"Yihe uthu zikos olnamrahen, uthu tunis almunh oulnav omus yth… kes tha." She says in a quieter tone, her blue eyes briefly staring at his companion before resuming that supportive attitude of her.

- "I thank you for your words Akhanta, I may not know of their meaning but… they still matter to me."

- "Ythe surh lihotu ofemyl. Lieju uthue surh okarn?"

Turning to the new speaker, Darkstalker blinks at the yellow kin's sight, fear even tainting his mind before his guardian reminds him of her presence, the great dragoness raising her body with strength and grace then following her peer, the leading one not seeming to waste time as he heads toward the Laboratory's entrance…

Walking among the kins, the young seer feels somewhat confident despite Xamirh and the others still having something in mind, an idea that concerns him, the presence of his trusted guardian and the knowledge that whatever will happens will take place in that training he is familiar enough with, gives him a reassuring ground to stand over, even as he knows the yellow kin keeps his expectations high, whatever they are in details.

- "Cuxt ust heij gystose uthu hefum ythias ryna?" Says the magical kin, her more casual voice breaking the silence, though the nightwing can see she not simply joking.

With a faint smile growing on his snout, Xamirh waits not to answer, his tone somewhat more energetic as he remembers the young hybrid acting and exercising in the vast room made for it.

- "Ythe eiuf moxon heij tho tunis ghyt, ikul yihe tho heia tunis ghyt aftomer temnyl, aquj ythe tunis oem fiku jteqim tho omus heij tho kenib…" He says while casting a quick glance at the young seer, Kraydirn, but especially Akhanta, not missing his words, the first remaining true to his serene march while the second begins a new trail of thoughts.

What are you really thinking about Xamirh, what do you have in store for me? If I am to do some exercise in that room, then I guess it would not be so improbable that some claws and fire land on another's scales, if only by accident…

But more seriously, I should keep myself calm and focused, trying to feel satisfied by hitting one of them won't lead me far at all…

What's up Ikarh, you want me closer by your side?

Feeling the blue and purple one's tail persistently touching his, the immature one looking mostly forward with a mind focused on those that are, but not too much on him, Darkstalker decides nonetheless to extend a wing as a reassuring veil for her body, a move she can only appreciate.

- "Enjoy my warmth, because I doubt you will if I am running like rainwing during the kind of training session they decided for me to have."

Continuing his march through the walls of the titanic pyramid, its interior always decorated with drawings and lines of symbols worth gazing at, though the great ones have varying interest for them, the feathered one checking them the most while his worthy guardian does glance at them, but more to see what the young ones can see, the hybrid still feels small around all the kins, their imposing and magnificent forms, even brought down by the lack of a fitting domain on almost all levels, putting quite to shame the nightwing who can gaze.

But Darkstalker, despite all the pride and ego he still has, has grown more and more accustomed to them, first by gradually giving his trust to the one that wanted him as the child he was, then by walking many times through the ancient and more than gigantic building that primarily houses the kins, and finally by having lived long enough here to have at least a few interactions all five of them, such dragons not always being ones he likes, but a sense of familiarity with them the otherworldly one has gained nonetheless...

Arriving at the final corridor, the flame of eagerness burning brighter in some as the full group approaches the walls of the expected training room, the closest scene depicted over starting to become clear, it is with a firmer, almost noble voice that Xamirh breaks away from the ambient and lousy atmosphere his talking kins have created, the yellow dragon taking a step further than Ayirn before spreading his wings.

- "Ythias rynaz, ythe hute esfim, ikul yth kasarh uthue sif surh kalup oulnayen oje ythe elofe zait yl jteqimun ozeim, lieju iole surh qazte prita uthue almu?" The great ones declares as his leading march slows down, almost coming to a halt as he turns to reach one of the prestigious room's entrance.

Seeing no one protesting, though his closest companion and her faint grin is someone he does not wish good on, that the young seer can tell, Xamirh proceeds to reach the promised destination. At first standing up and using of his imposing body's strength to open the heavy doors with some help, the leading one allow for all to step over the marked floor of a place they all respect, many memories coming back in the thoughts of all except the four winged hatchling.

Now that everyone is inside, the sounds of their many talon steps echoing in such a vast area whose atmosphere has always felt mystical with the presence of well placed crystals giving their light, the yellow kin quickly settles there, his body somewhat relaxing from head to tail on a chosen spot of the painted ground near a greenish gemstone...

- "Toijyle, surh lihotu emio ythias rynaz eiuf gystis uthue." Says Akhanta to her far younger followers, kindness tainted by a tinge doubt in her voice as the dragoness circles them, the others beginning to look at her though Kraydirn knows better than to add to her recent burden.

Staring in return into her blue eyes, Darkstalker turns away seconds later, his own eyes glancing around the four other that he can not hope to fully stand against, the fiery kin being the most reluctant one in a weird twist of fate while the feathered one remains like a judge. As for Ayirn, she lacks some seriousness unlike Xamirh, though both wish to test him and both appears standing to him.

Taking a deep breath, the nightwing now rises his head while his wings begin to unfold, and bluntly crossing their gazes, it is with Ikarh at his side, his tail over her finned one that the hybrid of night feels the duty to be confident, his voice fitting that attitude when he speaks in his very tongue against them all.

- "Do not worry Akhanta, I shall go through any test they may think of and bear the weight they decide to put over my being. I will make it so your fear is proven unfounded, you have my words..."