Darkstalker's animus experiments

chapter two ~ turtle

Turtle awoke to what was most likely Darkstalker commanding him over, before Turtle knew it, his body bolted awake and started running out the door. Turtle's mind wasn't fully awake yet and couldn't fully process what was going on. By the time he fully woke up he was already in the courtroom.

"Good morning! I thought it was about time you three should wake up!" Though it seemed DarkStalker was trying his best to seem friendly, that statement came off pretty passive-aggressive. "Now I would love to start our experiments but I am afraid I am not completely ready yet," a few hushed stares were shared across the room. "You guys can talk you know, There's no fun in keeping you mute." Darkstalker leaned on his throne as if bored.

"um, if you don't mind me asking, why did you wake us up if you aren't going to— um, experiment?"Turtle asked with caution. "Oh, I think that Moon and her friends are starting to get worried, after all its been about a week since they've last seen you." A week?! has he had a sleeping for a WEEK?! "and, thank you for reminding me Turtle, I was going to give you these!" Darkstalker pulled three sapphire necklaces out from behind his wing. The large NightWing leaned down and handed each animus their necklace. "will they protect our soul?" Anemone held the necklace cautiously in her talons. "I'm afraid not. after all, that'd defeat the whole purpose of my experiments!" the necklaces flew out of the animus's talons and clipped around their necks.

The sapphire pendant cracked into multiple small slits that started falling out of the silver ring keeping it in place. Turtle's pendant had just under a fourth of the gem missing, Anemone had a little over a fourth gone, and StoneMover had almost 70% of the gem gone. "they monitor your soul! Every time your magic eats away at your soul enough, another slit will fall out,"

It felt wrong wearing the necklace, but that's what all animus-touched jewelry or anything animus-touched felt like, He remembered how it felt holding Darkstalker's scroll or sometimes using his coral. It felt like some sort of darkness or evil coming from his heart.

"now I will be letting you two go out and hunt for your friends" Darkstalker waved his talon as she smirked "but I want to see what you've enchanted." Darkstalker gave a grim look down at Turtle.

"Turtle. When I take an item out of this pouch, you will tell me in full truth if its enchanted and what that enchantment is. you got that?" "yes sir." Darkstalker first pulled out the three pieces of the bowl.

"I enchanted that bowl to duplicate the amount of whatever is in it whenever the holder says "twice as much please."

"hm, smart enchantment, you can keep this." Darkstalker threw the wood pieces into Turtle's talons. He pulled the slate out next.

"that's one of two slates I enchanted. if you write on one it appears on the other, it only works one way, Qibli has the other slate."

Darkstalker chuckled "I must say Turtle you make some pretty smart enchantments, but you cannot keep this." a small wave of disappointment flushed over Turtle. maybe he could've used the bowl to experiment with Qibli to make some messaging system, guess not.

The rest of the time in the court room passed in a blur, but by the end of it Turtle was able to keep his bowl, healing stone, and coral. Darkstalker let Turtle and Anemone go hunt and talk freely to their friends with a few minor rules; we cannot say anything about the experiments, can't say anything about the obedience spell, we have to stay within the NightWing kingdom. and of course, no thoughts of rebelling or trying to convince anyone else to rebel.

Turtle immediately went for Qibli, he wanted to look for Kinkajou, but knowing Glory she probably dragged her back to the RainWing kingdom.

Turtle was surprised to see IceWings living among the NightWing tribe, although they seemed as if they were more slaves or workers that were a lower class; walking behind NightWings holding bags and boxes with their heads down. Turtle would be sure to ask Qibli about that.

Turtle pulled his piece of coral out from his new pouch now located under his wing. "please just find Qibli, like show me where he is on a map please" Turtle held the coral tree to his snout, begging. The coral jerked and dragged Turtle into a library, poking the NightWing kingdom on the map in hung on the dusted walls.

Turtle sighed in relief. "take me to Qibli!"