Clearsight's Choice

Chapter 14. Clearsight. Agate Mountain.

Clearsight felt as if the wind would knock her off of the mountain as her brain tried to wrap around what she had done. She couldn't believe it. She had really sold her soul to save the dragon she had gotten rid of.

Her eyes were desperate as she searched for a sign of Darkstalker's return. A vision of an earthquake, maybe. Or perhaps he would just arrive in front of her. Was she supposed to do something to get him back? Clap her claws together? Tap a stone a few times? Recite some sort of spell? She didn't know what to do.

Was it all a lie? She thought, twitching her tail nervously. Did I just sacrifice the rest of my life for nothing?

She hoped not, but she couldn't stop herself from fretting. I told that SeaWing, animus, stranger, whatever-- that I can't see into the future anymore. I said they don't work for me anymore, that I can't predict anything. But he had insisted they would work. What will happen to me if he's wrong? He wouldn't kill me... would he?

Clearsight felt a shiver run down her spine, and she lashed her tail once more. Darkstalker, please help me. Come back, please. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she watched it fall from the corner of her eye. She didn't bother wiping it away.

Distracted by her thoughts, she barely noticed the ground tremble beneath her feet. It was so small, no dragon would have thought much of it anyway. But then a second, slightly bigger tremble came, and Clearsight snapped out of her trance. What? She thought, and stepped back as she realized the ground was shaking for the third time.

Before she had enough time to think, a much larger tremble came, like a small earthquake, and shook the ground even harder. Clearsight pricked her ears as the sound of something falling echoed above her. She looked up, toward Agate Mountain, and saw rocks tumble down. She yelped and threw out her wings, leaping into the sky to avoid the rockfall. Another earthquake, and Clearsight watched as the mountain began to crumble, boulders ripping themselves from the landform and rolling away, slamming into other rocks and chunks of gravel.

A crack opened up in the mountain, and began to gradually grow larger. Clearsight landed a few tail lengths away, on a higher ledge opposite of Agate Mountain. She felt her heart thud against her chest violently, threatening to tear loose. Her eyes were wide, yet cloudy. She couldn't help thinking what would happen next. Would Darkstalker still be alive, anyway? The thought had never reached her mind until now. She blinked, watching the mountain fall apart in front of her.

"Clearsight!" A voice called. For a moment, Clearsight wanted to believe it was Darkstalker's voice. She could imagine him running up to her, his sparkling eyes shining as they reunited at last. But to her surprise, she turned and saw Listener flying towards her. "Clearsight, what's happening?!" she asked, landing beside her and watching the mountain. She looked horrified.

"I-- Listener, look--" she started, but Listener's petrified stare fixated on her, and she couldn't bring herself to say it. Then she remembered: Listener was a mind reader. Listener's jaw dropped, and she sprang back. "What have you done!" she cried, gesturing to the mountain. Clearsight opened her mouth to respond, but instead remained silent. She didn't know what to say.

Listener frowned at her. "You have to stop this," she said, or rather, ordered. Clearsight shook her head. "No." she said simply. Listener waited for her to continue, but realized it was pointless. "Clearsight, you don't have to do this. Please, don't do this! You worked so hard to stop him, and now you're bringing him back? He's going to turn evil again! He probably is still evil! Look--" Clearsight flared her wings for silence. "Enough!" she roared, and startled herself by how aggressive she had sounded.

"You think I don't know this? You think I don't think about this every second of every day? I've thought about it, Listener. Not around you, because I knew you would talk me out of it. Like you're doing right now!" Listener's eyes widened. "Clearsight, I'm telling the tru--" "Be quiet," Clearsight snapped, glaring at her friend. "I've thought enough. I should have never buried him in the first place. Leave. Now."

Listener flattened her ears and bared her teeth. "No, I won't leave. I can't believe you're doing this. After all you've done to get rid of him!" She was about to go on, but something interrupted her. Listener shut her mouth and looked up. The shaking had stopped.

Clearsight followed Listener's gaze, toward the Agate Mountain. One section of the landform had split open, creating a tunnel into the deepest and darkest parts of the mountain. Clearsight smiled, the first true smile she had worn in a long time, and raced toward the cave. Listener called after her, but she ignored the other NightWing. The cavern yawned before her, and she made her way through the dark tunnels, searching for her beloved.

"Darkstalker!" she cried. Listener chased after her, even though she could hardly keep up with her friend. "Darkstalker, are you here? Where are you?" "Clearsight, come back! This is dangerous!"

Clearsight eventually found an opening to a much larger cave. She stepped inside carefully, and looked up at a hole in the roof of the cavern; from which daylight spilled through. The light illuminated a dark figure on the other side of the cave. Clearsight raced over to the dragon. She could feel the tears threatening to escape now. And she let them. Darkstalker lay before her on the ground, curled up in a ball. His wings were flopped over his fore arms, so she couldn't see the white scales under his wings, which he had inherited from his IceWing father.

Arctic. Clearsight felt herself flinch at the thought of his name. That wasn't Darkstalker. She thought. My Darkstalker is here, and I'm sure he regrets that. That wasn't him. That was some other part of... his soul? She wasn't sure how to finish that sentence.

Clearsight shook her head and lifted her lover's wing. She felt a weird spark of love for him. It was so odd to be able to actually see him again. After she moved one of his wings, she found the bracelet she had attached to his wrist. Guilt spread through her like a disease, and she had to shake herself once more to focus. She gripped the bracelet between her claws and tore at it, trying to snap it in half.

"Clearsight, no!" Listener raced into the cave and threw herself at Clearsight, knocking her to the ground. Rage flooded through her veins, and she dragged the bracelet with them as she fell. "Too late!" she hissed, as she felt the piece of jewelry shatter in her grip.

Listener climbed off of Clearsight and whipped her head around, staring intensely at the lump of black scales. For a moment, all was silent.

But then, Darkstalker's eyes opened, and Clearsight felt her heart leap into her throat. She could barely breathe as she watched her partner lift himself to his feet.

He studied them both, and a smile formed at his lips. "Clearsight," he said, his voice as confident as she had remembered. Listener growled, and before she could do anything, Listener threw herself at Darkstalker. Darkstalker laughed and rolled over, taking the slightly smaller dragon with him. He had aged as much as Clearsight had, so he was only a bit taller than her, just as he always had been.

Listener roared and tried to slash at Darkstalker's scales, but he merely pushed her off of him. "How dare you, Clearsight!" she exclaimed. "How could you do this! You betrayed us!" Darkstalker rolled his eyes, flicked his claws as if he were casting a spell, and Listener's jaws clamped shut. She looked calm, and didn't say anything as Darkstalker glared at her.

"That was a bit dramatic." he said, before lifting his gaze back to Clearsight. "Clearsight, my love...." he said, and wrapped her in a hug. Clearsight murmured his name back, closing her eyes to relish in the hug.

Her lover was awake at last.