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Chapter 1: Lost in the lands of nothing
After a time of no thoughts ever crossing his mind, the state he is in not even one where dreams can reign properly, Darkstalker comes to his senses, seemingly alone on an oddly soft and comfortable ground, all parts of his body feeling the peculiar surface in such a way he might consider himself to be laying on his back, his wings unfolded like his young form from head to tail.
Though as he tries to move it, the will to do so an innate one, it is to his disliking that the nightwing feels the a tinge of tiredness. Affected but not enough to be discouraged, it is by furthering his attempt that the one blessed by the moons explores the state of his being. Against what he could fear, his many muscles respond to his will quite nicely, with no other sensation coming to him, confirming no wound seems be over his many scales.
Strange, thinks the nightwing as he remembers the painful last moment he had in Pyrrhia. In fact, such a memory is still fresh in his thoughts, if a bit distorted, preserving all kinds of feeling he would like to forgot.
That… really happened? Did I really… lost?
With a sense of disbelief growing in him, Darkstalker almost lets himself be paralysed, until he realizes only him can act for now, his body a healthy one that will help him until the end. So with that new motivation to move forward even if he can not see the path yet, the ambitious if young dragon shakes his being further on purpose, and finally… opens his eyes.
At first fully receiving the faint blue light his surroundings glow with, the resting dragon waits little for his sight to become more accurate, for the lines to be blurred no more. And now staring at what is around him and over him, Darkstalker blinks, discovering how his scales are covered by the same sort of light, with almost plantlike accumulations of dust and viscous, glowing oil all over his body.
What in the names of the moons...
Trying to get rid of these "roots" on his talon, the nightwing finds out that such oil feels oddly pleasant to touch, if very sticky. Realizing how vain it would be to try to wash it up when there is so much of it and no water around, the young dragon simply decides to focus on something else…
Rising his head, Darkstalker sees in details that the farther the ground is from him, the less covered by the glow it is, until he finds himself gazing at lands most dark, with an obscure sky devoid of stars and even moons.
Intrigued with a shade of worry to colour his mind, the nightwing concludes a little walk will do him some good, and so gets up from his laying soil, messing more than a bit with the oily substance as he unfolds his four talons, uncurls his tail and spreads his wings more than bit, the sensation of it all surprising as he feels his tiredness fading while an inner energy heats up in his veins. Looking back at himself, the blessed dragon of night can only get thoughtful at such a sight.
All my scales are polished and shine? It is like no wound ever were there, or have been healed by nothing short of magic, but how is it possible when I was burnt to a cri- Better not to dwell into that…
But still, how can I be so well now? Did my being somehow healed all of its wounds with time? I don't remember having a full belly lately... Wait, for how long did I slept?
Growing confused by his unanswered thoughts, Darkstalker chooses to ignore them for now, deciding instead to go forward before quickly realizing that the soil is getting not just darker but harder, until it is nothing but harsh rocks and dry dust, his paws almost hurting at their touch...
Feeling the need to put an end to his small journey, the nightwing halts, partially folding his talons and letting his wings fall before gazing back, the act of which answering one of his many questions.
So these lands really are boring at first glance. Even the oily stains left by my steps are more interesting in comparison… I mean, I'm not going to stay here am I?
- "I mean, this… that is just a dream, something out of very weird dream or nightmare, right?"
Having said that, Darkstalker can only get how empty this new world is, darkness seeming to be all that the countless lands he sees have to offer, while only the wind answers with surreal coldness.
Calm down Darkstalker, calm down… If that is a dream, how about you test it?
Bending his neck so his head gets far lower, the nightwing raises paw, and with it, slaps himself on the front still covered in glowy oil, the blow not really one that hurt but a shocking one nonetheless. Still, as he recovers, the young seer realizes nothing has changed, the landscape remaining the same as he gazes upon it once more. And that is when his claws begins to clench… only to relax seconds later.
There are better things to do than hitting myself to the point I get out from everything. Focus Darkstalker, I know you can do this...
Remaking his stance if only to reassure himself, Darkstalker cast a quick glance behind to see his traces have not faded one bit, before looking forward. Focusing on the distant lands instead of his thoughts, it is after almost a minute of gazing in silence that the nightwing spots a faint light in the distance, one that he can be sure exists.
So what should I do now?
Looking once more at the place he comes from, the soil he was laying on not so long ago still glowing brightly, the seer realizes there is not much to do if anything at all, so turning his head to watch the distant light again, the young dragon wonders…
Should I venture there? It is quite far away, and for what? But if such a light can be seen from that distance, something… interesting must be generating it. But that's still a very long way, who knows if I won't feel exhausted before or even after I reach it...
And what do the futures tell me? Maybe they'll answer my question...
Using his foresight, Darkstalker sees… not any image of himself, nor any other dragon, nor even a sound of any kind, or does he?
Plunged in the domain of the power he puts faith in, the nightwing does conceptualizes some kind of pulse, a slow but enormous wave of energy that comes back again and again, seemingly every few seconds, passing trough all lands like an echo of something more than grand.
What… is this supposed to mean?
Staying focused for a few more seconds, Darkstalker finally sights, realizing that will not help him at all for now, and since he still senses the mind of no one else as he expected, both of his gifts appear useless at the moment.
Well, it seems there is only one thing to do, I hope this is just a nightmare I'm trapped in…
Gathering all his will, the young seer begins his march, using more of his body to prepare it as he readies his mind, progressing on the crude and cold ground until he is running. And going faster and faster, the nightwing quickly accelerates until he judges his momentum enough to soar.
Mustering all his strength for one good jump then beating his wings, it is with a cloud of sparks and more force than expected that he throws himself in the air... Now above the ground though a bit exhausted, the nightwing gets to see more proofs of how much that world is dull and inert, with the absence of any light over an area that might as well be as big as the sand kingdom.
Yeah, it is like the sand kingdom in a way, but with very dark rocks instead of sand and nothing in sight. Really, it seems like aside from this light, the soil I rested upon even without my presence is the most interesting thing in this realm...
...
It has been more than an hour that Darkstalker has been flying, that he can almost be sure of. And yet his wings are beginning to ache, the ever cold wind not helping his case while the light he pursues has gotten clearer and slightly bigger, a change happening too slowly for his taste. But fortunately for him, fate seems to have heard one of his complaints as he spots something not far from him.
Made from the same black and gray rocks that compose the rest of the lands, is a crater almost daring the nightwing to approach it, to land and accept the price of needing to soar again just so he can explore it in details. But knowing better than to follow such a simple temptation, the nightwing merely continues his flight, using his keen gaze to analyse the place as he got all the time needs…
Now quite close to the crater that did not lost his gaze, the young seer flying in circle to stay above it, it is with a good view on its center that Darkstalker decides to reach such a place, its surface tainted and shining unlike the earth all around despite its colours still being dark ones.
I hope that it is worth it, but if my senses are anything go by, that crater should be different…
Succeeding flawlessly in adjusting his trajectory, the only hardship the nightwing ever encounters in his path seems to be how crude the ground is, its rough surface giving no mercy to his paws as they come in contact with it, sharp cuts being what he feels instantly.
Such pain already? Don't tell me I'm...
Frozen in place, Darkstalker remains staring at his harmed paw, some feelings covering his mind faster than his thoughts… before he resumes his breath, frustration coming back to him as he still does not really pay attention to the place.
Not a drop of blood, but still some scratches on my skin… Is my invincibility spell no more or is that a flaw of it? That traitor of Clearsight did make me hiss with the strength of her fangs after all...
In all cases, I shall be careful the next time I ever land, as these lands won't me spare any pain should I make a mistake...
Starting his march forward, the nightwing takes little time to pass the crater's edge, allowing him to see it in details while he walks over the now glassy surface, the kind that seems to spread fully over the place while a faint pressure can be felt on the mind, like an energy of some kind.
Venturing further inside, his blue eyes not forgetting to watch over his surrounding while the resonating sounds of his steps can be heard, the young seer has yet to spot anything beside what lays at the very center, surrounded by the more colourful shine of the mirroring mass. Realizing that such a thing may be all there is to see, Darkstalker hides not his focused eagerness, no longer walking with relative caution but running towards his goal…
Reaching the place's center, the slope he stands on has become almost a flat one now. And being more attentive than ever, the nightwing discovers that what remains in such a glassy crater is nothing but crude and decayed rods, all imprisoned in their holding mass of a similar matter as that of the ground, but more vivid, its colours almost screaming in a way.
"What… is that?" He allows himself to mutter.
Stepping closer, his wings folding in anticipation as the ground below stays ever so smooth, almost to the point of slipping for one that does not have claws, it is after a moment of staring at the mass that the young seer decides to touch it. And is rewarded with a resonating noise, one he would expect from normal glass... but not really.
Okay, that is odd, but what should I do? Break it? Nothing else seems to be around...
Glancing out there, Darkstalker is one to quickly watch the landscape before looking at the sky of nothingness, his sight spotting the light once more near the horizon.
I won't take the risk of breaking my bones to shatter glass, but you know what? Maybe my fire can be a solution, just in case... It's time to heat up that mass...
Turning back to the frozen and messy monolith, its rods visible yet untouchable for now, the nightwing prepares himself, folding his talon to reach a more appropriate stance while he takes a deep breath. But as the young seer tries to muster the fire deep inside, something refuses… then snaps!
Doing more than coughing, Darkstalker finds himself unable to stand the way he is, his body shaking and bending, forcing him to adopt a far better if kind of humiliating position. All before, after a moment of not just annoyance, but pain, what was deep inside rises in his long throat to be expelled, a kind of warm and glowing sludge being forced to flee from his now open maw…
Recovering his breath as some pain still remains, the river between his mouth and stomach running dry, the nightwing stays in place, his proud form standing almost like it has a broken heart, with his face quite good at expressing his recent feelings.
What… was that? It hurt, it hurt so much!
Trying to regain a better stance without triggering more pain, his body shifting and moving at a slower pace, the nightwing finds a way turn away from the puddle of messy fluids he created. As well as making a few steps forward, making some symbolic if insignificant progress in the direction he would follow should he resume his flight to the light.
H-how is that? My body… unable to breath fire? But...
Settling down on the smooth yet cold ground if only for a bit of comfort, the traces of his march still eye catching though less than before his flight, Darkstalker takes a moment to gaze at himself, his blue eyes scrutinizing his body still covered in colourful oil for any flaw or odd detail, and find a few he does…
Is that… the tiniest beginning of a fin at the end of my tail?
Touching that seemingly new part of him with a gentle claw, the young seer then opens his wings to discover that, under the layer of viscous if glowy substance that still remains, some veins have started spreading from his muscular limbs through his membranes.
Okay, that's really weird… Maybe I should sleep, I think I'm getting too tired for my mind and senses to still be sharp… And maybe I'll wake up from this nightmare...
Fully folding his wings, the nightwing raises his head one last time to look at the light still so far from him, feelings of regret and frustration colouring his thoughts, but not too much. And allowing his body to fully stand down, his talons folding completely while his tail curls around the glassy soil, Darkstalker lets his head repose like the rest of his body.
And closing his eyes, the young dragon soon falls asleep...